International News

KONIGSWINTER, Germany – System integration and event technology company Kuchem Konferenz Technik has added 110 of Elation Professional’s SixBar 1000 LED battens to its inventory. The Elation SixBar 1000 is a color-changing batten featuring a 6-color LED multi-chip that can be used for a variety of purposes such as general purpose wash/strip lighting, uplighting, cyc wash, accent lighting or as a pixel strip.

HAMBURG, Germany – LD Jerry Appelt teamed up once again with lighting director / programmer Marc Brunkhardt to craft the looks for Hamburg-based dance group Scooter as the troupe embarked on their Can’t Stop the Hardcore tour. Visiting venues ranging from 5,000 to 12,000 capacity. The focal point of the stage and set design were five raked pods, loaded with lights and flown above the stage to form a scalable roof — and featuring many of the show’s 65 GLP impression X4 L’s.

PILTON, UK – At the 2016 Glastonbury festival, Fineline Lighting provided Chauvet’s Professional’s Rogue R1-FX-B and Maverick MK2 Spot fixtures, adding to the range of looks at the event. Fineline specified 16 Rogue R1 FX-B blade-style fixtures for the WOW! Stage, which was located in Glastonbury’s Silver Hayes area and featured EDM and DJ artists. The company also provided 10 Maverick MK2 Spots at The Circus Big Top (pictured here), where concert music gave way to stage performances by Pirates of the Carabina, Yvette Dusol, Eric McGill and other acts.

KENSINGTON, Australia – To light the foyer at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), based near Sydney, Adrian Wight and Marcus Kelson from the institute’s lighting department augmented the existing Anolis architectural lighting fixtures used for the space with 16 Robe DLX Spots. NIDA’s assistant technical manager Bryte Cameron credited the Robe fixtures for energy efficiency, low maintenance and their ability to highlight specific areas and elements of any exhibition or artwork.

JOHANNESBURG – In South African history, Sophiatown, aside from violence and poverty, was Johannesburg’s renowned ‘mixed suburb’ in the days of Apartheid. Affectionately remembered for the lively politics, music, jazz and blues, it was where people lived together, undivided by color, before the authorities tore it apart. Sophiatown, the musical production, played tribute to this society and also formed part of the Market Theatre’s 40th birthday celebrations while new Robert Juliat Dalis 300W LED Cyclights were put to use.

BELGIUM – Belgian based engineering and automation specialist WIcreations has designed and fabricated a custom rotating system to hold and rotate five large scenic objects for the current ‘Chaos’ tour by popular Spanish singer, Malú. The niece of famous Flamenco composer and guitarist Paco de Lucia –;Malu’ hit the big time and had her first hits as a teenager in the 1990s, which has been followed by a truly stellar career. This current tour lasts until November and will have played 69 dates in Spain by the time it concludes.

LAUDIUM, SOUTH AFRICA – The Hanuman Chalisa is the most popular hymn chanted in praise of the Hindu deity Hanuman. Recited daily by Hindus throughout the world, the 40 verses of this devotional mantra are an immense source of energy, focus and vitality for both the body and mind. The power and vibrancy of this ancient ritual were brilliantly reflected recently by a vividly colored lighting design, created by designer Shaniel Laloo, using a collection of Rogue fixtures from CHAUVET Professional.

EUROPE – The seventh full-length tour of their incredible 20-year career, Coldplay’s A Head Full of Dreams boasts one of the year’s most acclaimed productions. Designed by the celebrated Misty Buckley, following her work on Coldplay’s appearance at the NFL Super Bowl 50’s halftime show in February, the latest stadium tour sees a lavish explosion of color accompanying the crowd-pleasing performances by the Chris Martin-fronted fivesome. It marks the third time the band has hit the road with Stageco Staging Group.

BRISTOL, U.K. – The Vision 2016 creative conference drew close to 350 to the Anson Rooms at Bristol University’s Student Union building May 11-12. The event featured 25 talks from leading creatives and innovators. Once again, organizers turned to Central Presentations Ltd (CPL) to deliver full technical production for the two-day inspirational conference. CPL was working for production company Bright and has been involved in the event for the last four years. This year project manager Mike Radford ensured that everything ran smoothly on site, integrating elements of the venue’s house lighting system where possible into the event design.

BERGAMO, Italy – LD Andrea Coppini opted for Clay Paky’s Alpha 700 family of lights – the Wash, Spot HPE and Beam – for Italian singer-songwriter Francesco De Gregori’s Amore e Furto (love and larceny) tour. The backbone of the design started with three straight battens fitted with 12 Alpha wash 700s and 15 Alpha spot HPE 700s, plus eight Par LEDs and six blinders. The setup also included six ladders hanging below the last batten, on which nine Alpha Beam 700s were hung, interspersed with 18 Sunstrips. Ten Par LEDs, positioned as side lights, and four other floor-mounted Beam 700s, completed the design.

ROME – For the TIM Music On Stage Awards 2016, honoring live music in Italy in a ceremony held on March 18 and broadcast on Rai 2 and Italian Radio 2, LD Giovanni Pinna used 62 Mythos units, 32 Sharpys and eight Alpha Beam 700s from Clay Paky. The event was hosted by Nicola Savino and the singer Malika Ayane. TV viewers listened and voted on the Internet for the best Italian and international leading artists who performed in major concerts, tours and festivals held in Italy during the year. Their votes were combined with the decision of a jury of experts.

LONDON – PRG XL Video, the UK operation of Production Resource Group, turned to Area Four Industries U.K. to add to its rental stock with a large number of new EXE-Rise 8:1 chain hoists. The selection of the EXE-Rise units followed extensive evaluation of different hoists by a team of PRG XL Video’s rigging experts including Chris Walker, Account Director, Q Willis, Head of Rigging Services, and Richard Gorrod, Head of Event Services.