The show featured a complete new set, lighting and visuals design by Kyle Kegan of Voyage Productions and utilized Robe BMFL Spots, BMFL WashBeams and ColorStrobes - amongst other lights. All the Robes were newly purchased by Rainbow Production Services (RPS).
"Those strobes are simply mind-blowing," declares Kyle, using them for the first time after receiving a demo and swapping the originally specified product for the new ColorStrobes.
Major Lazer's new stage set includes eight three-sided Periactoi-style 13ft high towers which are about 7ft wide (six were used at Coachella). The first facade is a scenic speaker cabinet design trimmed with LED tape and with LED blinders hiding in the cones. The second is an LED video surface and the third contains moving lights and the Robe ColorStrobes. A pair of ColorStrobes is positioned on each of three levels - top, mid and bottom - of the tower.
The lights are all rigged on a trussing section that is also the structural backbone of the tower, and these have been custom engineered and fabricated by Rainbow for the tour.
The 12 x BMFL WashBeams and 12 x BMFL Spots also made a great impression for Major Lazer's set.
The BMFL Spots were used six a side, on the floor and on cases to vary the height, providing powerful cross lighting for the dancers in the fast-paced, fully choreographed show. Kyle was using them only at about 50-60 percent intensity!
The BMFL WashBeams - which are even brighter - were located upstage on the deck, dotted in and around the set pieces onstage, used for beam and wash effects and to help light the other set pieces.
Joining Kyle on the Major Lazer creative team were tour director Jim Runge, lead programmer and lighting director Devon Brown - they ran the show on grandMA2 - video director Mike Burakoff and production manager Anthony Pitcher. The house lighting rig for the Coachella Stage was supplied by PRG.
Other Robe products in action at Coachella 2016 included 66 x Pointes used by Steve Lieberman on the Yuma Stage from Felix Lighting; 90 x Pointes and 48 x BMFLs on the Sahara Stage, supplied by Felix Lighting and Zenith to AG Production Services who also created the environment with their Mega Structure Mini enclosure; Felix provided Robe ColorStrobes to Ice Cube for their main stage set and to Halsey for her performance on the Outdoor Theatre stage.
(Jim Evans)
