Pantiles, owned by independent local entrepreneur Bob Archer, has maintained its popularity thanks to a flexible mainstream music and door policy. CGA’s Chris Gunton has been supplying equipment, service and technical support to Pantiles for some years. The club’s current manager, Matt Highton comes from an engineering background and therefore understands the importance of good technology and production values.
Last year, it was time to upgrade Pantiles’ moving light system, so Gunton suggested Highton take a good look at what was available at PLASA 2002. When he reached Lightfactor’s stand and saw the SGM fixtures, he knew he’d found the moving lights he wanted! "Small, robust, nicely designed and very bright," he comments. This was followed by a demo of the fixtures in situ at the club by Lightfactor’s field sales manager Peter Coles. CGA then developed Pantiles’ new lighting spec. When complete, Highton ordered both SGM Giotto 250 spots - which can also double as washes with their variable frost filter - and SGM Victory II scanners from Lightfactor. The washes are used for basic colouration and building blocks for the lightshows and the scanners for beam work. Lightfactor supplied the scanners with custom Pantiles gobos.
The lighting revamp was completed with an efficient new lighting control system also supplied by Lightfactor. This removed several old lighting desks and centralized control via one LightProcessor QCommander 256 desk, a LightProcessor Slide 6 panel for the DJ and record lights, and a LP QDmux interface which patched the existing generics into the new console.
Preserving the architectural integrity of Pantiles’ main room - a charismatic converted barn dating back to the 15th century - was a key installation issue. Two thick wooden beams had always traversed the dancefloor, more recently rigged with various bits of lighting and sound equipment. To open up the full ceiling height and enable customers to appreciate the space’s stunning shape, CGA recommended removing certain technical elements hung on the beams. All fixtures - new and old - are now secured to the main dancefloor’s peripheral wooden structures - for a cleaner, neater and more modern look.
(Ruth Rossington)
