Appelt's design is an eye-opener, with the German lighting designer rigging a mix of over 100 x Clay Paky Sharpys, 26 x Alpha Spot HPE 1500s and 12 x Alpha Beam 1500s supplied by PRG Hamburg, in strict configurations across huge fingers of truss that reach out across the audience.
"The concept behind the design was not to worry too much about the stage and really play out to the audience," explains Appelt. "We built four vertical columns upstage upon which we rigged the Clay Paky beam fixtures. These columns then lead out into four 'fingers' of curved truss heavily rigged with Sharpys. The fingers are designed to reach out above the audience creating an all encompassing light show that really grabs attention and pulls in the crowd."
Appelt's design harnesses the absolute power of three of Clay Paky's top-selling fixtures. With these the designer creates looks that veer from tempestuous strobe-style storms to weaving huge geometric cages of light that suspend eerily over the audience.
"The Sharpys were used for their fabulous laser beam and pin spot effects," continues Appelt. "The fixtures are made for this kind of music, they are fast, rhythmic and of course extremely powerful. We created rapid, techno style movements as well as huge architectural lighting looks that powered out over the audience."
The five time award winning Sharpy is a firm favourite amongst live event lighting designers, its rapid PAN and TILT movements and almost solid seeming 189W beam creates awesome lighting effects that stun audiences.
Along with the 100 Sharpys Appelt rigged the Alpha Spot HPE 1500s and Alpha Beam 1500s. "I choose the Alpha Spot HPE 1500s because they make a great workhorse," continues Appelt. "They are incredibly powerful and have fantastic gobo options which I used to create texture and mid-air effects.
"The Alpha Beams have a great, punchy beam and the way the front lens is manufactured with its elliptical reflector means that you get a great light output from it. I used these to create sharp, down lighting effects - specifically when the band risers fly down from the ceiling during the show's intro section."
(Jim Evans)
