Saudi Arabia - Prolights fixtures have transformed the Wonder Garden amusement park in Riyadh into a spectacle of light and colours. The park now boasts a captivating illumination setup featuring the Astra fixtures.
The project features 150 Astra Beam260IP and 50 Astra Hybrid420IP units, arranged to enhance both large and small stages. This extensive installation ensures a comprehensive and immersive lighting experience, highlighting the park's magical and whimsical themes.
The fixtures have been provided by Prolab, Prolights’ distributor in Saudi Arabia, and the lighting project, overseen by lighting designer Houssein Ramadan.
The client expressed their utmost satisfaction with the project's outcome: "The ambiance achieved through our strategic use of Prolights' fixtures has exceeded our expectations, creating an unforgettable experience for our visitors."
Rami Harber, CEO of Prolab adds, “Prolights Astra fixtures have truly redefined the luminous charm of Wonder Garden. Our partnership with Prolights showcases our dedication to pioneering lighting experiences in Saudi Arabia.”
USA - When lighting designer Mitch Mueller wanted a profile fixture for key and front lighting for country singer Lainey Wilson’s debut performance at the outdoor Red Rocks Amphitheatre, he chose VL3600 Profile IP luminaires from Vari-Lite.
The Red Rocks Amphitheatre is an open-air performance space built into rustic natural surroundings in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Mueller’s design included 32 Vari-Lite VL3600 Profile IPs, whose high output and premium features made it ideal for the design of the outdoor performance.
“When I was programming the show, I was looking to do a lot of spot breakup looks with gobos layered with big pan and tilt effects, and the VL3600 played the role perfectly,” explains Mueller. “Not only are they relatively quick for their size, they also have a multitude of different ways to add that texture I look for.
“The most surprising part of the light for me was the throw and zoom of the light,” Mueller adds. “For the Red Rocks show, I had them as my key light and front light fixtures (as well as my spot profile in the overhead rig) to illuminate the band and help provide a general stage wash. They did a great job with overall coverage while also being able to frame in the band cleanly when they needed a little boost.”
“The VL3600s have been a workhorse for PTP since we acquired them this past summer,” adds Andrew Sparks, co-owner of PTP Live. “They have been super popular as both sub-rentals on some rather massive international projects as well as our own shows. We were stoked to have them
UK - The National Theatre has extended its long relationship with GLP fixtures by becoming the first theatre in the world to take delivery of the manufacturer’s new impression X5 Bar 1000. This has been added to the rig in the Olivier Theatre in time for the staging of The Witches – a musical version of the timeless Roald Dahl tale – which runs until 27 January 2024.
The X5 Bar 1000 is a linear LED batten with 18 powerful 40W RGBL LEDs, a wide zoom range and the new GLP iQ.Gamut colour calibration algorithm, which creates ‘perfect white spectrums with excellent colour rendering’.
The new squared lens design ensures maximum lumen efficiency and gives an unprecedented curtain of light at its narrowest angle of just 3.5°, while delivering smooth and homogenous washes all the way out to its widest 60° wash.
These were among the features that caught the eye of Paul Hornsby, lighting resources manager at the National Theatre, which had also been the first theatre in the world to order GLP’s JDC1 hybrid strobe when it was launched.
He had first witnessed the IP versions of the impression X5 IP Bar 1000 at the 2023 Prolight + Sound Show in Frankfurt before the non-IP version was released several months later. A demonstration was set up at the National Theatre, with evaluating team impressed by the superior brightness and colour calibration when compared with their existing impression X4 Bar 20s.
The order for 36 units was consequently placed with reseller White Light. Of the acquisition, Paul Hornsby states: “We’ve had a
USA - ETC has introduced the High End Systems Ministar, adding to its automated lighting product line. Ministar offers versatility and performance at an affordable price point; with a compact footprint, punchy output, and a professional feature set, Ministar fits the spec and budget for small to medium-sized venues.
Automated lighting product manager Matt Stoner comments,. “What sets this fixture apart are the dual colour wheels that create the VersaColor technology, offering a spectrum of 60 pure and elegant colours that are accessible via a single channel. This empowers users to create beauty with an extensive range of colour options.”
