Keeping “Four Shows” In Balance
I am often asked, “How many shows do you have going on?” And my default answer is “Always at least four”…I don’t mean four different… Read More »Keeping “Four Shows” In Balance
Read More »Keeping “Four Shows” In Balance
Super Bowl, Halftime Show Set Record for U.S. TV Viewership
GLENDALE, AZ — The viewing audience tuning in for Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1, where the Seattle Seahawks faced off against the New England Patriots at University of Phoenix Stadium, averaged 114.4 million, topping the record number of 112.2 million who watched Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. Along with the closely contested game itself, the event featured an elaborate halftime show production with well-received performances by Katy Perry, Missy Elliott and Lenny Kravitz packed within a 12-minute span. (Katy Perry and Lenny Kravitz are pictured here.)
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Learning to Love Video
I saw two shows last month that had absolutely no video components. It was odd, having to focus on the performers themselves with nothing other than a lovely set to distract you. Okay, one was The Grinch, a play performed quite professionally at the Children’s Theater of Minneapolis. And the other was a punk rock band I saw thrashing in a club. They were good shows… but then I saw Fleetwood Mac last night, and it was a spectacle to behold. It all came back to me — why I love my pixels. I like them small, big, spread out or even on curved surfaces. They just make me happy.
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Ted Sydor: Projecting His Own Path at the Met
Edmund “Ted” Sydor is an old-school analog man working in a digital world. Originally a stop-motion animator, he is now the projections supervisor for the Metropolitan Opera, and he is applying his offline, old school know-how to a brave new digital realm for both himself and his employers. “It’s the new fancy tool in the toolbox,” he acknowledges. “Half of our new productions this season have a major video component in them.” Over the years, he has played a major role in shaping the Met’s video imperative, learning and growing on the job.
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PLSN Celebrates 15 Years
For a 15th Anniversary, apparently it’s appropriate to give crystal. We’ll demur, but it’s crystal clear that it has been a grand and successful adventure — one that promises to continue many years to come. Of course, we got here with a lot of help and support from our advertisers, some of whom were with us from the very beginning.
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Usher “UR Experience Tour”
A dynamic genre-bending artist. Hydraulics, custom trussing, split 7mm video screen, and a whole lot of spankin’ brand new gear. Usher is in the house.
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Katy Perry Prismatic World Tour 2014-2015
For her 2014-15 Prismatic world tour, Katy Perry treats her loyal fans to an extravaganza of visual and musical delights. In support of her fourth studio album Prism, the show has it all — a prism LED wall along with a huge pyramid shaped extended B-stage, pyro, lasers, Katy flying through the air, and it wouldn’t be a show without cats, a Perry staple. Along the way, there are some neon scenes, an Egyptian horse and lots more to delight the eyes.
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LabeLive & Lecrae: A Production Company Unites with an Artist to Step Up His Tour
Nashville and the phrase professional songwriting are practically synonymous. The city’s importance to contemporary and traditional American country music is undeniable and self-evident. But in recent years, Nashville has experienced an influx of recording artists of all stripes, positioning the capital of the Volunteer State as an emerging force in the live-event industry.
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CMT’s Ultimate Kickoff Party: LD Mike Swinford Gives New Fixture its Debut in a TV Special
The very first College Football Playoff National Championship Game took place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX on Jan. 12, replacing the BCS National Championship Game of seasons past, and with it came a whole weekend of festivities, none of which were brighter than CMT’s Ultimate Kickoff Party.
Read More »Lighting the Los Angeles Auto Show: No-Nonsense Moving Light Gets the Job Done
Held Nov. 21-30 at the L.A. Convention Center, the Los Angeles Auto Show (LAAS) is one of the most influential auto shows in the world. Production companies TLS Productions, Inc. and Christie Lites client Creative Technology played a major role at the event, using nearly 2,000 Elation Design PARs to light cars and scenic elements for some of the world’s top car brands.
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GLP Marks Two Decades of Growth
One of the great joys of writing features about the professional lighting industry is getting to talk to people who, even after decades in the business, are still very enthusiastic and excited about their work. Mark Ravenhill is one of those. At 44 he is the president of the U.S. operations of German Light Products, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. He speaks with the fervor of someone three weeks into a dream job, though he began his career in the light brigade at age 16, fresh out of the British equivalent of high school. “It’s all I’ve ever done,” the Southampton, England native explained.
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