Robe rules on Roskilde Arena Stage
- Details
Building on the success of the 2017 move to an all-Robe moving light rig, Sune repeated the move again, utilising 76 x Spiiders, 48 x BMFL Spots all supplied by Copenhagen based rental company, Comtech.
Sune designed the production lighting rig for the 17,000 capacity inside venue – with another 17,000 outside - and liaised with the many visiting LDs to ensure that they received the best show possible.
Joining him this year at FOH were Frederik Heitmann and Nicolai ‘Gubi’ Smith.
Sune first introduced Robe to the Arena in 2016 with BMFLs. Last year Spiiders replaced the previous wash fixtures and everyone was so pleased that it stayed all-Robe for 2018, this year with the addition of 22 Robe Pointes which were added to the audience lighting positions.
Also on Sune’s team was software developer Christian OIsson who has devised a custom control system for the Arena’s environmental and periphery lighting which is on a separate console to mimic the action of the main console. ‘The Apprentice’ sits on the ArtNet network and follows parameters like colours, iris and shutter chases and movements on the main console, takes the algorithms and feeds these into the house lighting console, so the tones and textures can be mimicked.
This ensures guest LDs don’t have to worry about other lighting that they can’t necessarily see around the arena and was particularly effective after dark adding some extra illuminative magic!
The main stage rig is designed to offer all artists the best generic options. The Arena has one of the most eclectic line-ups of the festival so it’s important to have a good generic base to the lighting with the latitude to offer additional dynamics.
“Flexibility and maximum options really are at the core of the stage rig,” explained Sune. He wanted to have up to three nicely defined lightsources rather than a bunch of different types, and hence his decision to choose BMFLs for the hard edges, Spiiders for the LED washes and Pointes for the effects. “In terms of type of light – three high quality fixtures which I knew would work and with which everyone would be happy
The four-day Roskilde event is one of the most popular summer music and arts festivals in Europe.
(Jim Evans)