Complementing the VersaColor is QuadraTech, an innovation that harnesses the power of four colours within the projection. Matt Stoner elaborates, “QuadraTech revolutionises the creation of stunning visual effects, both in washes and aerials, offering a unique edge that sets the Ministar apart. This technology unlocks a realm of beautiful colour combinations that are easy to use and provide unique projections and aerials.”
Ministar uses a 300 W custom LED to generate an output exceeding 9,700 lumens. Its feature package includes dual pattern wheels for gobo morphing and textural manipulation, variable frost for softening edges and washes, a prism to elevate theatrical applications and create breathtaking aerial effects, and swift pan & tilt functionality for dynamic movements. Notably, its ingeniously engineered 6.5° - 48° zoom function is housed within a remarkably lightweight 16 kg/37 lbs. design.
UK - Scotland-based event companies, 21CC Group has acquired laser and visual installation company, funktioncreep. The addition of these services to the 21CC portfolio ‘will bolster the company's offering, enhancing its ability to offer a full turnkey of event design and technical solutions on a large scale to new and existing clients’.
Geoff Crow, director of 21CC Group commented: “In line with our ambition to become the market leaders in event sector technology and sustainable technical advancements, and with sustainable event delivery high on the political and social agenda, the next natural stage of development for 21CC Group is lasers, projections, and holographic productions.
“One of our founding mantras was to be at the cutting edge of technology within the events sector and acquiring functioncreep brings new skills, experiences and abilities into 21CC Group, which will enable us to push and develop new technologies within the sector, to ensure we remain just that; on the cutting edge of technology.”
The six-figure deal will create new opportunities for 21CC Group to move into new sectors and deliver bigger and more high-energy, high-impact events with the addition of laser displays, 3D video mapping and visual effects.
Funktioncreep, known for its impressive technical expertise, including laser shows, tour and festival video operators, innovative architectural projection mapping, LED and holographic projections and in-house content creation, is based in Midlothian and has delivered more than 1,600 bespoke productions sinc
Spain - Astera will be using their attendance at ISE 2024 to demonstrate how the Astera portfolio constitutes not just a selection of different standalone lights but ‘works as a comprehensive ecosystem which provides lighting engineers with their full host of needs, whilst also allowing them to leverage the functionality of their existing auxiliary inventory’.
By providing LED versions of the key traditional lighting types used most frequently by gaffers, and by integrating built-in batteries, Astera are able to leverage all of the advantages of LED technology - including lower power draw, higher output strength, precise colour control, lightweight profile, wireless installation and full creative flexibility.
The newest additions to this full lighting ecosystem are the LeoFresnel and PlutoFresnel. With both lights maintaining a Beam Angle between 15° and 60°, and with the PlutoFresnel achieving the equivalent of a 300W Tungsten Fresnel for an 80W draw whilst the LeoFresnel achieves an equivalent output of 1000W using only 250W, both lights can be used to achieve the specific creative effects associated with Fresnels - particularly in terms of documentary work - whilst avoiding the weight, heat and energy-draw associated with conventional lights.
A new addition to the PlutoFresnel allows it to quickly transform into a battery-powered profile spotlight, with a range of 16° to 36°. The lenses can be exchanged in seconds; they simply slip in and out, and the projection zoom can then be controlled manually by twisting the lens barrel. Two furthe
UK - Grammy Award-winning global super star, Burna Boy, brought his Love, Damini stadium tour to the 80,000 capacity London Stadium last summer in front of his largest solo audience to date, simultaneously becoming the first ever African artist to headline a UK stadium.
The tour celebrated his sixth album Love, Damini, with his electrifying performances, and dramatic production and lighting designs from Anthony Hazelden of Live Lighting.
Hazelden chose a quantity of Ayrton Huracán LT, Eurus Profile and Domino LT fixtures as the mainstay of his London Stadium rig, which were supplied by London-based Colour Sound Experiment. Ayrton is distributed exclusively in the UK by Ambersphere Solutions.
