The production design was created by Mathias Kuhn and included 80 x Robe moving lights and LED fixtures – 36 x MegaPointes, 30 x BMFL Spots, 4 x BMFL FollowSpots, 10 x FOOTSIE2 LED footlights and four RoboSpot remote follow systems – all supplied by rental company, Bandit Lites out of Nashville.

The initial summer tour played a mix of arenas, theatres and amphitheaters with 10K to 36K capacities and the most recent leg stepped up to arenas, including Madison Square Garden, which were all completely sold out, ramping up the already great vibes and energy surrounding the tour, which is always a brilliant backdrop to any nationwide touring campaign.

Mathias is based in Hamburg, Germany and brings his style and aesthetic to a lot of rock and metal bands, a genre he loves, and that offers plenty of scope for imagination and dramatic lighting.

Mathias talked to the band after being asked onboard, who revealed that they liked the idea of a circular halo-like shape being associated with the stage look.

He took this as a stylistic starting point, basing the essential trussing architecture around two circles, a main 41ft diameter sphere that defined the space, in conjunction with a smaller 21ft diameter ‘supporting’ circle flown inside the big one. Both were scalable to deal with different sized venues.

The concept evolved rapidly, he drew it up, they loved it, and everything else, including the screen design … developed from there.

Naturally, ensuring everyone’s visual expectations could be met whilst fitting into the available budget was a challenge, and Mathias spent considerable time choosing the right fixtures and positioning them where he knew meticulous programming could help maximize the looks.

The fragmented LED screens were part of the look he crafted to avoid the “big TV” syndrome, complete with ladder trusses loaded with fixtures in between to further break it up and enhance the depth of the performance area.

He controlled the screen outputs via his Resolume video server, triggered by the lighting desk, which ensured there could be a carefully blended mix of playback content and IMAG footage from 7 cameras. Having control of all the visual entities is a great way to ensure continuity and a harmonious integrated look.

Robe MegaPointes are consistently Mathias’s first choice of moving light. “They are the first piece of kit that goes on the plot,” he confirmed when chatting about the design. This is because of their “compact size, big output, excellent gobo selection and quality beams” and the fact that “they look amazing even in the largest arenas!”

Eighteen of the 36 x MegaPointes were rigged on ladders in between LED screens at the left and right upstage corners of the rig, hung vertically in a line of nine each side, with the other 18 deployed on the floor on rolling Tyler GT truss, located directly underneath the LED screens.

BMFLs were chosen for their incredible power and punch and their status as “a great workhorse fixture,” noted Mathias, who has used these luminaires on numerous projects. He loves the brightness, the gobos and the zoom functionality.

Eighteen BMFLs were rigged on the downstage half of the large circle, with 4 on each side of the stage on subs to extend the overall stage look.

Four standard BMFL Spots were also part of the follow spotting system together with 4 x BMFL FollowSpots (with the integral camera).

Fixture placement was key to optimizing the look and ‘virtual’ size of the rig, so much diligence went into this aspect of the design.

It was Mathias’ first time out with the FOOTSIES, which he thought were “Great! A nice flat field beam that really assists key lighting”. Especially so when running in combination with the  4-way RoboSpot system controlling the eight BMFLs as described above. These were rigged four per side on two small truss sections flown downstage left and right.

Having the follow spots at this very steep angle to the stage ensured they had an extremely neat trajectory and minimized unsightly spillage.

Also on the rig were some other hard-edged fixtures, strobes, blinders and FX units with LED floodlights on the large halo, plus a few wash lights on the floor – Mathias is not a fan of wash lights in conventional contexts!

Different shades, textures and variations of white dominated the show making it a lot more interesting, raw and contrasty, with color mainly introduced via the video content, and Mathias’ personal presence is generally to avoid distracting gawdy or ‘candy colored’ scenes and keep it stark with the focus on the band and music.

The principal idea was always to keep the band front and center of the action and at the epicenter of the picture. “It’s a live rock show, not a YouTube stream,” he reminds everyone.

Video content was commissioned by Creed and delivered by Wayne Joyner and Dave Letelier with a lot of discussion between them and Mathias as it was imperative for the two medias to dovetail. “They did a great job,” commented Mathias. Content was shaped for each song, leaving enough black and dark spaces for him to mix and apply IMAG feeds and effects as he felt appropriate.

Mathias set up, programmed lighting and ran the show for half of the first leg of the “Summer of 99” tour before leaving due to other commitments, with lighting crew member Brian Bogovic operating for the remaining dates.

