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Sexy Toys and Money

illustration by Andy Au

Sexy Toys and Money

I spent some time recently talking to the people who run a few different lighting companies. Being an LD myself, I don’t see the business through the same eyes these people do. I tend to pick on them to lower prices on older fixtures. I don’t look at the big picture, what it really takes to run a lighting company. Besides just purchasing new realms of sexy toys, one has to take into account all the other nuts and bolts; the non-sexy items that enable these fixtures to perform.

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LDI 2012 Shines with New Gear

Each year, the industry gathers to see the latest and greatest at LDI.  This year, it was in PLSN’s home base, Las Vegas. At the time of this writing, I am still recovering from a jam-packed weekend of events, training, parties and, oh yeah, LDI!

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Parnelli Awards Dazzles, Surprises, Inspires

The one thing you can expect at the Parnelli Awards is the unexpected. That was certainly true at the 12th Annual Parnelli Awards gala held Oct. 20 at the Mirage Las Vegas when Jake Berry (tour manager for Madonna, U2) showed up and then after him, Billy Squier. Both wanted to surprise Lifetime Achievement honoree Charlie Hernandez, and that they did (and everyone else).

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Train

Train Travels with Vari-Lites and LMG

DALLAS -Train’s LD Brock Hogan was tasked with creating one of the band’s largest rigs to date for their California 37 tour, which just finished. He chose VL3500 Wash FX, VLX Wash, VLX3 Wash, and VL3000 Spot luminaires from LMG Touring. It was his fifth tour with the band, and one of his concerns was to make sure the lighting did not lose out to the ambient light from the video elements. The VLX3 Wash helped him cut through, even with the LED video wall in the background, he said.

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Obama Victory Celebration Lit by Martin MAC Vipers

CHICAGO – Supporters gathered at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago on Tuesday evening, Nov. 6, to join Barack Obama and Joe Biden in celebrating their victory on election night. LD Bob Peterson used Martin Professional’s new MAC Viper Profile for top and backlight onto the main podium walkways used at the event.

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CNN election viewing in Chicago

GoVision Provides Screens for CNN’s Election Night

CHICAGO – CNN supplemented its wall-to-wall election night coverage by hosting viewing events in Chicago and Boston, the respective home bases of President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney. The network hired Texas-based GoVision, a supplier of customized modular LED walls and turnkey mobile LED units, to provide and install its giant screens at both free public viewing events.

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Lester Cobrin

White Light Appoints Lester Cobrin Head of Concert Touring

LONDON – Lester Cobrin has joined entertainment lighting specialist White Light as Head of Concert Touring. Cobrin brings to the role more than 20 years experience in the lighting and live production industry, having worked previously with Samuelson Concert Productions & Theatre Projects, LSD/PRG, Bandit Lites, and most recently XL Video.

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Quartier des Spectacles

Christie Digital Maps Montreal’s Downtown

KITCHENER, Ontario– Christie technology has been drawing crowds nightly since 2011 to Quartier des Spectacles, Montreal’s entertainment district. Within this square kilometer, audiences are captivated by visual creations displayed on several buildings using 26 Christie Roadster projectors. From December to February, the show’s theme is ‘Lighting Therapy’ and visitors will again flock to the site for an energizing experience under the influence of the magic of light.

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Wild Knight

Scottsdale’s Wild Knight Lights Up with Elation

SCOTTSDALE, AZ – After opening in 2011, Wild Knight quickly became one of Scottsdale’s hottest nightclubs. Yet club owners believed much-needed energy was missing. After consideration, they decided to supplement the DJ booth with an LED video screen display. To create the screen, Dorel Baila of LED Source, LLC used EPV762 high-resolution LED video panels from Elation Professional.

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Incubus

LD Jibson Chooses Vista L5 for Incubus Tour

CHICAGO – Chicago-based LD Robb Jibson chose a Jands Vista L5 console from Windy City Lighting to control lighting and media for Incubus, co-headliners on the North American “2012 Honda Civic Tour” with Linkin Park. Following such positive experiences using the Vista control platform, Jibson decided to invest in his own Jands Vista S3 console, which he uses as a tracking backup.

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HITT Contracting's 75th Anniversary

Spyder Streamlines HITT Contracting’s 75th Anniversary

FALLS CHURCH, VA – Bartkresa design of Los Angeles used Vista System’s Spyder to showcase video content during the the 75th anniversary celebration for HITT Contracting in Falls Church, VA. Bart Kresa used a Spyder to switch the six outputs from a pair of video servers to three sets of triple stacked projectors. Says Kresa,  “We were still editing the materials while the show was running. So as we had one system online playing back the content, we were editing on the other system and then going online with system B and editing on system A.”

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