Tarm lasers star in Rocking UK spectacular

Germany - Every summer since 2007, Wolfsburg, Germany's Autostadt has put on a series of laser and light shows featuring effects staged on the areas of water in the sprawling park's grounds. Following up on the huge success of last year's show, which ran under the Made in Germany banner, this year the United Kingdom was up for treatment. The series of weekly changing shows, entitled Rocking UK which were the world's largest water shows of their kind, ran from 8 August through 7 September and took attendees on an audiovisual tour of Great Britain.

The series' choreography portrayed the history, culture, and lifestyles of the British Isles. The first week's show, which opened on 8 August, focused on the UK's Stars & Legends. Magic & Mystery was the topic 17 August through 23, while Culture & Tradition occupied the foreground 24 August through 30. The grand finale was a weeklong presentation on The water shows were produced and choreographed by Autostadt personnel. Ralf Luhnen, head of Autostadt's events department, stated: "More than 250 pumps, more than 150 flame generators, plus 31 laser projectors and a new video system, allowed creating a broad range of new effects this year."

tarm Showlaser, the laser-effects specialist based in Bochum, Germany, supplied the 31 laser systems for Rocking UK, two of which represented a world first. The pair of high-power TSL-VIPER lasers emitting orange beams that were stationed on the rooftops of the park's twin towers had never before been seen anywhere else in the world.

Throughout August and September, the water shows continued to attract thousands of spectators to the park every evening and thrilled them with constantly changing interplays of laser, light, video, flame, and water effects. Otto F. Wachs, Autostadt's general manager, said: "We are very satisfied with the numbers of attendees at this summer's shows. More than 537,000 came to the Autostadt and attended its numerous events this summer. The closing weekend of Rocking UK which attracted an audience of 43,000, was the most popular of all."

(Jim Evans)

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