Lighting

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09 August 2024

USA - Princess Cruises has upgraded the lighting rig in its 1000-seat Princess Theatre on the Crown, Emerald, and Ruby Princess ships. In a project completed in 2023, Princess Cruises fleet lighting supervisor Matt DeJong and the Princess Entertainment technical team selected Robe Lighting TE (Transferable Engine) fixtures, ushering in a new era of LED lighting technology to enhance the cruise line's entertainment offerings and sustainability credentials.

The Crown Class lighting revitalisation project included 69 Esprite Profile, 87 Spiider, 78 Painte Profile, 98 LEDBeam 150, and 48 ParFect 150 wash luminaires, which has reduced the Crown Class’ overall electrical consumption by an impressive 50%. This not only benefits the environment but also leads to reduced HVAC draw and overall fuel costs. Additionally, it significantly reduces operational and mainte

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09 August 2024

Europe - Sometimes, the best new ideas are those that make us most uncomfortable. Such was the case with brutalism, a school of graphic and architectural design that emerged in the 1950s.

Emphasising stark, bold form and function over ornamentation, brutalism represented a radical departure from traditional thinking. Although many criticized this new concept as “unromantic”, it ultimately caught on, reshaping our notions of design, and taking the human imagination to new places in the process.

This summer, some seven decades after brutalism first shook things up in the design world, highly regarded lighting and production designer Bryan Barancik has channelled its visceral power to create a gripping, deeply moving show for Lenny Kravitz on the four-time Grammy winner’s 27-city European tour, which began23 June in Hamburg at Sporthalle. 

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09 August 2024

USA - The Venice Performing Arts Center (VPAC) in Venice, Florida, has recently undergone a significant lighting upgrade with the installation of Elation Fuze PAR Z175 luminaires, facilitated by production and integration company Thunder City Pro. The venue, which previously relied on conventional Lekos and Fresnels for stage lighting, now offers an enhanced visual experience using state-of-the-art LED wash luminaires with dynamic colour mixing and motorised zoom.

“The goal was to incorporate colour mixing and moving lights to enhance the concert experience,” stated Justin Stancil, president of Thunder City, who notes that the upgrade also included Focus Spot 5Z moving heads from Elation sister company ADJ. “The new lighting system really allows for far more dynamic and exciting scenes for all of the concerts and theatrical shows they present.”

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09 August 2024

UK - Central London-based lighting and event technology and services specialist Halo now has one of the largest and most extensive stocks of Astera products in the UK. Halo's total count of well over 400 Astera luminaires includes Titan Tubes, Helios Tubes, Hyperion Tubes and many others.

Halo’s extensive Astera inventory also features AX2 PixelBar, AX3 Light Drops, AX5 PixelPARS, Hydra Panels, NYX Bulbs, PixelBricks and PlutoFresnels. All of which feeds a never-ending demand on a diversity of events and projects, explained Halo CEO Yann Guenancia.

Guenancia singles out Pixel Bricks for a specific mention, admitting that initially they were a little surprised at how popular these have become, and how “people never stop coming up with creative ways of using them!”

Large UK lighting rental and concert touring companies frequently come to

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08 August 2024

Morocco - Prolights’ Halu Pix illuminated the 24th edition of the Mawazine Festival, organised by the Maroc Cultures association. This event, spread across six different locations between Rabat and Salé, attracts over two and a half million spectators each year with performances by top-tier artists from the Arab, African, Moroccan, and international music scenes.

For the stage at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat, Kilmi Musique - in collaboration with EcmaPro Systems, the Prolights distributor in Morocco - provided and installed the event's lighting setup, selecting Prolights' Halu Pix.

These LED matrix modules ensured an extraordinary visual experience with 3D volumetric graphics depicting the star of Morocco. This captivating visual effect was achieved through the pixel mapping function, allowing control of each individual LED source.

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08 August 2024

UK - Avolites’ D9 lighting console, and an Avolites AI Qgen media server running Avo’s proprietary Synergy protocol, were at the heart of lighting and video control for Arcadia Spectacular’s new live experience launching their Dragonfly conceptual art installation, which debuted at Glastonbury 2024.

Originated and designed by Arcadia’s Pip Rush (creative director) and Bert Cole (technical director), the 30m-long, 8.5m-high biomechanical dragonfly is built from an ex Royal Navy Sea King helicopter and was surrounded by a 50,000-capacity evolved geometric ‘energy field’ at the festival.