Bandit’s lighting crew chief was Cheyan DeBrower who was joined by Haley Elliott and Lucas Gamez making up a brilliant touring team, with Kenneth Ackermann working as video crew chief for this department which had equipment supplied by PRG.

The post Arms Wide Open for Robe on Creed Tour appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

This Edinburgh International Festival production was created by Pinwheel and delivered in partnership with The Macallan, for which Phil worked closely with creative agency Pinwheel under the artistic direction of Katy Fuller and co-director Simon Sharkey, together with composer Roma Yagnik and video artists, Yeast Culture.

“Where to Begin” celebrated the energy, vibrance and spirit of Edinburgh, Scotland’s heritage and mythology as well as the alchemy of invention, carefully blended in with a festival atmosphere evoking emotion, inspiration and imagination.

The event included an hour-long immersive pre-show experience based on ‘Rituals that Unite Us’ – with fire performers and other live artists to get the audience in the mood. For these two pre-show areas, 16 x Astera AX3s were among other lights deployed for subtle illuminations, proving a perfect tool with their IP rating for outdoor use, battery power and operation via CRMX2 wireless DMX.

After this, people walked around to the back of the building and gathered to enjoy the spectacular projection/son et lumiere finale, with video content mapped and projected onto the school’s magnificent north facade by Graymatter Video.

The ‘out-of-the-box’ idea of illuminating all possible windows from inside the building … was to bring an additional layer of magic, depth and three dimensionality to the event. Not just to the finale show where it made a big impact, but also lighting the side windows and therefore the backdrops to the two pre-show areas really energised the building.

Phil has utilised various Astera products for different projects and, once he and the team had established this as a viable plan, he knew how Astera Tubes would be perfect to evoke the exact effect everyone wanted.

Dating to 1620, the turreted George Heriot’s School building was designed by architect William Wallace and is built from sandstone with unique decoration above each window, and the north facade features a striking central clock tower. It is A-listed Scottish heritage protected.

All of which meant that any production related work happening there had to be executed with extra care.

“We needed bright and efficient fixtures with good colour mixing that were lightweight, portable and practical to rig and place in the different rooms without disturbing what was already in there as it’s a fully functioning school,” stated Phil, adding that they needed to be controlled wirelessly and produce no heat.

The Astera Tubes were supplied by locally based lighting rental specialist, Black Light, together with the event’s other lighting equipment.

Phil and his team – including programmer Lawrence Stromski, production LX Andy Murrell and Black Light’s lighting crew of Tom Pritchard, James Froment and Jon Meggat, together with Yuetong Heather An and Olivia Charneux – carefully positioned the Astera Tubes in the assorted rooms, a meticulous process that took two days.

These were a mix of classrooms, staff rooms, common rooms, canteens, storage areas, etc., and in general the Tubes were positioned optimally for producing a beautiful soft glow of luminance that would radiate out through the windows and look perfect from the outside.

Sometimes they were rigged on bookshelves, desks, on chairs or tables set up in the middle of the room or on the floor.

Helios were also used in former gas lanterns on the exterior of the building to add a warm lantern-like glow. The total pixel count was 890.

“One of the beauties of these Astera fixtures is that they can be rigged anywhere,” Phil enthused, underlining that as they were being left unattended, low heat emission was an essential requirement. They could also be used easily in all the spaces with no impact in this protected environment.

Some of the larger rooms would have two Hyperion Tubes set up to throw light out of 6 or 8 windows, while some of the smaller spaces would be illuminated with a single Helios tube.

All the fixtures were powered locally via single power supplies plugged into 13-amp sockets, with data running via a Lumen Radio network.

All the Astera products on the show were run in multi-pixel CRMX2-mode, using four Lumen Radio Aurora transmitters, one for each façade of the building.

The complete Astera setup comprised four DMX universes out of 10 in total on the show, with the 400 timecoded lighting cues programmed on a grandMA2 console and combined with video and sound production cues during playback which was from the QLab audio track controller.

Lighting programmer Lawrence Stromski stated, “The high-quality Astera colour engine common to all Astera range products makes programming with these tools a breeze.

“Fixtures are easily interchangeable for any other type which quickly facilitates any required on-site design or technical changes. The dimming curve and the settings of the Astera fixtures are some of the best refined of any product I have seen, so with minimal set up time needed, time can be optimised for creating and finessing the look and style of the show.”

