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US Open Gets Flexible Staging Support

The eight ModTruss stages were set up over a two-week period.

US Open Gets Flexible Staging Support

Filmwerks Turns to ModTruss for Broadcast Staging Solution

For the eighth consecutive year, the ModTruss product line has been selected for stage construction at the US Open Tennis Championship. This year, eight broadcast stages were built for the United States Tennis Association (USTA) using ModTruss’ Truss Series and its components. ModTruss continues to be the US Open’s product of choice for broadcast staging due to unique and challenging set positions as a result of spatial restrictions.

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Grace Potter Shines with Bandit and Pulse Lighting

Grace Potter Shines with Bandit and Pulse Lighting

NASHVILLE – Multi-instrumentalist Grace Potter is currently touring the country with songs her from her newest album, Midnight. Bandit Lites is supporting lighting design firm Pulse Lighting and LD Preston Hoffman. The setup includes four truss towers, each with three GLP X4s, two Robe Pointes and two Cuepix Blinders from Elation.

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Quantum Special Effects smoke filled bubbles

Quantum Multi-Sensory FX Adds Flavor to Live Events

Quantum Special Effects says its Multi-Sensory FX can replicate any flavor, from the latest soft drink brand to food combinations. It is then dispersed via a range of mechanics, visual and non-visual, including smoke-filled bubbles, mist, rain and snow. Pictured here are the company’s smoke-filled bubbles, developed for Katie Melua’s tour.

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SeaChanger Prodigy

SeaChanger Prodigy

The new Prodigy color engine from SeaChanger is engineered to provide color mixing for fixtures using a white LED light source. Prodigy gives users the same high color rendering and extensive palette achieved with traditional tungsten fixtures, while incorporating the energy efficiency of compatible LED technology. The new Prodigy also features a slimmer housing design and silent, fan-free operation with color changes in less than 0.3 seconds.

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LU500 Power Supply from SL Power Electronics

LU500 Power Supply from SL Power Electronics

The LU500 open frame AC/DC power supply is new from SL Power Electronics, a division of SL Industries. At 500 watts, the LU500 is well suited for LED and architectural lighting that requires a small form factor, high efficiency and wide input range. SL Power will be showcasing the new LU500 during the LDI trade show in Las Vegas, Oct. 23-25, in booth number 438.

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Robb Jibson crafted the looks for Fall Out Boy during the Boys of Zummer 2015 tour. Photo by Steve Jennings

The Boys of Zummer

“Odd Couple” LDs Jason Bullock and Robb Jibson on the Fall Out Boy/Wiz Khalifa Tour

Chicago-based Robb Jibson is the LD of punk pop group Fall Out Boy. He caters to cue lists and joneses for his Jands Vista lighting console. New York City-based Jason Bullock is the LD for rapper Wiz Khalifa. He prefers to slam though faders and chooses the Chamsys. When both artists toured together for the “Boys of Zummer” tour, it begged the question: Can two LDs, on competing brands of consoles, come together to create one cohesive production for two radically different musical artists, without driving each other crazy?

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Electric Forest 2015, set by Vita Motus. Photo by Adam Kaplan

The Design Process: Vita Motus

It’s too bad the name Industrial Light & Magic had already been taken by some obscure film producer named George Lucas. Otherwise, the terms would perfectly capture the work of Heather Shaw and her firm Vita Motus Design Studio. As she defines it, Vita Motus (vee-ta moe-tus) is Latin for “life vibration,” loosely connoting being attuned to and going with the flow. She describes her company’s designs as futuristic, with a focus on conceptual experience and immersive multimedia sculptures. Vita Motus fuses cutting-edge technology and pop culture into an entirely new world of its own.

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The booth design featured a banner requiring a bright, even wash of white light. Photo courtesy Siemens.

Lighting the Booth for Siemens at RSNA in Chicago

I have gravitated a long way from lighting pop stars live on stage, but the goal is still the same. Make the money look good. There is nothing more exciting than when the stage manager chirps over the walkie-talkie and says, “The show is yours, Mahoney.” I flip on my headset, make sure the spot operators are ready for their first cue, check backstage to make sure dimmer beach and pyro are both ready. After I get “okays” from all departments, I say, “Houselights GO!” The crowd gets loud, the lights go out and we all hit our first cues. “BAM!” We are off and running for the next 90 minutes.

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Nimlok Displays' design for Aclara

Trade Show Tips

Are you a good exhibitionist? Let’s try a little word association game. What thought comes immediately to mind when you see the words “trade show”? “Yippee!” or “Jeez, not again?” “A controlled strategic tool” or “royal pain in the hindquarters?” “Party time!” or “Expensive headache?”

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Freestyle Productions provided this video wall made from Daktronics 12mm LED panels for the 12-day Minneapolis State Fair.

Working the Fair Circuit

Throughout my career, I doubt I’ve ever met anyone who never worked a show at a fairgrounds. In fact, I know some acts who make the majority of their annual revenue playing sets at these venues. The same applies for vendors. Last summer alone, I played four different Midwest state fairs and used different light rigs from TMS, the lighting vendor out of Omaha, all within two weeks time. Every gig is different, and the only thing I expect from these venues these days is…the unexpected.

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LED vs Projection for Corporate Events, from blog posting by Upstage Video

Company Blog Poses Question for Corporate Event Video: LED or Projection?

POTTSTOWN, PA — Although the decision on “LED vs. Projection” for corporate events has always been influenced by what video gear is available, and at what cost, a proliferation of lower-cost, higher-resolution LED video options may be shifting the debate somewhat. While acknowledging that his company “mainly focuses on LED displays,” and that he “may be biased towards LED,” Upstage Video owner Doug Murray invited two other rental and staging industry professionals, Scott Williams from Quince Imaging and Brian Brooks from MB Video Productions, for their potentially contrasting views.

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