USA - To meet expected expansion, Bandit Lites has announced the hiring of industry veteran Paul Strom to the sales and integration team. Strom joins Bandit’s Charlotte office as system integrator and will primarily focus on rigging and soft goods, allowing even more rapid growth in this area. “We’ve had countless professional interactions with Paul over the years, so this was a natural fit for our team,” said Chris Barbee - vice president of sales & integration. “His comprehensive knowledge of rigging and drapery is going to be both an asset for us and our clients.” Strom has more than three decades of experience in the industry, spanning both lighting and carpentry with a strong emphasis on permanent rigging. “I have worked with the entire Charlotte staff in the past and am excited to join them on new projects,” said Strom. “I am thrille
Europe - Lightware Visual Engineering has announced Roger Takacs as vice president of education. Takacs will play an instrumental role in developing and growing business in the education sector. Takacs has more than 20 years’ experience in sales and executing strategic initiatives across several key verticals, including education. He has worked with many manufacturers, including Crestron, Atlona and Custom Display Solutions, and integration companies, such as CompView, MCSi and The Intellisys Group. “We continue to expand our team with many of the industry’s most widely respected professionals,” said Jason Tirado, president of Lightware Visual Engineering. “We are focused on building relationships with customers, consultants and integrators and demonstrating our confidence in Lightware’s innovative solutions. We are thrilled to welcome Roger to our team a
Italy - One hundred Claypaky Sharpy Plus Aqua fixtures were deployed at the Venetian Arsenal from 31 August to 10 September 2022 for the Campari Boat-In Cinema event at the time-honoured Venice International Film Festival. Campari has been the main sponsor of the festival for the past five years, during which it has organised a whole series of events to promote dialogue between established filmmakers and emerging talent. Among the best-known initiatives is the screening of some of the films in competition with the audience watching from the water on small boats or platforms in the scenic Arsenal basin. A spectacular live performance opens the evening after an apéritif and welcome dinner for a select audience of about 180 people. This is followed by a film screening on the big screen. After the film, the evening firework party begins for a larger audience of about 1,500 peop
Singapore - Showtec, one of the largest rental companies in South East Asia, has purchased 40 Ayrton Domino LT luminaires from Total Solution Marketing Pte Ltd, Ayrton's exclusive distributor for Singapore. The fixtures were subsequently used for the prestigious Singapore National Day Parade on 9 August 2022. Showtec is one of the top professional entertainment technology companies in South East Asia and carries a very extensive range of equipment for every kind of event. Its inventory is backed by a team of highly proficient technicians who achieve fantastic results for everything from intimate concerts to large scale outdoor events. Henry Ang, founder of Showtec, chose Ayrton Domino LT both to boost his rental stock and, specifically, for the National Day Parade. “We chose Ayrton Domino LT after a lot of research comparing it against other major moving light brands
Belgium - This past summer, community centre and local theatre GC De Kroon in Bocholt invested in a new Elation LED lighting package just in time for the new theatre season. The new energy-efficient lighting upgrade includes both stage and house lighting fixtures, a dynamic system that will serve the local performance community well into the future. The transition from conventional lighting to LED lighting was high on the city council’s agenda and Jasper Hendriks, technician at the theatre, was tasked with looking into the newest available technology. According to Jasper, the 400-capacity theatre had several good reasons for wanting to upgrade their lighting system. “One issue was with the conventional 1 kw and 2 kw lighting we had – there was simply no more spare parts for them,” he explains. “Another reason is the local dance schools and associations that
France - DJ, music producer and creative live experience imitator Michael Canitrot presented another innovative Monumental show, this time in front of the Cathedral Notre-Dame of Laon in the city of Aisne in the Hauts-de-France region of France. A special musical performance was created for this event which was presented in collaboration with design collective AV-Extended led by Jérémie Bellot, featuring a giant video mapped projection show onto the front of the Cathedral’s imposing 56m-high façade, supported by a light show designed by Mikael “Mika” Trochu utilising 56 x Robe moving lights. This followed Michael Canitrot’s 2021 Monumental Tour, a series of site-specific performances staged at some of the most spectacular heritage landmarks and monuments around France. Robe Fortes and MegaPointes were chosen for their power, brightness, and impact as