“We went with all-Ayrton gear because their products are all LED-sourced,” he explains. “Another major reason for our choice was our need for high power output, but also some IP-rating - and the Domino LT meets all of those needs. Most of the shows I design now are heading towards IP fixtures. Crucially this allows us to place units around the stage or the stadium which is something we just couldn’t do before.”
Hazelden rigged 40 Huracan LT as the main flown spot fixture on stage, with 30 Eurus Profiles at centre stage lining the risers, all within the protection of the stage roof. 32 of the IP-rated Domino LT fixtures were rigged on the FOH delay towers, catwalk and B stage, and in the stage right and left wings - all in areas that have no weather protection as the units’ IP-rating afforded all the protection that was needed.
South Africa - The colourful eye-catching architecture of the Soweto Theatre stands at the centre of Jabulani, an area fast developing into a bustling future Central Business District. For the last 10 years, the venue, designed by Afritects, has provided a lively performing arts hub and forum for creative expression reaching into the heart of the local community.
In 2023, the lighting department, headed by Nkululeko Mazibuko, received 12 new Robe Esprite moving lights as part of a technical upgrade which was co-ordinated by the venue’s technical manager, Lebugang Andrew Mnisi.
The lights were delivered by Robe’s South African distributor, DWR, and join the original Robe LEDWash 300 and 600E Spot moving lights that have been working hard in the theatre since it opened in 2012, together with the LEDBeam 150s that were purchased in 2019.
The Esprites, which will be deployed in the Soweto Theatre’s largest closed performance space, the Gibson Kente Theatre, are “a big leap forward”, says Nkululeko.
The theatre hosts a diversity of theatrical and drama performances and is also regularly used for concerts, music-based TV programmes, gospel shows, musicals, DVD shoots and festival events so Esprites were chosen for their multipurpose nature.
They are also bright enough to be rigged on the outside amphitheatre stage. Now at the back part of the Theatre, this was Soweto’s original performance space and can accommodate up to 10,000 people in its current format, complete with sweeping views of the hills and south part of the city.
USA - Bandit Lites has announced the promotion of Tyler Veneziano to client representative. With more than 13 years of experience on the road as one of the premiere Bandit team members, his skillset will bridge the gap of connecting clients’ visions to real, practical lighting applications.
“I look forward to creating strong relationships with new clients while emboldening current ones,” said Veneziano about his new position. “Bandit has never let me down. I’ve found an environment that I can professionally thrive in, and I couldn’t be on a better team.”
“I have never seen a person with a better personality and better suited to be a client rep,” elaborated Bandit Lites chair Michael T. Strickland. “Ty is a real people person, and he has a work ethic and dedication second to none. We all know Ty will succeed at a high level and his clients will love him.”
USA - Elation has announced the hiring of Tiffani Bryant as the company’s digital marketing creative specialist, a new position designed to help drive visibility across online digital media platforms, as well as provide creative input across all of Elation’s marketing channels.
Tiffani brings with her seven years of experience as a digital marketing professional, having managed media and created digital content for top brands in the sports and entertainment industry including UFC, Team USA, ESPN and multiple professional boxing brands. She also worked as onsite creative manager for Team USA Shop at Athlete Week in Washington DC following the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
“Elation is continuously evolving and innovating and I want to showcase that in the best way possible,” says Tiffani.
Eric Loader, global vice president for sales & marketing at Elation, adds: “Having Tiffani onboard marks an exciting chapter in our journey. She brings a dynamic perspective to our team and her wealth of experience, especially her work with renowned sports and entertainment brands, will help us to better engage with our audience.”
USA - Lone Star Lights is a family-friendly Christmas light experience hosted at Carolina Creek, the Christian camp located an hour north of Houston, TX. ADJ was selected by Carolina Creek as the exclusive supplier of entertainment lighting for the event, with equipment supplied via Alabama-based Team Wilson Media. Its various areas, exhibits and attractions are illuminated by a variety of ADJ IP65-rated fixtures, including Hydro Series moving heads, HEX Series static washes and battery-powered Mirage Q6 uplighters.
