Robe’s Flying Moving Lights
I was fortunate enough to visit the small town of Roznov in the Czech Republic a couple of days ago. There's an automated lighting manufacturer based there; perhaps you've heard of them. Does Robe ring a bell?
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Solid(-State) Performance
Novella Smith, one of the founders of Selador, was passing through town the other day and stopped in to visit. She just happened to have some of her new products with her.
Read More »House LDs
Today I find myself lighting Rihanna at the Avalon Ballroom in Hollywood. They have a selection of cheaper moving lights, LED fixtures and pars run from an Avo Pearl. But their biggest asset is not their system. It's Joel Huxtable, the house LD.
Read More »Pickel-Packin’
To close the loop on improved LED content, get yourself a first-class graphic artist who is downright dangerous with pixels (or, you could become a… Read More »Pickel-Packin’
Read More »Pushing Buttons
Our industry is growing at an exciting pace. It seems like just the other day when we were all excited by color-mixing fixtures. Now we… Read More »Pushing Buttons
Read More »Austin City Limits Light on Stage
I had the good fortune to visit a live taping of "Austin City Limits" the other night, courtesy of Lowell Fowler and High End Systems.
Read More »Killing Time in Airports
I spend a lot of times in airports. I tend to be in them at least once a week. And they bore me. So here’s some nonsense I like to do to occupy the time while waiting for my inevitably late flight to leave.
Read More »Life Off the Road
Sooner or later, most of us get tired of living like a gypsy. But we have been doing this for so long, making a comfortable… Read More »Life Off the Road
Read More »The lights are broken in the sky
I like to check out a local musician from time to time named Shelby James. He’s got a lyric on one of his songs “the lights are broken in the sky.” Hahaha sure enough they were. I’m so happy to be leaving the bar scene from a production stand point. The live music in bars for the most part is unique and still has a sense of authenticity. I had an experience a while back at a local pub/club where I got to watch his solo acoustic gig and wouldn't ya know the damn LED pars and scrollers are left on sound active function with no one at either present at the sound or light consoles.
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Active Production and Design, Inc.
Who: Matt Clouser, president/owner
What: Full-service production company specializing in audio/visual installations and live productions
Where: Atlanta, GA.
Founded: 1993
First gig: “Setting up the lights (PAR cans) for a local club. I was paid $25 dollars a night.”
Latest gig: “We recently had a successful show with the Caribbean Diplomatic Community in D.C.”
Wybron Outdoor BP-2 Beam Projector
Entertainment lighting professionals are from Mars and architectural lighting professionals are from…well, at times it seems they’re from a different galaxy altogether. If you’ve ever tried to navigate the maze of manufacturers’ reps, distributors and suppliers trying to get specifications, samples or information about architectural lighting products, then you can appreciate the relatively small network of entertainment lighting pros, most of whom you probably know on a first-name basis.
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Mr. Screen Evolves into Mr. LED
Roger Waters’ Dark Side of the Moon tour built a wall of light
When you think of a classic rock concert light show, chances are you’re thinking of Pink Floyd and Marc Brickman’s iconic masterpieces of the ‘70s and ‘80s. “Mr. Screen,” the circular projection surface ringed by Vari*Lites, the magnificent arched truss loaded with more automated lights, large inflatables and the flying, crashing airplane came to define the pinnacle of theatrical concert production.
Roger Waters, the main songwriter and one of the lead singers of Pink Floyd, left the band in 1985 and embarked on a solo career. After a short-lived reunion with David Gilmour and Pink Floyd, Waters was again on his own, touring and performing on the strength of his Floyd hits and his solo material. The recent leg of his tour, which was designed by Brickman, recently brought him through North America where PLSN caught up with some of the crew, including lighting director Mark “Sparky” Risk, video tech Clarke Anderson, and production manager Chris Kansy.
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