Robe rig installed in Pretoria’s Sun Arena
- Details
The multi-purpose venue is part of Sun International’s Time Square development and entertainment complex (read the report in LSi March 2018).
The Robe units are integral to a complete turnkey technical package specified and supplied to the venue by Robe’s South African distributor DWR to operators Sun International. This encompasses a rider-friendly lighting system, trussing, rigging, follow spots and power distribution.
The backbone of the lighting rig is 12 x BMFL Spots, six BMFL Blades, 24 x Spiider LED wash beams, 24 x Pointes and 24 x LEDBeam 100s. This was proposed by DWR’s Duncan Riley and Johnny Scholtz and supplied as a fully flight-cased touring-ready system, so it can be de-rigged and stored after each show.
The lighting is being looked after day-to-day and gig-to-gig by Johannesburg-based MGG, one of South Africa’s leading full production and rental specialists, who won a tender to supply full venue technical facilities management. They have a team based on site which co-ordinates the requirements for each incoming show and event.
When Gavin Taylor, group technical and entertainment manager for Sun International initially approached DWR he stipulated that he wanted a lighting system to meet every international rider spec and he didn’t want to have to outsource from elsewhere. This is similar to Sun International’s technical production modus operandi at its highly successful Grandwest Arena venue in Cape Town.
Apart from the Robe moving lights, there are six Robe ColorStrobes available and 74 x LED PAR cans, complete with a grandMA system for control. Large amounts of Prolyte trussing and motors mean that trussing can be configured and rigged in numerous creative ways throughout the arena.
The first Sun Arena gig to utilise the new house system was the Unison Celebration Show featuring a diverse line-up of multi-cultural African artists, reflecting Time Square’s commitment to supporting South Africa’s thriving performing arts industry. Lighting for this event was designed by Francois van de Merwe from MGG.
Since then, a stream of other events and international concerts have benefitted from an excellent house lighting system plus superlative technical and production support from MGG.
(Jim Evans)