Established in 2002, Carolina Creek offers overnight summer youth camps as well as year-round retreat facilities for churches, youth organizations and civic organisations, as well as corporate team building events. Hosting thousands of young people in the summer and busy most of the rest of the year, the holiday season has historically been a quiet time for the camp. Therefore, Lone Star lights was brought to life to utilise the site during the downtown and simultaneously rise funds for the organisation which awards hundreds of scholarships each year to campers from urban/inner city communities.
Running for its second season in 2023, Lone Star Lights took place select nights each week from the last Friday in November through Friday 22 December. The huge walkthrough experience featured over a million Christmas lights spread across 17 acres and arranged into a series of thematic zones. From classic Christmas scenes to Texas-inspired designs, the Insta-worthy light displays sat alongside a series of interactive experiences. These included wrangl
Spain - Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) will return to Barcelona (30 January - 2 February 2024), billed as ‘the most comprehensive exhibition for the pro AV and systems integration sectors and is set to raise the bar once again’.
Mike Blackman, managing director, Integration Systems Events says: "Without a doubt, ISE is your ‘destination for innovation’, and we will prove that this is not just a claim. With more than 1,200 confirmed exhibitors and the biggest ever show floor space, attendees will have plenty of opportunities to discover innovations at ISE 2024.
“In addition, our comprehensive content programme gives a platform to more than 100 of the industry's most innovative representatives. And don't miss our keynotes. These creative minds will impressively demonstrate how AV is shaping our daily lives."
Key highlights for ISE 2024 include:
Seven Extended Technology Zones: ISE 2024 offers a broad spectrum of the most innovative companies that cater to every interest. From audio, content production & distribution, digital signage & DooH to lighting & staging, multi-technology, residential & smart building, unified communications & education technology, you'll find everything under one roof. ISE has grown once again and will now also fill Halls 1 and 4 at Fira Barcelona Gran Vía. Hall 1 becomes the new home for lighting & staging, while Hall 4 provides a new location for content production & distribution while also allowing the multi-technology and lighting & staging zones to be extended.
Cong
Germany - Astera has announced the establishment of a new product management department as part of its ‘ongoing commitment to enhancing product development and customer satisfaction’.
Simon Canins, newly appointed CTO of Astera said: “We are thrilled to welcome Ben Díaz to the Astera family and embark on an exciting journey of growth and innovation together. Ben’s ability to listen to and understand the evolving needs of our customers makes him the perfect candidate to head up our busy product development. Being able to delegate responsibilities to someone of Ben’s calibre gives me strong confidence in reaching our company’s goals. Together we will create a seamless integration of product excellence and user-centric strategies, aligning with our ongoing mission to remain at the forefront of technological advancements."
Since 2014, Ben Díaz has been working for two leading lighting companies specializing in premium LED technology. His role as senior product manager at ARRI resulted in the creation of the award-winning SkyPanel X. Before that, he had been working for SGM light as head of product management where amongst other things he developed the first IP66 lights for the stage lighting industry.
Ben Díaz said: “Leading the product vision in a high-quality, user-centric brand for both film and entertainment is the logical step forward in my career. What I really like about Astera is that the company solves the real problems of filmmakers, LDs and lighting crews through careful listening, premium quality and smart innovations.”
UK - Those stuck in busy Christmas Eve M25 traffic as they drove home for Christmas were treated to the sight of Father Christmas as he began his delivery duties led by his faithful reindeer.
Celestial created a festive drone animation of Father Christmas flying over the M25 to spread Christmas Eve magic. Through technology, Celestial digitally displayed Santa and his sleigh using drones to delight and ignite imaginations.
Tony Martin, CEO at Celestial, comments, "At Celestial, we believe in creating experiences that defy expectations and leave a lasting impact. Our Christmas Eve drone animation is a testament to the endless possibilities that technology and creativity can unlock, with a touch of Christmas magic for families to enjoy."
UK - The Soho Kids Xmas Lights 2023 is now in its third annual edition. The project showcases the designs of pupils from the Soho Parish Primary School.
Soho Parish Primary School pupils, under the direction of Antonio Capelao, architect and founder of award-winning Architecture for Kids, a community interest company, coproduced 14 new street lighting panels this year to add to the 35 designed in the two previous years. Creating a total of 49 (and two commissions) luminescent installations that are lighting up the streets of Soho until 7 January.