The sculpture ‘awakened’ every night of Glasto at 23:30, presenting Warraloo - a breathtaking nine-minute show developed by Arcadia in collaboration with the Whadjuk Noongar nation of Western Australia and based on the dragonfly’s pup

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08 August 2024

Colombia - Christie HS Series 1DLP laser projectors deliver a spectacular immersive experience to visitors of La Selva, an educational geodesic dome designed to foster appreciation and preservation of the Colombian rainforests. Located in the Parque Empresarial El Tesoro shopping mall in Medellín, this project is a collaborative effort between the mall and Lonko Labs.

To honour these vital ecosystems and raise awareness about their conservation, Parque Empresarial El Tesoro created La Selva, a sensory experience made possible through a realistic and immersive digital environment developed by Lonko Labs.

La Selva features a 13m (43ft) diameter and 8.5m (288ft) high dome with a negative pressure system. The exterior closely resembles a traditional maloca or jungle dwelling, while inside the dome, six 13,500lm Christie HS Series projectors are blended

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08 August 2024

USA - Chauvet Professional’s new Strike Bolt 1C combines “old school with the new cool” to devise a unique IP65 fixture. This intense colour-infused strobe has a feature that sets it apart from the pack - an innovative, fully integrated Smart Frost filter.

Featuring twin strobe tubes and a single row of 66 RGBA LEDs, the Strike Bolt 1C works superbly as a traditional strobe. However, thanks to its integrated smart glass Frost Filter, the fixture can create solid clean colour block effects, radically expanding design possibilities.

The Strike Bolt 1C’s tool-free stacking feature makes it fast and simple to arrange the fixture in multiple units.  Multiple hanging points, end-to-end connections, and floor feet provide maximum rigging versatility. An included stealth filter can be attached to make the fixture nearly disappear for on-camera use.<

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08 August 2024

UK - Tronios, the UK distributor for beamZ lighting fixtures, has formed a new sales team comprising three experienced industry professionals, each covering distinct regions. They include Damon Crisp (southeast UK), who has an impressive 38 years of sound and light experience in the industry. Crisp is well-equipped to understand and address the unique needs of customers in the southeast of the UK. “His deep knowledge and dedication to customer satisfaction make him an invaluable asset to our team,” says Tronios UK.

Also joining, Ryan Hussey (southwest UK and Ireland) has 20 years of sound and light experience and will serve the southwest UK and Ireland market. “His extensive industry background and commitment to building strong relationships will ensure that our customers receive the best possible support and service,” says Tronios.

Last but

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08 August 2024

France - Robe Lighting France announces that Jean-Marc Farré has joined its team as the regional manager for the vast southern area of France, encompassing Bordeaux in the east to Lyon in the west and everything south of that.

This appointment follows recent internal restructuring related to Robe s.r.o.’s acquisition of UK-based lighting console manufacturer, Avolites, in autumn 2023, resulting in new responsibilities taken on by Terry Di Isernia, who becomes the general all-markets manager for Avolites in France.

Jean-Marc Farré is known for his excellent technical skills, making him ideal for coordinating product and client demonstrations as well as for discussing the specific requirements of concert halls, theatres, opera houses and other venues.

His expertise is the result of many years of experience as a technical director, general d

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08 August 2024

Germany - Sommer Cable has launched the SYSCAT4 family. It enables the simultaneous and reliable transmission of up to four analogue or eight digital AES/EBU or DMX signals over distances of up to 100 metres via stage-compatible CAT cables.

The core element of the SYSCAT4 family is a splice adapter consisting of the compact and robust Hi-Housing metal enclosure with integrated EtherCON RJ45 full metal panel jack and a sturdy cable gland, split into a 50cm long four-fold splice made from the flexible and resistant SC-Semicolon 2 digital patch cable in combination with Neutrik or Hicon XLR connectors (three- or five-pin, male or female). The channel numbers are clearly marked - in Sommer style - on the connectors: Channel 1 = pin 4+5; Channel 2 = pin 3+6; Channel 3 = pin 1+2; Channel 4 = pin 7+8.

The SYSCAT4 family also includes matching floor stage bo

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07 August 2024

China - A team from Netherlands-based creative studio Live Legends recently completed a bold technical scheme for the Sir.Teen Group and their Club Been, a new venue and entertainment concept that has burst onto the highly competitive nightlife scene in Beijing, China. Headed by project director Serge Patist and lighting designers Thomas de Vries and Bas Knappers, the brief encompassed set, video, lighting and audio.

For the venue’s lighting design, over 250 Robe moving lights were selected, including 144 Spikies, 76 Viva CMYs and six T1 Profiles.

