Event production manager Victor Vermaak and lighting designer Renaldo Van Den Bergfrom AV Unlimited (AVU) specified 12 of Vari-Lite's 14,000 lumens output VLX luminaires for the spectacular show at the city's Sandton Convention Centre, which was attended by more than 2,500 guests.
"We used the VLXs in the Presentation area to light the Honeycomb roof. We chose them because of their colour richness and punch," says Vermaak. "The VLXs were used to create colour and mood changes and worked perfectly. The lights were positioned quite a distance from the roof and no other LED wash light in our company would have created what we were looking for over that distance. Plus the awesome zoom capability came in very handy because of the distance the light had to shoot."
The elaborate event consisted of two parts - a formal conference followed by the party where entertainment included everything from aerial acts to ballerinas in LED tutus. In the centre of the room, a DJ booth featured popular DJs Fresh, Euphonic, Roger Goode and DJ Luis playing to a full dance floor. The rig was symmetrical and although two acts might have been performing simultaneously on either end of the room, each was given a totally unique look.
"For me, the VLX is my lighting weapon of choice," comments Vermaak. "I don't do functions without my babies! And I'm currently trying very hard to expand the Vari-Lite range in our company."
Philips Vari-Lite's South African dealer DWR Distribution supplied the VLXs luminaires to Vermaak. "The VLX Wash is fast becoming renowned for offering all the benefits of LED technology and the best visual performance characteristics of traditional automated wash luminaires,' comments Duncan Riley of DWR. "Not only that they deliver stunning colours and intensity plus a long source life and a high level of reliability. What's not to like?"
(Jim Evans)