The designs by the pupils were judged by a committee, formed of industry experts, including Ayça Donaghy, CEO, and Bob Bohannon, head of policy and sustainability, from The LIA. The judges along with Hannah Peaty, assistant head, Soho Parish Primary School and Antonio Capelao, founder and co-producer of Soho Kids Xmas Lights, selected 14 of the 130 pupils' designs, to be manufactured into street lighting panels. Some of which, received an award from the RIBA and The LIA for their outstanding design works.
Antonio assisted by Hannah and Joshua Brooks, RIBA interim learning manager, delivered a series of design workshops to the children to initiate their journey as lighting designers. Their journey included a visit to the Andy Warhol: Textiles exhibition at the Fashion + Textile Museum, as well as partaking in research of their local buildings, cultures, communities and traditions. The LIA also contributed a short video showcasing the 'value of light' to the children for inspiration in their designs.
T
France - Director of photography Jean-Louis Rousseaux has been responsible for lighting the sets of television network France 24 since 2008 and knows what type of high-quality light is needed to create the desired look and ensure a visually engaging viewing experience. Last summer, he and his team lit two France 24 TV news sets using Elation broadcast lighting supplied by Elation distributor Best Audio and Lighting.
As on most sets today used to produce broadcast news magazines, France 24 installed LED screens around the entire periphery of the sets. The space was also equipped with soffits and spandrels made of RGBW LED strips and treated with a night and day material which has the particularity of allowing saturated colours to be obtained.
“The surface area used on the sets being small (50sq.m), I was worried about the impact of this entire LED installation on the colorimetric reproduction of the presenters in front of the cameras,” Jean-Louis Rousseaux commented. “I chose Paladin Cubes to allow me to compensate in colour for the dominance provided by the screens and LED strips. It’s a process that I have already implemented on the set of C’est dans l’Air and which has been working on a daily basis for three years.”
The Paladin Cube is a compact RGBW floodlight with 3 x 1 cell control. Output for such a compact unit is surprising at 3,200 lumens and operation is completely noiseless. “The possibility of controlling their diffusion angle and the fact that they are compact allowed me to place them on the entire periphery,” R
Europe - Pro lighting sales and technical specialist Jeroen van Aalst has joined the Robe International sales team as key account manager where he will be energising and coordinating sales in several important markets including The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Slovenia, Malta, Turkey, Israel, and South Africa.
Aalst will be working closely with the Robe distributors in all these regions, overseeing and supporting their initiatives, coordinating information, ensuring all communications channels are fluid and fully functional, assisting in client relations and exploring new ideas and markets in conjunction with their teams.
Already a well-known industry figure across The Netherlands, Jeroen has made many friends and contacts working long-term for the dynamic sales, distribution, installation, and project management company, Controllux, which is also Robe’s Benelux distributor.
Aalst comments: “After 23 fantastic years with Controllux, I wanted new challenges, and this is a perfect solution! I will still be dealing with some of my excellent colleagues in The Netherlands in this new Robe role - alongside my talented existing - plus some new - co-workers at Robe.”
His relationship with Robe goes back to when the Czech company was an aspiring OEM moving light manufacturer in the early noughties, immediately before ‘Robe’ was launched as a brand.
Robe lighting s.r.o. CEO Josef Valchar states: “It’s brilliant to welcome Jeroen onboard our diverse international team. We will enjoy his energy and enthusiasm for our brand,
USA - City Theatrical now offers three standard beam control accessories designed to fit LDI Show 2023’s Lighting Award winner in the Fixtures Category, Martin Lighting’s MAC One, which include the MAC One Top Hat, MAC One Concentric Ring, and MAC One Hexcel Louver.
These three beam control accessories were developed based on City Theatrical’s understanding of the different accessory needs of lighting professionals, and the high demand for this moving light fixture in the market. Each new Martin MAC One beam control product offers control of stray beams and light spill.