Europe - Showlight reminds you that there is still time to submit your suggestions for papers for the Showlight quadrennial next May. Showlight takes place from 20-23 May 2023 in Fontainebleau, France, and its papers committee is engaged in the process of considering and selecting topics for the papers programme. Says Showlight, “We are looking for the latest news on lighting projects and technology in our second call for papers focusing on recent projects. Have you worked on an incredible installation or a fantastic festival this summer? Has your project achieved its peak? Did your event engage the latest technology? Did your broadcast bowl its audience over? “We want to hear from you! We aim for variety across topics relevant to all aspects of the lighting industry today. We want to hear about your experiences, your ambitions, your inspirations, your concer
USA - The Congressional Medal of Honour Society returned to Knoxville to celebrate and pay tribute to the sacrifices made by Americans around the world. Bandit Lites was honoured to donate a lighting system for the gala, where more than 30 recipients of the Medal of Honor gathered to “reconnect with each other, solemnly commemorate those recipients who have passed, conduct Society business, and engage the local community”. “When asked, ‘what is the greatest event you have ever been involved in,’ my answer is simple: The Medal of Honor Celebration,” said Bandit chair Michael T. Strickland. “Other than the birth of my sons, this is hands down the event that is the most important moment in my life. We are honoured that this is our second time illuminating this amazing event, and these fine men are the true American Heroes. No other star shines as bright. To be in
USA - “We are deeply grateful and savouring every nano-second of this,” Flea proclaimed to fans at the start of one Friday night show on the Red Hot Chili Peppers Global Stadium Tour. It’s a safe bet that everyone in the sold-out arena knew exactly how the bass guitarist felt. None of them would have traded that moment either, as they joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band on a two-hour musical odyssey that wove its way through classic hits and new material, with plenty of spontaneous jams thrown in. Reflecting the open exhilarating spirit of the music every step of the way has been a sweeping, panoramic light and video show by Scott Holthaus and Leif Dixon that includes over 250 Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by Premier Global Productions. Like the music of the clients it supports, the production design seamlessly blends various parts into a magnific
UK - The summer of 2022 was a huge moment for the city of Birmingham, as it played host to the 2022 Commonwealth Games, as well as the competing athletes from 72 nations. Taking place in the newly updated Alexander Stadium, the opening and closing ceremonies colourfully book-ended the largest multi-sport event held in the UK since London 2012, and was broadcast live to billions around the world, in addition to a 30,000 strong live audience. Both productions delivered a high-octane, multi-genre and multi-cultural tribute to the history, culture, and pride within the region, featuring a now infamous 10m-tall mechanical bull, and musical performances from West Midlands artists like Duran Duran, Dexy’s, Apache Indian, Beverly Knight, Goldie, Jorja Smith, Laura Mvula, Panjabi MC, UB40 and Black Sabbath. Positioned to light the festivities was Al Gurdon of Incandescent Des
USA - Cinematographer and DoP James Kniest’s international career has included lighting several high-profile horror genre movies including the recently released The Free Fall directed by Adam Stilwell, on which he enjoyed using Astera Titan and Helios Tubes to provide multiple lighting solutions. The entire movie was shot on location in a heritage-listed house in the Adams area of Los Angeles, so when James needed to get light sources into assorted – often awkward or hard to access – spaces, corners, nooks, and crannies, he found the battery powered Astera LED tubes an invaluable asset. The production’s lighting department carried two sets of Titan Tubes and two sets of the smaller Helios Tubes, all powered by Astera’s award-winning Titan LED engine. Shooting in a protected building meant that nothing could be rigged or attached to the walls o
UK - Architectural and entertainment LED lighting brand Anolis enjoyed a busy and successful PLASA Show in the Grand Hall of Olympia London earlier this month, where Anolis showed its new Calumma product series for the first time at a UK expo, also highlighting its Eminere and Ambiane products. Being located on Stand E15, right at the entrance to the busy Robe lighting booth, proved a prominent and highly visible position, ideal for getting attention from those who amassed to watch the daily Robe live performance shows, and also easy for its own visitors to find. Anolis’s business development manager for London and the South East, Ashley Popple commented, “The show generally was very good, and the Calumma range in particular received lots of interest, with some people specifically coming to see it. They were impressed with the features and benefits of Calumma, and
