Not only do the lighting products used on the PBR tour have to be tough enough to withstand flying soil and debris, they have a wide range of other demands placed on them too, says Meeks. The lighting must be "studio-friendly" enough to provide illumination for the sport's weekly televised events, as well as for photo and video shoots. Additionally, it must be able to light up live musical performances and guest artists that are part of the entertainment at PBR shows.
So when he expanded his rig for the 2011 tour, Meeks wanted lighting products that were both tough and versatile and opted for Elation Professional.
The PBR had used Elation light fixtures in the past, including the Power Spot 700 II CMY colour mixing 700-watt moving head and the Design LED 12 Brick RGB colour mixing brick, and Meeks had been extremely pleased with their durability and roadworthiness. "The 700s were my first Elation fixtures. I have 10 of them, and they have been solid from the start," said Meeks. "They have been through hell and back and just keep on going. I think I have sent only one back to get looked at in three years. Considering what they go through on this tour, I think that's remarkable."
Based on this proven track record, Meeks added some new Elation fixtures this year. He now uses an all-Elation rig, supplied by LB Lightswest (Lodi, CA), consisting of: 20 Platinum Beam 5R; eight Design Spot 1200 Compact; 10 Power Spot 700II CMY; 16 Protron Color Strobe; 80 Design LED 12 Brick; and EWDMX wireless DMX systems.
(Jim Evans)