Having the windows lit like this made a huge difference to the overall visual picture experience by the audiences.

Initially, it was a major undertaking persuading the school’s building and operation managers to engage with the idea, and then getting access to all the rooms. Once the plan was implemented and everyone could see the results, “all were delighted and could see how it was worth the considerable extra effort” concluded Phil.

“Phil’s lighting design for the whole production was beautifully crafted and created to work sympathetically with other effects like fire and projection that were used across the site

The interior lighting of the windows added a brilliant new dimension as we needed the building to feel like it was alive and another character in the story with latent energy that built gradually to the climax of the show. There was a truly magical moment when the lighting in the windows followed the voiceover precisely, so it really felt like the whole building had been occupied by our main character and was directly addressing the crowd!  I was thrilled with just how brilliantly this helped carry our story.”

Also instrumental to the success of “Where to Begin”, which played over three evenings attracting 3,000 people each night, were producer Holly Goodfellow, head of operations Dan Adams, technical production manager Al Pickard, and project coordinator Ellen Fernley.

Photo credit: Jess Shurte

The post Where to Begin with Astera Tubes appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

In 2022, the Theatre purchased 11 x Robe T1 Profiles which have become an essential lighting element for all their predictions explained head of technical, Jòzef Leoniuk, and these fixtures have helped enrich the experience of lighting shows at the busy venue.

A major reason T1 Profiles were selected – after a competitive shoot out with other products – was for their silent running plus features like the excellent CRI, the range of CT whites and the refined dimming curve, as well as the excellent support they receive from Robe’s Polish distributor Prolight in Warsaw, and their local agent, Grupo Profit in Gdansk.

The Theatre also needed a fixture with accurate framing shutters, as the precise and effective lighting, highlighting and illumination of protagonists is vital to all Shakespearean storytelling.

The main stage is 14 metres wide and 11 deep, with 9 metres trim height stage-to-ceiling. There are three technical bridges above the stage, and three above the audience, plus a range of mortised LX pipes, and the T1 Profiles change positions around according to the riders of shows.

“They have been a great asset,” commented Jozef, who was formally in the lighting department and now heads a tech team of six, adding that “everyone” is happy to work with the T1 Profiles.

Wider features – colours, gobos, animation wheels and the 7 – 49 degree zoom, etc. – are also useful for the other events staged in the 600 seated/1,000 standing capacity venue. They also host techno parties and jazz concerts, and stage a Shakespeare Festival every summer in July.

It’s a lively and dynamic space and “we appreciate this very flexible lighting,” noted Jozef adding that “the T1s make the lighting process much quicker and smoother, they are very easy and nice to work with”.

Three brands were initially considered before selecting Robe which they had first seen in action courtesy of an incoming production of The Tempest from Italy directed by Alessandro Serra in collaboration with lighting designer Stefano Bardelli.

“That company brought their own T1s with them, we were super-impressed and just wanted some of our own after that!” he elucidated.

Furthermore, they are very compatible with their existing tungsten sources with the CT white range of between 2,700 and 8,000K. “Robe has really addressed the needs of the theatre market with the T-Series,” he says, “and Robe’s ranges of lights are also all very good and cover multiple applications,” he concludes.

Jozef observes more generally that Robe is “well known, established and respected in Poland,” and he first learned of the brand much earlier on in his career whilst working as the lighting tech and operator at KLUB ŻAK a vibrant and popular arts and culture hotspot in the city centre known as a cinema, theatre, bar and cool space hosting a lively mix of performance, music and events. 

Photo credit: Louise Stickland.

The post Shakespeare Theatre Gdansk invests in Robe T1 Profiles appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

He turned to 48 of Astera’s powerful and handy NYX Bulb products to help produce this smart, eye-catching, and highly individual aesthetic which packed neatly into a Pele case.

The NYX Bulbs were purchased by the band for the tour and for future use. They pack into a bespoke moulded tray for transit which is fitted into a Pele type 1607 case, weighing around 20kg when full, which is “great for freight” as well as being super-sustainable!

The NYX Bulb lighting concept is built around a theatre show set up. Onstage, 30 NYX Bulbs are (typically) hung on four LX bars over the stage and covered by diamond-shaped paper lanterns. Gordo has four cable looms that are run out for their quick connection, each terminating in a single plug. The rest of the NYX Bulbs are positioned on the deck attached to various hanging stands, also covered by the same paper shades, so these are dotted all over around the stage at different heights, and look highly effective.