City Theatrical’s engineers and craftspeople design and create beam shaping lighting accessories, like the new Martin MAC One Top Hat (P/N 2812), from their New Jersey-based factory. City Theatrical works with designers and manufacturers every day to develop new beam control products, and there are currently dozens of unique variations of City Theatrical Standard Top Hats available. Top Hats help prevent light spill from modern LED fixtures, which can extend nearly 180 degrees from the light source. Top Hats provide careful beam control for the Martin MAC One and many other moving light fixtures for entertainment projects.
City Theatrical Concentric Rings deliver 45° cutoff of light spill but from a shorter depth. When space is at a premium, such as on moving lights hung in a tight rig, using a Martin MAC One Concentric Ring (P/N 2810) would be a top choice for designers seeking beam control. Concentric Rings are also used to create a ‘Svoboda-like’ style on lighting fi
Germany - The Kinderlachen Gala in Dortmund was illuminated by Prolights products, an annual event celebrating individuals distinguished for their humanity, altruism, and civic engagement throughout the year.
René Geißel, responsible for the technical implementation of the event's lighting, selected the LED moving heads from Prolights' Astra series, including the Astra Profile400, Astra Wash19Pix, and AstraHybrid330 models.
"My requirement was clear: I needed a spotlight for the light show and another for white light," René Geißel explained. "The Prolights Astra Profile400 were excellent for white light, maintaining colour stability even at reduced intensity levels and with various zoom settings." For this year's light show, Geißel first used the new Astra Hybrid330, which proved to be versatile and functional across different lighting setup configurations.
Following the success of the Prolights Astra Wash19Pix positioned at the front edge of the stage last year, Geißel again included this LED washlight, equipped with a separately controllable pixel ring, in his setup as an eye-catching visual element for video recordings. "The Astra Wash19Pix captures attention and perfectly completes the scenic appearance of the stage."
USA - The latest addition to ADJ’s popular COB Cannon Series of LED wash lighting fixtures, the COB Cannon LP200, offers colour mixing from a full-size fixture that is suitable for use as a pendant-style house light as well as many other applications. Featuring a powerful lime-infused COB LED light source, this versatile fixture offers a potent output with a high CRI and delivers a broad spectrum of colour options including white light with variable colour temperature.
At the heart of the COB Cannon LP200 is a high output 200W COB (Chip On Board) LED engine, which combines red, green, blue, amber and lime LED chips to offer impressive colour mixing with a uniform output that is free from colour shadow
The fixture’s advanced LED engine offers a high CRI of >90, which means that it will render colours accurately when used to illuminate scenery, décor, and people, which is particularly important to ensure clarity, depth, and natural skin tones.
“The ADJ COB Cannon Series has proved to be enduringly popular with both integrators and event professionals,” comments ADJ USA’s director of sales, Alfred Gonzales. “With its powerful and versatile RGBAL colour mixing engine, the new COB Cannon LP200 is sure to be equally popular. It offers a fantastic range of colour options, including white light with variable colour temperature accessible from a dedicated DMX channel.
“This full-size Cannon fixture with lime-infused colour mixing is ideal for house lighting applications, installed in pendant configuration, but can also be used for a
South Africa - JP Ridgard is an avid user of Obsidian Control Systems’ Onyx lighting control platform and in 2023 turned to the growing brand’s NX4 lighting console for the Lowveld Gin Fest in Mbombela.
“The NX4 proved to be a game changer for me during this event,” reflected JP, who procured the console from Obsidian’s local distributor in South Africa, Electrosonic. “Its built-in touch screen and ample work surface made it the perfect tool for both programming and playback.”
The 2023 Lowveld Gin Fest took place 9-10 September at the Lowveld Botanical Gardens and featured a strong line-up of artists. JP, a freelance lighting engineer, orchestrated an array of dynamic lighting looks that complemented performances throughout the two-day festival.
The NX4 is a full-featured console in Obsidian’s ONYX lighting control platform. It offers 44 playbacks (10 motorised, 12 sub, 22 playback executors) and other advantages like external monitor capability and EtherCON connectively. One of the standard features of the NX4 that JP finds especially useful is its 10 motorised main playbacks. “These were particularly useful for executing precise movements and controlling aspects such as speed masters, size masters, colour bumps, and override cuelists.”
