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Elation Sniper 2R

Elation Sniper 2R

Elation Sniper 2R

In a world where every manufacturer is chasing the next great LED configured fixture or inventing their version of a hybrid luminaire, it is pretty exciting to see a light come out that isn’t competing with anything else in the market. Elation’s design team has once again raised the bar by unleashing their Sniper 2R. This award-winning fixture was released last year at the PLASA show in London, and its laser simulation capabilities and high speed scanning mirror system made it the talk of the show floor.

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Having a weather emergency plan in place helped the author and others evacuate this Mojave Desert gig before gale force winds brought the structure crashing down.

Weather vs. Lighting Designer

Even if Oscar Wilde did once say “Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative,” we all still love to talk about the weather. And, sooner or later, we will all have to do a show outside, or at the very least in a tent.

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Clay Paky Mythos

Clay Paky Mythos

Italian lighting manufacturer Clay Paky has brought the industry something much more than its series of Sharpy fixtures. Although it looks almost identical to a SuperSharpy from the outside, let’s have a look on the inside to see what the Mythos is all about.

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Would You Survive?

Automated lighting programmers operate in a world of extreme danger. We are often put into situations that require us to make immediate decisions and take action. Lack of success in these endeavors can lead to loss of work, unimaginable stress, and even financial loss. By studying actual situations, you can determine if you would respond accordingly and survive the most treacherous of programming moments. Listed below are some of the most hazardous programming moments I have personally encountered. After reading each setup, ask yourself if you would survive before you read the actions.

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The Tragically Hip photo by Brent Clark

Lighting The Tragically Hip, Neil Diamond, Rush, Steve Aoki and Cars in Qatar

LD Brent Clark operated his design for The Tragically Hip’s Fully and Completely tour through mid-February in Canadian arenas. He then returned to Sarah McLachlan’s U.S. run Feb. 27-April 1. Describing The Hip’s design, Clark explained: “Our main focus was to create two distinct shows. The main part of the show was the band playing the album Fully Completely in its entirety, which they had never done before, and then book end that set with five songs. So those five songs had to look and feel entirely different. We did this by using only black and white I-Mag side screens and straight up rock and roll lighting with no video content. So when Fully Completely started, all the video elements rolled into play and the side screens sprang into color. It was quite a fun project to work on.”

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Illustration by Andy Au

Crossfading Industry Scenes

Whether you’re staring at the same walls deciding if you are going to leave that full time job to go on tour, or sitting in the back lounge of a bus trying to figure out how to “come off the road” and still support your family, making the decision to take that huge leap of faith can leave even the most confident person full of conflict.

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Drama Strip P840

Mega-Lite Drama Strip P840

The Mega-Lite Drama Strip P840 from Mega Systems Inc. is a new multi-directional strip fixture with pixel control. The unit’s new design and low profile promises to make it an effective footlight for illuminating performers.

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One grandMA2 light and three MA 4Port Nodes were used to control forty moving lights, including Clay Paky B-EYE K20s.(c) Stadt Wien Marketing / Jobst

Lighting Effects and Ice: Clay Paky and MA Lighting at the Wiener Eistraum

VIENNA, Austria – Vienna has hosted the Wiener Eistraum (Vienna Ice Dream) every year since 1996. This huge mobile ice rink measures over 75,300 square feet. It is assembled in Rathausplatz, the square in front of the town hall, and is one of the largest public attractions in the city. Nearly 250 miles of pipes are laid and connected to three chillers to chill the rink. Along side the always long awaited skating and curling rinks, the “Traumpfad” (path of dreams) made its debut in 2005. This 2460-foot-long path leads visitors through the southern part of the city park.

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The huge South Board displays live game footage, instant replays, and player and fan features.

University of Phoenix Stadium Gets 4K Capabilities with Five New Vista Spyders

PHOENIX, AZ – In an initiative spearheaded by the Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority, University of Phoenix Stadium added five new Vista Systems Spyder image processors.  The stadium, which is owned by the Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority, is home to the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. It recently hosted college football’s 2015 Vizio Fiesta Bowl, the 2015 NFL Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLIX.

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IBF super bantamweight champion Carl Frampton

CT Supplies I-Mag for Irish Boxer Carl Frampton’s World Title Fight

BELFAST – On Feb. 28, Odyssey Arena hosted the first boxing match relayed on live TV in the U.K. since 2008. IBF super bantamweight champion Carl Frampton defended his title against American Chris Avalos. Creative Technology’s (CT) supplied I-Mag screens rigged above the ring along with four 18 square meter displays flown from truss and fed with the live footage, which was also broadcast on ITV.

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Glen Holland, Glee

Crew for TV’s Glee Relied on ETC Gear for Six-Season Run

LOS ANGELES – After six seasons on network TV, Glee is ending. Console operator Glen Holland, who has been with the show since 2009 when it debuted in the auditorium of Cabrillo High School in Long Beach, CA, reminisced about the “seven years, six seasons, 121 episodes and 751 performances” that he and other Glee crew members relied on gear from ETC.

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