The paper shades pack down flat, so it is literally a “lighting rig in a box” – exceptionally easy to tour, run out, connect and have patched into the control console in around 30 minutes. This speedy set up was essential as Gordo is tech’ing the lights on his own, integrating with the local top rigs each day in the different venues as supplied by the local promoter.

Gordo had really wanted this scenic lighting to help audiences imagine that cosy, intimate loungey vibe onstage for the shows, which have been a massive success. “The audience members should all ideally feel like they are the only person in the room,” he commented.

A major reason for choosing NYX Bulbs was their smooth colour changing properties which are controlled from Godro’s Hog 4 console which is also on the tour with them, together with the high CRI. Several of the NYX Bulbs are in close proximity to the artists, so they can assist in nicely illuminating the faces of the brother and sister duo, something that’s particularly pertinent for audience photos that then get posted on SoMe channels.

This also reflects an additional pressure on LDs. In addition to ensuring everything looks great live and for any IMAG video on the tour, it also needs to work for cell phone images, and the flicker-free feature of the NYX Bulb was essential for when the show was recorded or streamed. Gordo is super-fussy about how anything he is lighting looks on camera, and very aware of how lighting affects the shot.

The fixtures’ auto-switching power supply also mean they can be used in the US with no problems.

Gordo thought of having the lampshades as he wanted a WOW moment at the start of the show as the curtain lifts after the band start in front of the stage curtain. He wanted something high-impact that accentuated the depth and spatiality of the full space and the twinkling lanterns “always get a great reaction,” he noted.

Using NYX Bulbs also enabled him to add layers of effects to the pictures with soft colour and liquid intensity chases introducing subtleties and kinetic movement, and the fixtures are used throughout the show in numerous different ways with variable colours, CTs and pixel chases used to evoke numerous moods.

Gordo is delighted with the “highly effective and versatile results.”

He first encountered Astera products during the Covid period whilst lighting some reality TV shows, where they were constantly present, and he also got to know of Astera’s Australian distributor, ULA Group around the same period.

Initially, Titan Tubes were the products he was using the most – they are a staple of so many TV productions.

Beforehand he was slightly concerned that the NYX bulbs would not be bright enough for what he had in mind, but when it came to the reality, he had to reduce them to around 40% output and “they were still bright and effective as ever!”

He has worked with Angus & Julia Stone for about 6 years, and “The Living Room Sessions” is the first major international tour they have undertaken, kicking off in Australia, and then hitting the road extensively across Europe. The London venue was the Royal Albert Hall and in Paris they also played high profile venues, both the Grand Rex and L’Olympia.

The beauty of the NYX Bulb rig was that no matter where they were playing and what was in the house rig, they had this strong and coherent visual identity and continuity that Gordo had worked closely with the artists – especially Julia – in developing.

Photos: Jarrad Seng.

The post NYX Bulb moments for Angus & Julia Stone Tour appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

These Robe fixtures together with MegaPointes and Tarrantulas were utilised across five key sites on the main day of celebrations which included performances, attractions and events taking place along a 5-kilometre-long stretch on both sides of the River Danube that dissects the attractive Hungarian capital city. This separates ‘Buda’ on the west shore with its castles and historical sites with the thriving commercial hub of ‘Pest’ on the east side.

The project was managed for VEG by Kristof Nagy and the five areas utilising Robe products were the 118-metre-wide Hungarian Parliament Building, The Hungarian National Gallery, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Elisabeth Bridge and the Mandoki Soulmates stage.

The imposing and majestic Parliament Building on the Pest side of the city was designed by Hungarian architect Imre Steindl in neo-Gothic style and opened in 1902, and as always for National Day celebrations, was at the centre of the evening’s main show.

It featured projection mapping onto the front central section from across the river – a throw distance of approximately 400 metres.

A row of lights on the nearside bank flanked the building projections shooting intense beams up into the air, and this was where the 12 iBOLTS were positioned 6 a side at the outer edges of a long line of lights. They were a major part of the lighting scheme and were programmed to interact with the projection show.

The 10 iFORTES were used to wash up and along one of the sides of the building that was not being used for projection.

The Hungarian National Gallery is on the Buda bank of the river in the Buda Palace at its highest point which is one of the loftiest points across the whole city.

In the past, the front has also been projection mapping, but this year it was decided to illuminate it with lighting, so 8 iFORTE LTXs did a fantastic job of this, cycling through different tasteful colour sets, with added gobo texturing.