JP also made use of the NX4’s 12 sub-playback faders. “These were perfect for controlling main intensities, stop FX, haze and any other elements that I needed immediate access to. The convenience of having these controls readily available on the sub-playbacks was a real time-saver duri
The Netherlands - In collaboration with FullAVL, Prolights distributor in the Netherlands, Lichtpunt Theatertechniek delivered a cutting-edge Prolights lighting system to the Concert Hall Theatre in Tilburg. Renowned for its versatility, the theatre hosts a diverse array of theatrical performances, dance shows, concerts, musicals, and cultural events.
Given its dynamic and eclectic programme, the theatre had a pressing requirement for an entirely new lighting system. This system needed to meet the highest quality standards while offering adaptability to cater to various productions and events.
FullAVL supplied Lichtpunt with a range of Prolights projectors tailored to meet the client's specifications, including the EclFresnel 2KTW and Astra Wash7Pix models.
The Prolights ECLFresnel 2KTW, a 500W luminaire has distinguished itself by excelling in both light intensity and colour mixing quality. This innovation has empowered Tilburg's technicians with greater flexibility, enabling them to craft high-quality lighting scenes. The Astra Wash7Pix, known for its colour mixing, high light output, and virtually silent operation, emerged as the best choice for an environment where audio quality is a must for the viewer's experience.
USA - The City of Paramount in California kickstarted the holiday season at the end of November with the 25th instalment of its annual Tree Lighting Celebration. Lit by a variety of ADJ luminaires, the free event was attended by thousands of locals and featured live musical and dance performances.
The evening culminated when Santa Claus arrived on the scene surrounded by a flurry of synthetic snowflakes created by six of ADJ’s powerful Entour Snow machines. He then joined city officials on stage to throw a large lever shaped like a candy cane which turned on the downtown Christmas lights.
A holiday traditional which started a quarter of a century ago, the City of Paramount’s annual Tree Lighting Celebration has become one of the biggest events of the local community calendar. It regularly attracts crowds of 8,000 to 10,000, however this year’s 25th Anniversary edition smashed all attendance records by welcoming an estimated crowd of 15,000.
Attendees were treated to dance and musical performances by Latina Art Foundation, Kimberly’s Dance Studio, Mariachi Las Catrinas, and the Disneyland Carollers. Following the appearance by Santa and the official lights switch-on, the event closed with a set by Vilma Diaz, the former lead singer of Cumbia band La Sonora Dinamita, which prompted dancing in the street to end a memorable celebration.
For the second year running, technical production for the event was provided by Ambient Pro, with the principal, Victor Nava, serving as production manager. The company was responsible for building the sta
Australia - An array of stars gathered to celebrate the life and legacy of the late Michael Gudinski at Mushroom 50 Live! In Melbourne at the end of November.
Gudinski founded Mushroom Records in 1972. Over the years, he recorded, promoted and nurtured a generation of transformative Australian stars like MacKenzie Theory, the Skyhooks, The Choirboys and Kylie Minogue, among many others. Along the way, he became a legend, earning the title ‘father of Australian music’.
Honouring his legacy, the Mushroom Group recognised Gudinski’s half-century of achievements by holding Mushroom 50 Live!, a live and broadcast show that featured 50 songs from 50 years of the record label Gudinski founded. Although the programme covered a wide range of eras, genres and onstage styles, the personality and passion of each performer was beautifully reflected in a versatile lighting design that featured 60 of the new Chauvet Professional COLORado PXL Curve 12 motorised battens from Showtools International.
Lighting director Hugh Taranto, and programmer-operator Chad Spenser deployed the fully pixel-mappable RGBW to accent the production design by Travis Hogan and Simon Johnson, so it best supported the diverse performances on stage.
According to Taranto, the PXL Curve 12 fixtures were used for various purposes, including effect lights, footlights, beams, and more. Taranto noted that the IP65-rated fixtures impressed all the designers associated with the show thanks to their pixel mapping prowess, as well as their 12 independent heads, each with individual zoom,