MJ worked with their client Edith Venter, and the lighting designer for the event was Gary Sam, a freelancer who programmed on a grandMA 2 Light.
"The evening consisted of two parts, a show and an after party," commented MJ's Theo Rood, project manager. "Prior to the show, staff from the MultiChoice Call Centre participated in auditions and a knock out system, something similar to an Idol's type competition. The top eight singers performed at the grand finale, hosted at the Teatro auditorium at the Mosaïek."
Gary Sam needed something that would punch through the white camera lighting. "The BMFLs were absolutely brilliant," said Gary. "It was the right light for that gig and allowed us to pretty up the venue. Because of the bright lighting required for camera work, I needed something that would punch through.
"The BMFLs were able to give me nice beam work from the back, and they doubled up to do great gobo work on the stage floor. I also loved working with the MJ guys, they are a great bunch of people who know and love what they are doing, and it is always a pleasure working with them."
The back truss, mid truss and house truss was all Prolyte H40V, explained Theo Rood. With a passion for symmetry, Theo and Gary worked together to come up with a solution that would add effects and colour, each song having its own look and feel.
"On the back truss, we hung eight Robe BMFLs and eight Robin 600 LEDWash fixtures and on the mid truss, five BMFLs and four Robin 600 LEDWash lights. Twelve Robe MMX fixtures were positioned on the house truss, gobos here used to add texture to the walls. For air cutting beam work, six Clay Paky Sharpys were placed on the stage floor." The rigging was headed by MJ's Molatelo Sebatjane (Zeeks).
Three sections of Showtech LED Star Cloth created a backdrop and two Le Maitre MVS Hazers formed part of the gig. "I like the MVS Hazer," said Theo. "Its output exceeds its size and within five minutes the whole auditorium was filled with haze."
(Jim Evans)
