It's young crowd enjoy a mix of cocktails, rock and hip hop music in a large modish environment designed by Mr Chen Gang, complete with a large central bar surrounded by a series of stylish white fluted scenic columns.
Twelve Robe DigitalSpot 3000DTs were specified by technical manager Mr Ah Gang to create special projections onto the pillars and around the room, allowing a quick transformation of the room's dynamics and mood according to the music, time of night and accompanying vibe.
Soho's owners, the CD company, wanted to create something completely different, resulting in highly visual space that can change colour and ambience throughout the evening, which also includes three or four nightly live performances by three or four singers.
Ah Gang also oversees the technical elements of CD's three other bars in Shanghai, and when Soho was planned as their new flagship venue, he immediately saw an opportunity for DigitalSpots. "The idea of having a modern and 'digital' bar was really at the essence of Soho, so it made sense to install fixtures with the flexibility to be able to run all types of digital media," he explains.
The DigitalSpots are used not only to enhance the look and feel of the space with colourful and interesting 'wallpaper' effects, they are also a central feature of the high octane lightshows that kick in to accompany the singers, with stunning effects like fire chasing from one end of the room to the other. They are also used to project logos and to advertise promotional offers.
The DigitalSpots are rigged in the ceiling around the bar and are controlled - via ArtNet - by a Road Hog Full Boar console, which also runs a number of other lighting fixtures in the room.
The fixtures were supplied by Robe's Chinese distributor Leifull, via their Shanghai office, to installers and integrators Shi Kai.
Leifull's international trading manager Steven Cai says, "It's great to see Robe's Digital series products being used in more and more innovative and diverse ways as atmosphere creating tools."
(Jim Evans)