Other creatives involved in the project from Live Legends included Daan Oomen (creative director and principal designer), Stefan Peters (interior designer), Rik Schoutsen (video specialist), VFX artists Jim de Brouwer, Robbert Lubken and Boudewijn de Kraaij, plus music producers Joos van Leeuwen and Maart

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07 August 2024

France - The Twist Years at the Eiffel Tower Theatre in Paris follows a group of young people who traverse the moral and social revolutions of the tumultuous 1960s through some of that decade’s formative music. Recounted via music classics of the era, from French and international artists, all songs are presented live beneath an Elation rig of Fuze Profile and KL Profile FC luminaires.

Boris Jacob, from Elation’s French distributor Best Audio & Lighting, handled lighting design on the project. He comments: “This show really gives pride of place to the Elation brand with the Fuze Profile and the KL Profile FC. The luminous flux and high CRI, the identical colorimetry between the Fuze and KL series, as well as the silence, make these fixtures the perfect choice!”

A flexible framing fixture for theatre and TV, the Fuze Profile house

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07 August 2024

UK - ETC architectural lighting and power control has been selected for the refurbishment of major music and arts venue, Bristol Beacon. Specialist systems integrator and ETC dealer LSI Projects installed the lighting fixtures and power systems including ETC ArcSystem fixtures, Echo and Paradigm, F-Drive, Sensor3 and ColorSource ThruPower power controls, Response networking and more.

Hailed as ‘one of the great cultural icons of modern-day Britain’ by Arts Council England, the Bristol Beacon is recognised as a world-class music and arts venue which has been hosting performances - including for artists such as The Beatles and David Bowie - for over 150 years.

The selection of ETC products is a significant upgrade aimed at enhancing the Bristol Beacon’s visual and operational capabilities. The chosen products, which include Paradigm and Echo syst

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07 August 2024

Germany/USA - Colorado-based Brown Note Productions recently fielded 120 GLP impression X4 Bar 20s and 12 JDC1s to help provide a riveting backdrop and enhance the natural wonder that is the Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

The production they were brought in for was a fast-moving, high-octane performance by South African DJ/producer Black Coffee, who was joined by LP Giobbi, THEMBA and DJ Holographic.

Situated south-west of Denver, at an elevation of 6,500ft, the amphitheatre is a 9,525-capacity, sloped, all-seated venue with an illustrious history since opening in 1941.

Working to a set designed and project managed by James Dutton of High Scream, Brown Note Productions has - over the past 16 years - produced over 1,000 events at Red Rocks, ranging from concerts and films to private events, according to its president, Ryan Knutson. For this productio

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06 August 2024

UK - It’s with mixed emotions, after 40 years of dedicated service to the television lighting industry, that Richard Martin Lighting Limited (RML) has announced its decision to close the business and sell its name and assets.

Owner of the business, Richard Martin, says: “It’s been an immense honour to serve the television lighting industry for the last 40 years. We will always remember the exciting, inspiring, and occasionally challenging opportunities it has afforded us.

"First and foremost, I would like to say a very big, sincere thank-you to the people who made this business so successful. The vision and knowledge of our operations director, Steve Wells, as well as our staff, customers, and suppliers have all helped RML grow and prosper. RML’s ethos has always been to listen to and then respond to the industry appropriately. It’s never e

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06 August 2024

UAE - Zenon Dubai at Kempinski Central Avenue in the Dubai Mall, is a new restaurant and lounge that, using cutting edge immersive technology with AI-powered performances and interactive displays, promises its customers an unforgettable sensory experience. It is the first nightclub in Dubai to be fitted with all-Ayrton moving lights.

The design, installation, programming and system integration were all the responsibility of Alex Douglas, lighting consultant with Em-Tec, UAE’s leading AV installation and maintenance provider. Douglas put Ayrton fixtures front and centre of his design, alongside two floor-to-ceiling video walls and two holograms. He chose Ayrton Zonda 3 FX, Zonda 9 FX and Cobra fixtures to create an elaborate overhead ‘chandelier’ comprising 3 concentric circular trusses suspended 18m above the DJ and lounge area, augmented by a side dis

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05 August 2024

UAE - On 20 August, Adam Hall Group will host the official Cameo Day in Dubai. With this one-day event, the lighting technology brand is targeting customers and interested parties in the MEA region to present the latest product highlights in the Cameo portfolio to rental and dry hire providers as well as lighting designers and distributors.

The Middle East premiere of the Oron H2 IP65 hybrid moving head with phosphor laser engine will take centre stage. Cameo Day will take place from 12pm to 9pm at Mr Toad’s Pub & Kitchen.

