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Programming Very Large Arrays (VLAs)

Programming Very Large Arrays (VLAs)

The Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) is a radio astronomy observatory located in western New Mexico. It consists of 27 large dish type antennas. Astronomers reconfigure the array every few months into new alignments to better explore the universe. This requires intense computer programming to coordinate the movement and alignment of the large receivers. I am sure that programming for this very large array presents a level of complexity to its team of programmers. However, when I find myself programming a very large array of lighting fixtures, I think that their scope must pale in comparison to my task at hand. Programming very large arrays is quite a task for any automated lighting programmer.

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Foster the People's stage at the Firefly Festival had seven towers. Photo by Mat Stovall

Foster the People Towers over Firefly Festival; Rock ‘n’ Roll Reality Tour, Quick Cues…

Foster the People fans at the recent Firefly Festival June 21-23 in Dover, Delaware, were treated to a specially designed one-off production to tie in with the band’s new album in progress. “The show design was based around seven towers, eight to 28 feet high, that all rotated for a constantly evolving environment,” said Trevor Stirlin Burk, the production designer, creative director and show director of Foster the People.“We also collaborated with The Los Angeles Contemporary Dance company. It was super ambitious for the band to want to do a brand new production from scratch, specifically for Firefly. By all accounts it paid off.”

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Illustration by Andy Au

When Did it All Get So BIG?

Earlier this year, one of my clients called me in for a meeting about what he wanted to do for his annual summer shed tour. We were currently playing arenas, but were headed outside for the summer. He wanted to talk about the current trend in arena shows to get some big looks. He looks me right in the eye and asks me, “How high is that front truss flying?” Fifty feet or so, I tell him. “And how wide are all these trusses?” I reckoned they spanned about 90 feet, side-to-side. “Now don’t get me wrong, Nook. It looks frickin’ great, but when did we all decide these shows had to be so big, to be good?”

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Mark Haney Joins CT Touring

Mark Haney Joins CT Touring

NASHVILLE – CT Touring welcomes industry veteran and video director Mark Haney to the company. Haney has had leading roles in concert touring for more than 20 years and is a multiple award-winning director whose roster includes Eric Clapton, Kenny Chesney, Britney Spears and Star Wars in Concert, among others.

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Moment Factory Creates Video Content for Timberlake/ Jay-Z Tour

MONTREAL – After working on Jay Z’s two nights show at Carnegie Hall last year, Moment Factory was tasked by Roc Nation (entertainment company founded by Jay-Z) and Willo Perron to work on one of the biggest stadium tours of the summer: Justin Timberlake and Jay Z’s “Legends of the Summer.” For this fast-track project, Moment Factory had the mandate to create original video content that would enhance the artists’ performance onstage and maximize the impact of the sizeable scenography.

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Behind the Scenes logo

TMB Makes First ProXS Donations to BTS

NEW YORK, NY — TMB joined the Behind the Scenes Pledge-a-Product program last spring by pledging 10 percent of global sales of their ProXS professional lighting fixture accessories to the charity. They have placed special displays in dealer showrooms around the world so customers know they are helping when they make a purchase of something as simple as a gel frame. As a result, TMB has now made two donations to the industry’s charity.

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Adobe Max 2013

WorldStage Gets Creative at Adobe Max 2013

LOS ANGELES – Adobe Max 2013 “The Creativity Conference,” took a creative set design and projection mapping approach to deliver visuals to an audience of some 5,000 Adobe users and software developers – and more than 100,000 who watched the gathering’s livestream. WorldStage helped Adobe Systems, Inc. meet its creative goals providing AV support for the event at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live.

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Before and After looks at Immaculate Conception.

Florida Church Retrofits with Chauvet Professional

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Northern Florida’s Immaculate Conception Catholic Church recently saw an upgrade in gear — the first in three decades — with the addition of about 20 Chauvet fixtures. A selection of Chauvet Professional Ovation E-190WW ellipsoidal-style fixtures, COLORado 1 VW Tour and COLORado 1-Tri Tour PAR wash lights comprise the church’s permanent inventory, used for services and special events.

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Shark Ray Bay Theatre

Robe Specified for Shark Ray Bay Dive Theater

CINCINNATI – Chad Kuney of Full Spectrum specified four Robe ColorSpot 250 AT moving lights to illuminate the interactive Shark Bay Ray Dive Theater at Newport Aquarium, just outside Cincinnati, OH. The four ColorSpot 250 ATs are rigged off the ceiling grid at the back of the theatre.

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