The featured vocalists for 2013 were Michael Kiske (Helloween), Joey Belladonna (Anthrax), Chuck Billy (Testament), Joacim Cans (Hammerfall), Udo Dirkscheider (ex-Accept) and Floor Jansen from ReVamp and Nightwish.
Lighting this mix of metal mayhem was Nick van Balen, who is based in The Hague, The Netherlands ... an experienced designer with a particular penchant for lighting the various genres of rock music.
He chose to light the 2013 Christmas Metal Symphony entirely with Robe LED Wash moving lights - 44 x LEDWash 300s and 12 x LEDWash 600s to be precise.
Many people might have been daunted by lighting this many musicians onstage and such a dynamic show with less that 60 fixtures, but the enormous versatility and scope of Robe's LEDWash combined with van Balen's imagination and skill produced amazing results!
Fourteen of the LEDWash 300s were rigged to the top of 1.5m high poles on floor bases placed strategically around stage, while the other 30 units, together with the 12 LEDWash 600s were on three overhead trusses - front, mid and rear.
Some of the upstage LEDWash 300s were on drop bars and the LEDWash 600s on the front truss were utilized for key lighting the vocalists and the downstage area.
Arranged like this, the lights really increased the perceived size of the performance space, giving all the coverage needed, plus plenty of depth and height with lots of headroom for those fabulous and potent 'big rock looks'.
Van Balen used a lot of single colour looks and scenes which also accentuated the size of stage and enhanced any colour-combinations that were also used.
The solid beams and the excellent coverage of the LEDWashes ensured that the rig looked far bigger than it really was, and effects like strobing were really impressive.
Van Balen started using Robe products about two years ago, and now they are always on his specifications. He also likes using the little LEDBeam 100s in ACL style, a look that has really caught on for lighting this style of artist.
Early in 2014 he hits the road again, this time working with Dutch symphonic rock band Delain who are opening for Within Temptation, whose own LD, Pim Elberse from Purple Group is also a big Robe advocate.
(Jim Evans)