“We again needed the sheer firepower of these fixtures at this site,” commented Kristof, who was pleased that just 8 fixtures did the job perfectly, positioned on scaffolding towers built and spaced out along the Savoy Terrace in front of the Gallery building.

Budapest’s famous Széchenyi Chain Bridge was included in the main show for the first time this year. Its two grand towers were also projection mapped and the structure was lit and highlighted by 8 iBOLTS blasting out from the towers which are either side of its 202-metre central span.

The Beam lights were used smartly and proved essential in drawing attention to the bridge without interfering with the video mapping.

The bridge was designed in sections by English engineer Willian Tierney Clark in 1839 following an initiative by Count István Széchenyi. These sections were shipped from the United Kingdom to Hungary for final construction, which was supervised locally by Scottish engineer, Adam Clark.

A bit further along the river is the Elisabeth Bridge, built at the narrowest part of the Danube spanning 290 metres and named after Elisabeth of Bavaria. This looked resplendent lit with 48 iFORTES, 32 iFORTE LTXs and 4 iBOLTS positioned on both sides.

“I was keen on showcasing the latest and brightest technology we had on this event which is one of the most important and watched/attended in the country,” stated Kristof, who highlighted how the Robes stood out among the 2000 plus fixtures they supplied for the show including 40 high powered lasers.

The fixtures are all from Robe’s iSeries of waterproof products, and the IP65 weatherproofing was one less environmental factor for the crew to worry about.

Local rental company AVL Trade supplied an additional 12 iBOLTs to the event which had come straight off the Main Stage of the 2024 Sziget Festival staged the previous weekend.

Over 1.5 million people flocked to central Budapest to enjoy the festivities which included numerous shows and events, culminating in the Main Show and its ostentatious firework display.

In addition to these areas, the Mandoki Soulmates stage was lit with the help of 28 x Robe MegaPointes and 30 x Tarrantulas. It was located in front of Budapest’s largest church, Saint Stephen’s Basilica, and the musical lineup was curated by legendary German/Hungarian singer and drummer Leslie Mandoki. The stage was named after his band.

Photos courtesy of VEG.

The post Robe iBOLTS and iFORTE LTXs Help celebrate Hungarian National Day 2024 appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Fans who crowded the tunnels to see international stars VTSS, Crystallmess and Mary Lake, along with local favorites like CJ Bolland and Nosedrip, got swept away by more than the music. Setting a mesmerising visual tone for the shows was a dramatic lighting design by the John & Jane team that accentuated the intensely raw aesthetics of the tunnel structure.

“This was the third year in a row that we provided sound and light for multiple stages of Listen Festival,” said Lowie Lesage, technical supervisor of the project. “Listen Festival is known for their unique locations. This year, having the festival take place in tunnels was a fun challenge. Our successful cooperations rely on good equipment and light and sound designs that match the venue. As well as working together to find the best logistical solutions.”

Helping the John & Jane team achieve their vision for the festival was a collection of CHAUVET Professional fixtures that included 36 COLORdash PAR H12IP washes, 12 COLORado Panel Q40 rectangular wash lights, 14 Color STRIKE M motorised strobe-washes and 16 STRIKE P38 blinders.

Tobias Allard, who served as the lighting designer-operator, along with operators Korneel Wilkin & Ward de Clercq, drew on the colour rendering prowess and intense output of the fixtures in their rig to create a seamless flow of compelling looks throughout the tubular festival space.

“We played off the length and shape of the tunnel,” Lesage said, explaining the design team’s strategy. For example, the team transformed moods by conjuring up a variety of intense monochromatic washes that seemed to fill the entire space. They also added dramatic flourishes by sending sharp beams of lights over the crowds one moment, before accentuating the tunnel walls with warm white blinders the next.

Although the tunnels, which are normally used for traffic, offered the design team a wealth of creative opportunities, they also posed some challenges. “As the tunnels were closed for traffic for a relatively short time before the festival, we had to make sure the load in would go as smoothly and fast as possible,” explained Lesage. “This made it necessary to preassemble most of the totems in our warehouse.”

By taking steps such as this, the John & Jane team was able to pull off the Listen Festival design without a hitch. Venturing into the mysterious world of tunnels, they emerged with a stunningly beautiful lightshow.