Switzerland - Electric Claudio Merlo Lighting Equipment S.A. (ECM), a stage lighting equipment supplier and Claypaky distributor in Taverne, Switzerland, has been working non-stop to fill the needs of professional theatres across Switzerland. For the Grand Théâtre de Genève, Geneva’s opera house, which boasts the largest stage in Switzerland, ECM installed Claypaky Tambora Batten Round fixtures to illuminate operas, ballets, recitals and concerts. The addition of Tambora, with round lens configurations, met the theatre’s need for high-power, dynamic batten fixtures that offered an excellent cost-to-performance ratio. Also in Geneva, ECM provided Claypaky HY B-EYE K25/Teatro fixtures to the Comédie de Genève, a new showplace not only featuring two halls for theatrical performances but also large construction workshops and spaces that bring all theater di
USA - ACT Entertainment, manufacturer and distributor of live performance equipment, has acquired Ultimate Support Systems, manufacturer of support solutions widely used throughout the music and live performance industries. The official announcement was made in Windsor, Colorado at the home office of Ultimate Support Systems on 15 September. “We are very excited to add the Ultimate Support Systems product line and their team to the ACT Entertainment family,” says Ben Saltzman, CEO of ACT Entertainment. “Like ACT, Ultimate has a passion for innovation at its core. The ability to design, develop and engineer state-of-the-art products while providing value and quality is unique in the category. The more I got to know Mike and the amazing team at Ultimate, the more excited I became at the opportunity to work together.” By purchasing Ultimate Support Systems, ACT no
Spain - Elation Professional has announced that AdagioPRO, a division of Holmusic, has been appointed the exclusive distributor for Elation Professional products in Spain. The distribution partnership goes into immediate effect and covers the distribution of Elation Lighting, Obsidian Control Systems and Magmatic atmospheric effects products. Holmusic is a family-run business with more than 50 years of experience distributing musical instruments and professional audio and lighting systems in Spain and other European countries. AdagioPRO serves as Holmusic’s professional sound and lighting division and distributes professional stage lighting systems to a broad range of market sectors including concerts, rental, touring, installations and broadcasting. The lighting division is based at the Holmusic Group corporate headquarters and warehouse facility in Barcelona. Aft
Europe - PlugFest, the technical event for entertainment lighting interoperability, returns to Lille in France from 7-9 March 2023. The popular event welcomes manufacturers, developers and technicians from across Europe to test their products and learn about the latest protocols. PlugFest is an opportunity for participants to collectively test and demonstrate device and system interoperability with the aim of improving reliability, resolving compatibility issues and ultimately improving connectivity between all entertainment lighting and related technologies. The event’s hosts, Hamish Dumbreck (JESE), Peter Willis (Howard Eaton Lighting) and Wayne Howell (Artistic Licence) are experts in entertainment lighting control protocols. They will host a full educational programme, diving deep into interoperability challenges affecting the live events industry. Plus, they wi
USA - Harman Professional Solutions, a global leader in audio, video, lighting and control, today introduces the Martin MAC Aura XIP premium moving head wash light. The new fixture “raises the bar for optical quality, featuring an even wash field with soft edge, minimal stray light, and high intensity mid-air beams,” says Harman. “It includes a radical aura filament effect, with improved light engine control and a first-in-its-class outdoor rating with close to zero compromises in weight, size and aesthetics.” “In developing the MAC Aura XIP, we set out to build a true workhorse,” says Wouter Verlinden, product manager Creative LED, Lighting and Control. “Our smart, outdoor-capable design intelligently seals away vital electronics while exposing the cooling system to the elements which allows for a lighter, quieter and more versatile unit that can be used anyw
USA - With their IP65 rating, the just-introduced Rogue Outcast 1L Beam and Rogue Outcast 2X Wash are designed to operate outdoors in all weather conditions. Thanks to their innovative lightweight aluminum-magnesium alloy housing, these newcomers are also suited to deliver indoors at clubs, conference centres, and live music venues. “Coming out of the pandemic, rental houses and installers began asking for IP65 moving fixtures, because of the protection from dust and humidity they offered indoors,” said Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet. “However, until now, the weight of IP65 products presented a challenge in some indoor applications.” Anyone who picks up either of these new fixtures will quickly appreciate how well they meet this weight challenge. Both weigh-in at low numbers: 35 lbs. (16 kg) for the 1L Beam and 23 lbs. (11 kg.) for the 2X Wash, which, in addit