In addition to the Oron H2, the Cameo team is coming to Dubai with many other innovations and highlights.

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02 August 2024

Australia - CAST Group of Companies has announced CMI as the exclusive distributor of BlackTrax in Australia and New Zealand.

"We are excited to extend our partnership with CMI and expand the reach of BlackTrax in Australia and New Zealand. With a strong track record in pro-audio distribution, CMI is an ideal partner to propel BlackTrax in the region," said Dekkar Densham, global sales director for CAST Group Inc.

"With the successful launch of BT-1 last year, designed to bridge a crucial gap, offering a compact and cost-effective tracking solution, we are dedicated to advancing breakthroughs in tracking technology. We believe that CMI’s expertise, market presence, and client support will significantly contribute to its success in the live event and entertainment industries."

Lee Stevens, national business development manager for CMI adds,

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02 August 2024

USA - Cory FitzGerald, the lighting designer for Justin Timberlake’s ongoing The Forget Tomorrow World Tour and senior partner at Burbank-based creative studio, Silent House, is using 30 Robert Juliat 864 LED asymmetric footlights featuring a four-colour mixing system to line the stage at the singer-songwriter’s shows.  ACT Entertainment is the exclusive North American distributor of Robert Juliat lighting.

The tour, which commenced in April and will continue until spring of next year, is Timberlake’s seventh headlining concert tour and his first in five years.  It is in support of his sixth studio album, Everything I Thought It Was, and has scheduled dates in North America through the rest of 2024.

FitzGerald had used RJ Dalis footlights on other productions, including shows for Kendrick Lamar. “I had the Dalis 862 all-white footl

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02 August 2024

USA - Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart performed a series of US shows from 20 April to 23 May 23 on their Royal Flush tour, with lighting design by Carl Burnett. Burnett turned to Elation’s Proteus Brutus LED Wash FX and Proteus Maximus LED Profile moving heads as the foundation of the lighting rig, valuing their power while appreciating their refined design qualities.

Royal Flush marked the first live show the sisters have shared since 2019. Burnett, who designed lighting for Heart’s 2019 tour and is known for his work with Robert Plant, amongst others, is the lighting and show designer for the tour. He enlisted his good friend Max Conwell to assist with the design process for the first time in his career. Lighting for the U.S. leg of the tour was supplied by 4Wall.

Before kicking off the tour in Greenville, South Carolina, in April, Burnett design

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02 August 2024

The Netherlands - Gigant is an arts and performance complex in Apeldoorn, comprising two theatre spaces, a movie house, recording studios, music venue (popzaal) and a café.

The 550-capacity popzaal is a well-known hang out for music fans and a showcase for catching rising stars artists and ones-to-watch as they build their fanbases, and the venue also has a history with Robe moving lights.

The latest Robe products to be installed are Paintes, Cuetes and LEDBeam 150s which arrived at the end of 2023.

Technical manager Simon Kemme has been working at Gigant for three and a half years and explains that it is one of a genre of multifunctional cultural buildings built throughout the Netherlands – in this case in 1994 – which has encouraged the arts to flourish.

Before taking up the post here, he was a freelance sound & lighting te

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01 August 2024

India - Christie DWU23-HS laser projectors play a pivotal role in a new light and sound show at Osmania University, transforming the façade of its Arts College building into a canvas for breathtaking visual displays. 

Located in Hyderabad, Osmania University is one of India’s oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher education. The university undertook this large-scale nighttime spectacle to celebrate and preserve its rich history and foster pride and appreciation for its heritage among students, faculty, and visitors.

The project is designed to enhance the educational experience by offering an innovative and engaging way to explore Osmania University’s journey since its founding in 1917.  

Aura Bright Light India Pvt Ltd integrated the project and was instrumental in bringing this display to reality. Its expertise in integra

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01 August 2024

Italy - On 5-6 July, Venice landmark Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square) saw Italian pop group Pooh perform the first two shows of their 22-date Amici x Sempre Estate 2024 tour.

Pooh’s longtime lighting designer, Francesco De Cave specified 100 Chauvet Professional Maverick Storm 3 BeamWashes for these shows. Supplied by ZAlight and installed by Agorà, the fully-featured IP65 hybrid fixtures supported the artists on stage, in addition to accenting the beauty of the Doge Palace, Campanile di San Marco, Basilica and other structures that contributed to the scenography at the concert site.

De Cave valued the “power and 'colourimetric' versatility” of the Maverick Storm 3 BeamWash. Using soft shades of richly rendered colours, he was able to endow the piazza’s historic setting with a dramatic element without distracting from the archi