The post Tunnel Vision! John & Jane create exciting visuals for Listen Festival appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

“When you know what you’re looking for and you are lucky enough to have a great team, the full trust of your management board, and of course the means, all you have to do is find the right fixtures,” he reflected. “The new LED lighting from Elation has allowed us to create more visually attractive productions and has enhanced the entire theatrical experience.”

The path to finding those ‘right fixtures’ had its own story. Following several not-entirely satisfactory fixture demos, Ronald was contacted by Bert Schmeits, Key Account Manager Benelux for Elation Europe, who believed that Elation’s offerings could meet the needs of the Rijswijkse Schouwburg.

Bert arranged a demonstration at the theater and took along Elation’s Fuze Profile LED framing fixture. As the demo progressed, Ronald and his crew became increasingly enthusiastic.

“After an extensive comparison, they were convinced they were dealing with a serious candidate that could fulfill all their wishes, whereby light quality was the most important factor,” Bert recalled. “At Ronald’s request, I left the Fuze Profile with them, allowing them to get to know the product and also ask visiting companies their opinion.”

After 14 days of extensive testing, Ronald and his team agreed that the FUZE PROFILE was the foundation they wanted to build on. According to Bert, the only critique was that in certain instances, from the lighting position on the hall bridge, they wished for a bit more power.

“The beauty of the FUZE series is that in addition to the Fuze Profile with an output of 10,000 lumens, we can also offer its bigger brother, the Fuze Max Profile,” Bert commented. “This LED spotlight has the same high-quality light and feature set as the Fuze Profile but with an output of 21,000 lumens.”

The fixtures sold themselves, said Ronald, and the choice for Elation was made there and then with great confidence. “Their RGBMA LED engines can create a near-exact color match to the Lee standard, the dimming is quite smooth, and there is no distortion in shape when using the framing shutters, all of which impressed us. The extra output we get with the FUZE MAX PROFILE at the FOH position is a great benefit, and the size and weight of both fixtures are manageable.”

The first phase of the project occurred in September 2023 with the installation of 21 Fuze Max Profile and six Fuze Profile fixtures supplied through Elation’s Dutch distributor Rolight. “After six months in operation at front of house, we received 100 percent satisfied feedback from visiting lighting operators, old school pros as well as the new generation of Dutch and foreign professionals,” Ronald commented, adding that they were especially impressed with the colors and output.

Ronald said the positive response was better than he dared imagine, giving them the confidence to move forward with phase two of the project. Phase two concerned the installation of 47 Fuze Profile on the manteaus of the portal bridge, and 8 Rayzor 760, a powerful RGBW wash fixture with extremely wide zoom, as stage lights, and was executed in July 2024.

“The project was a lot more ambitious than just making the transition to ‘green’ LED lighting,” Ronald said. “A demo of the Rayzor 760 wash fixture convinced us that an additional order would take the transition project to an even higher level.”

The Rijswijkse Schouwburg Theater will use its new Elation LED lighting system across a diverse program of 200 performances yearly. “I have seldom seen a chief lighting technician with such a well-thought-out plan that was worked out in such detail and in which it was known exactly what they had in mind,” Bert concluded. “It makes me proud that we were able to fully realize his plan with Elation.”

The post Elation FUZE takes Rijswijkse Schouwburg Theater from static to dynamic appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

The 2024 event sees Assembly – one of the largest venue operators at the Fringe – operating 26 pulsating venues featuring over 240 diverse shows embracing multiple entertainment genres, with lighting managed by Martin McLachlan, Assembly’s Festival Fringe head of lighting since 2018.

This year Martin specified an abundance of Robe moving lights for several of Assembly’s key venues.

The Assembly Festival Fringe operation involves over 90 technical staff (covering sound and stage management in addition to lighting) over a six-week period which includes two weeks of build and rehearsal before the three-and-a-half-week festival. Martin, together with a small team of four, oversees the house stage lighting and crew across all venues as well as the lighting needs of all incoming productions.

The venues range in size from 60 up to 840 seats, each with a house lighting rig, designed and chosen to deal with all performances in their respective schedule. The larger ones each feature between 4 and 24 moving lights, many of them Robe, adding up to a total of 72 Robe LEDBeam 150s, 18 Robe PAINTES and 7 x Robe T1 Profiles, mostly supplied via rental specialist, Encore.

In addition to these Robe luminaires, Assembly utilises 7 Avolites – A Robe Business – ART2000 dimmers and 8 Avolites Powercube PD units.

For Martin, the LEDBeam 150 is a perfect fixture for the house rigs in many of these spaces for its “great colours and zoom, small size and general versatility”. LEDBeam 150s have been on the Assembly spec lists since Martin assumed the head of lighting position in 2018.

