R90 covers Seattle and beyond with Elation
- Details
R90’s new acquisition includes an LED package of Fuze MAX Profile, Fuze Wash FR, Proteus Rayzor 760, Artiste Picasso and Paladin Panel luminaires.
R90 owner Joe Cole has followed LED’s development closely over the last decade and has been enthusiastic about the opportunities it has opened up. “Early on, LED was useful for uplighting and wash lighting but wasn’t really viable as a spot or profile,” he stated. “But then we noticed Elation moving towards larger LED fixtures. We saw their drive to do better and make a better product and saw the physical proof of that in the Artiste line.”
The first fixture in Elation’s Artiste series, the Artiste DaVinci, became R90’s first move into a larger, full-scale LED-based moving head and they followed that up with the Artiste Picasso, 27 of which they supplied to the recent Fleet Foxes tour with lighting design by Ali ‘Blue’ Allison.
As LED technology advanced further, R90 became interested in other LED lines from Elation like the KL, Paladin and most recently, the Fuze series. “We invested in the Fuze Wash FR and Fuze MAX Profile with the intention of using them on live stream and hybrid events in the AV market,” Cole states. “We partner with several studios in town and the high CRI engine has become really important for those.”
R90 uses their Fuze MAX Profiles on all types of projects and “wherever a good spot fixture is needed,” he says, adding that they are bright enough to be used in rock and roll settings as well. “When all of our Picassos are out of the shop, we’ve been able to use them on concerts where its deep saturated colours look great.”
R90 services a host of markets from concerts and festivals to corporate and architainment. On the many corporate ballroom events they work, their new Fuze Wash FR washlights have replaced more demanding front washes. “Often the client doesn’t provide enough focus time or the venue puts the tables up early so we can’t use the scissor lift to focus,” Cole explains. “Now we have a cost effective moving Leko with good output, high CRI and framing that allows us to do a really nice corporate front wash.”
As livestreams became more prevalent over the course of the pandemic, R90 branched out with Elation’s broadcast-optimized KL line. “Having more TV-friendly gear put us ahead of the game in terms of being a live entertainment company as we see that technology becoming more and more viable,” Cole said. “With the higher CRI and full-colour-mix chip sets we’ve really pushed that envelope.”
As R90’s inventory of 30 KL Panels see more service on broadcast projects, Cole says they’ve been able to get more and more film people on board. “Whenever we bring them, they love them. It’s a great solution whenever you need a wide full colour wash.”
Cole concludes, “Our new Elation LED lighting is servicing projects big and small and fits in perfectly with our mission of focusing on green technologies. With energy-efficient, cost-efficient lighting that can do everything traditional discharge-based fixtures can, it’s the customer that ultimately benefits.”