USA - Coheed and Cambria weave an imaginative tale across multiple albums through storytelling and hard driving music. The latest chapter in the Amory Wars storyline, which plays out on their new album Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind was presented live to fans across the country on a summer tour with Elation Artiste Picasso luminaires helping to sculpt the mythical universe. New Jersey-based rental company Squeek Lights started working with the progressive rock band earlier this year on a club tour and served as lighting and video vendor on the A Window of the Waking Mind summer outing. Squeek Lights owner Victor Zeiser designed the touring rig, developing the show’s overall look and feel together with programmer and touring lighting director Ben Jarrett, also of Squeek Lights. Jarrett explains that all of Coheed and Cambria’s songs take place inside
Curaçao – The music, dancing and partying never stop during Hak’e, a Curaçao Summer Festival that’s a highlight of one of the Caribbean’s largest carnivals. By the time summer rolls around the carnival season is long past, but even so the partying never stops on the island. This year, the producers of Hak’e Jump-In decided to sprinkle some of their fun spirit for two consecutive nights in August. They got together and organised the Hak’e Curaçao Summer Festival, an event that featured food stands selling ‘bitterballen’, ‘pastechi’ and other popular Curaçao street food, specialty bars, and a steady flow of music from local artists. “Hak’e Curaçao Summer Festival is a smaller but equally powerful version of the Hake Curaçao Jump-In Festival; instead of having three stages, the summer festival edition has two”, said Jimmy Lo-A-Njoe, of Mass
Europe - Lightware Visual Engineering has appointed Siegfried Hermann as vice president of business development in the EMEA region. Siegfried’s responsibilities will embrace the further expansion of Lightware into EMEA, the development of new partnerships with global corporations, and strategic planning of Lightware’s presence in the region, says the company. Siegfried has worked in various leading positions in the AV industry for almost 25 years, with nearly two decades at Crestron, including six years managing DACH region with sales and personnel responsibility. One of his key duties throughout his carrier has been the development of new business areas and sales strategies in the AV industry. “After being in contact with the Lightware management for several years, I am very pleased to join this private-owned European company in this new position. I am sure that
USA - Los Angeles-based LD Julien Reux recently lit a Red Rocks show for pop punk star Blackbear. “As a lighting designer, you always collaborate; it’s critical to what you do,” said Reux, of Black Lantern Creative. “In this particular show though, there was a very intense meeting of the minds, and that made it very special.” Reux’s enthusiasm is easy to understand given how smoothly the warm white tungsten-like glow from his Chauvet Professional STRIKE 1 fixtures flowed with the pyro effects and video content at the Blackbear show. The immersive looks created were not merely the result of his talent, but also of the mindset he shared with SFX specialist Nick Arnold and video designer Harley Wrecks, as well as production manager Justin Trotta. “Nick Arnold is a SFX wizard,” said Reux. “Before the show we discussed how we wanted to cue out pyro and lig
USA - Fireplay lighting designer Nick Whitehouse chose the all new, never before used Vari-Lite VL3600 Profile IP fixtures as his workhorse light on Carrie Underwood’s upcoming Denim & Rhinestones tour. “Bandit Lites has been a part of the Carrie family since day one,” shared Bandit Lites chair and founder, Michael T. Strickland. Whitehouse’s third tour with Carrie Underwood is once again massive in scale with a host of new fixtures. Underwood, Whitehouse and Bandit Lites will all be part of the world premiere of this fixture. “The VL3600 Profile IP is the workhorse with nearly 100 on the show,” said Strickland. “Nick spent considerable time deciding on instrumentation and the VL3600 was the right light for the job. Carrie’s tour is massive and takes up an entire arena floor, meaning there is no doubt this tour like all past tours will sell
The Netherlands - Infinity has introduced the Raccoon P14/4 LED Par can. This very high-brightness, high-CRI, IP65-rated par can with XY control mode is intended for professional applications where brightness and/or quality are of high importance. Its 14 bright LEDs can produce four colours each: red, green, blue, and mint. They can be switched between maximum brightness and maximum colour quality mode. The top-of-the-line control options are fitting for a high-end fixture like the Raccoon P14/4. The Infinity Raccoon P14/4 RGBM Par can produces up to 8000 lumen and is intended for use in professional environments like rental that require lots of light output. The core-technology of the Raccoon P14/4 is the calibrated XY colour engine, ‘which guarantees outstanding colour accuracy and stability’. Five different internal dimmer curves are available through the easy-t