It is a project entailing around 6 months of detailed planning, logistics and delivery, the final 3 months up to and including the event being seriously full time!

New this year are 18 Robe PAINTES, the smallest fixture in Robe’s current TE range of multipurpose spotlights.

All the incoming companies playing Assembly venues use the house lighting rigs to the max, and in many cases additional specials are hired.  “Assembly’s needs are very much driven by flexibility, and smaller sized lights are also an asset,” he commented, saying that they were very excited to have PAINTES this year, with 10 in the largest venue space, the 840-capacity Assembly Hall.

“This is another brilliant small fixture,” enthuses Martin about the PAINTE. “It is great for this style of work with its shuttering capabilities and plenty bright enough without being overpowering in some of these rooms.”

The most confined performance area this year to feature Robe moving lights was the 100-capacity Dancebase3 with 5 LEDBeam 150s.

Martin has worked with various Robe products on different projects for the last 15 years, and generally thinks they are well engineered and reliable. He particularly likes the T1 series and noted that it’s good to see a manufacturer taking the needs of the theatre world “seriously”.

His biggest challenge at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the relentless pace of the installation and production schedule during which all the production elements must be rigged, tech’d and used continuously for the period, coupled with finding solutions to satisfy the demands of multiple shows and theatre companies.

The entire process takes stamina and energy in addition to good organisation, technical awareness, imagination and finding the right lights to work in all scenarios.

Working in temporary and site-specific environments, as almost all of these venues are, can also be galvanising, and of course there are budget parameters that also must be met as well as co-ordinating with many different people and personalities with different levels of experience.

Martin underlines the importance of having reliable fixtures to minimise time consumed with maintenance or repair, and there is little margin for this with some venues having up to a staggering 10 back-to-back shows in a day.

All these elements are also part of the unique vitality, fun and buzz of working on the Fringe, where you can get the chance to stage some outstanding shows that showcase rising talent and capture the spirit of creativity, boldness and adventure that is still at the essence of Edinburgh Fringe.

He comments that it’s also a great chance for technicians to grow their experience and hone their skills, and part of his job as Assembly head of lighting is also to ensure that this can be actively facilitated.

The house lighting rig at Assembly’s 500-seat Gordon Aikman Theatre (GAT) this year was augmented with 7 x Robe T1 Profiles, part of a sponsorship package agreed with Robe UK. The GAT lineup included an animated mix of comedy, dance, theatre and music shows, from Dizney in Drag, to Mythos: Ragnarok, to Murder She Didn’t Write, to Russell Howard’s Wonderbox: Live.

Robe’s show truck was present on site in Edinburgh for two weeks, offering training seminars, demonstrations, and product awareness sessions, all co-ordinated by Chris Purnell, product application specialist from Robe UK. This highlighted the Robe, Avolites and Artistic Licence – also a Robe Business – support of the event, whilst providing invaluable insights for technicians and others interested in the dynamic range of relevant products and solutions.

Images courtesy of Martin McLachlan William Burdett-Coutts.

The post Assembly chooses Robe for Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024 appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Elation is delighted to announce that Sound Technology has been appointed as the exclusive distributor for Elation and Obsidian products in the UK and Ireland, effective from 1^st September 2024. In addition to its existing portfolio, Sound Technology will manage all aspects of Elation and Obsidian sales, service, training, and support in the region.

Located in Letchworth Garden City, north of London, Sound Technology is a distributor of high-profile brands in the professional audio, lighting, and MI retail sectors. The company is part of the Midwich Group, one of the largest specialist audiovisual distributors in the UK and Europe.

Marc Librecht, Sales & Marketing Director for Elation and Obsidian in Europe emphasised the partnership’s importance in driving growth in this key market: “We are excited to have found a dedicated partner who can help us expand the Elation and Obsidian brands in this extremely important and influential market,” he stated. “Sound Technology’s local expertise, network, and understanding of the market are important drivers of success that we are confident will allow us to strengthen our presence in the UK and Ireland. The potential of this market for us is great, and we look forward to working closely with the Sound Technology team to deliver high-quality solutions.”

The exclusive partnership allows Sound Technology to broaden its professional portfolio with innovative lighting and control products, offering even more comprehensive solutions to its customers.

