Lighting was supplied by rental company M-Tech Style, and as well as being the LD and operator, Kenichi also project managed the event, which was staged with audience sitting 360 degrees all around the back of the stage.
Kenichi is one of the country's leading lighting designer / directors, and has used Robe products in his work for around 10 years. This was his first chance to use the BMFL Spots on such a major and high profile show.
The brief for lighting the shows was to enhance the feeling of moonlight, magic and special starry nights relating to the theme of the concert, a visual thread that permeated the stage and the set.
A large circular truss provided lighting and drape positions over the stage, and above that a huge LED screen was flown, and this showed ambient content clips as well as IMAG relay of Tamura throughout the show.
Multiple other trusses were installed in the roof of the venue and the various Robe fixtures were dotted all over these, with some on the floor.
In addition to the 24 x BMFLs, Kenichi utilized 16 x MMX Spots, 42 x CycFX 8s, 63 x LEDBeam 100s, 28 x LEDWash 1200s, 50 x LEDWash 600s and 28 x Light4Ce 18 PARs.
Like many using them for the first time, Kenichi was definitely "Impressed" with the power and brightness of the BMFLs.
With one artist in such a massive environment, he needed some very strong and specific key lighting to maintain the focus on her continuously.
The MMX Spots were also used for supporting and secondary key lighting for Tamura and the band.
Four BMFL Spots, positioned at the back of the arena were used in follow spot mode, complete with the additional handles fitted to the back of the fixtures.
With 'follow spot' mode selected, pan / tilt is disabled so the unit can be moved manually and all the fixture's other parameters were controlled through Kenichi's M6 lighting console. All the operators had to do was point the BMFL Spot in the right directions.
The CycFX 8s were rigged vertically around the curved back of the stage set in vertical lines and programmed up with some whizzy and interesting effects.
The LEDWash 600s and 1200s took care of all the stage washes with Kenichi commenting that he appreciates the colour range and especially the quality of the pastels which featured heavily in this show.
Forty-seven of the LEDBeam 100s were dotted around the stage with the other 16 on the trussing circle overhead, used for a variety of sharp beam effects and looks.
M-tech Style is one of the largest rental companies in the country and has approximately 2000 Robe luminaires in their inventory and has recently invested in 86 BMFL Spots.
(Jim Evans)