Steve Fay, Managing Director at Sound Technology, commented: “Elation is an exciting brand with an extensive portfolio which complements our existing stable and plugs some gaps in our offering. Elation brings significant value to the diverse markets we operate in, and we’re excited about this new collaboration. Partnerships are important to us and Elation, alongside our existing partners, shares our drive to provide our customers with the best possible solutions. This partnership enables us to offer our customers a broad range of solutions. In particular, Obsidian, which is a lighting control platform we’ve been familiar with since 2017, meets the demand for a professional lighting console.”

Over the years, Sound Technology has grown its lighting division into a prominent distributor in the live events industry. The company continues to grow its lighting division by hiring and developing dedicated lighting professionals and choosing partners that can help it grow.

Over the past 12 months, Sound Technology has increased the size of its team to service the growing demand for professional lighting equipment in the UK and Ireland. The company continues to develop a purpose-built experience center at its head office north of London. The 4,000 square-ft premises provides an ideal environment for product demos, trainings, and customer visits, and is an excellent complement to an array of customer-centered events, including road shows.

“We continue to invest in building and growing our lighting and live events business,” Fay stated. “We spend a lot of time and energy on putting products in the hands of lighting designers, venues, integrators, and rental companies in the form of onsite demonstrations, shootouts, and other events so they can experience our products firsthand.”

The Sound Technology team hit the ground running at the PLASA show early in September, their debut outing as Elation and Obsidian distributors, which set the stage for a future of successful collaboration and growth.

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Light Art Studios GmbH of Hamburg created the lighting design for the complex event and managed the project on behalf of the technical planner, Potsdam’s adhoc engineering GmbH, from CAD planning through pre-production and pre-programming to operating the company’s own grandMA3 system.

Eight fashion brands presented themselves in an original Circus Roncalli tent as part of a two-hour show that was accompanied by artistic performances, circus acts and presentations. To illuminate the varied productions, lighting designer and Light Art Studios managing director Raphael Grebenstein chose 120 GLP impression X5 Compact, 16 impression X5 and 29 GLP impression X4 Bar 10.

Fashion circus show requirements
The combination of the circus theme, the selected location and the various shows presented the technical team with several challenges, as Raphael recalls: “The concept of a fashion show with strong dance and artistic performances in a circus tent naturally brings with it some restrictions – especially in terms of space and loads that can be incorporated. After creating the initial mood boards and content of the individual fashion shows, we developed the lighting plan, step by step, and continually adjusted it to achieve the best possible result.

Of course, the fashion brands themselves needed to be the focus despite all the surrounding shows. Therefore, it was our job to give each brand a unique look. We achieved this on the one hand with the help of different performances (e.g. dance, artistry, clowning, DJ sets) and on the other, most importantly, through the lighting moods used. We also had to take into account the camera technology and the requirements of the show acts.”

impression X5 Compact
In addition to rigging, lighting and sound, the artists also brought considerable loads into the rig, which further limited the possibilities of the individual technical disciplines. With the GLP impression X5 Compact they chose an extremely space-saving, lightweight and yet extremely flexible solution, which also integrated elegantly into the show in the floor set. 

“Nevertheless, high output and good colour reproduction were very important in this project, so we were definitely right to select the X5 Compact,” adds Ole Güllich, co-managing director of Light Art Studios GmbH. “With its light and slim baseless design, it worked very well, both in the rig and on the ground.”

A 12-metre truss circle was installed over the centre, on which 30 impression X5 were placed. The truss circle in the tent roof reflected the approximately 60-centimetre high outer ring of the arena underneath, on which 28 impression X5 Compacts were installed. In the stands behind the audience, another 28 X5 Compacts served as effects and audience backlights.

A ground support, draped with fabric, was built for the performance portal, on which the remaining impression X5 Compact, some impression X5 Wash and all impression X4 Bars 10 were installed. The remaining X5 Wash provided high-quality lighting on the red carpet, which of course cannot be overlooked at a fashion show.

The impression X5 Compact, which played the main lighting role in this show, is no stranger to the Light Art Studios team. “We have already used the fixtures in various TV productions and know their qualities. It was simply the ideal choice for this project,” concludes Raphael.

Client: ABOUT YOU.

Head creative: Justine McIlhargey (ABOUT YOU).

Choreography: Jay Revell (Black Skull Creative).

Technical planning and management: adhoc engineering GmbH.

Director: Malte Joergens.

Lighting planning, design and pre-production: Light Art Studios GmbH.

Technical service provider: PRG.

Photos: Courtesy of GLP.

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