International News

SYDNEY – Supporting a five-city tour in by Australian hip hop trio Hilltop Hoods, LD Paul Owen used a control setup that included Avolites’ Sapphire Touch, Tiger Touch II plus Tiger Touch Fader Wing. The group was touring in support of their album, Drinking from the Sun, Walking under Stars Restrung. The April 2016 tour included sold-out shows in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth.

ROME – Clay Paky fixtures are helping to light the way as Claudio Baglioni and Gianni Morandi, a.k.a. Capitani Coraggiosi (Captains Courageous) make their way around Italy’s biggest sporting arenas. The ambitious show design, featuring 50 songs from the last 50 years, is modeled in part on the duo’s big performances in Rome last fall. LD Carlo Pastore included Clay Paky Mythos (26), Sharpy (42) and Alpha Spot 700hpe (40) fixtures in the rig supplied by Agorà.

DORTMUND Germany – More than 350 Robe fixtures rocked the main stage of the 2016 Mayday dance event at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany, specified by lighting designer Ronnie Santegoeds from Netherlands based 4Light, who was asked to create a jaw-dropping memorable lightshow by promoters, I-Motion. Ronnie is a regular LD for Dutch hardstyle dance producer / promoter Art of Dance, which whom I-Motion co-promoted the most recent Syndicate event at the same venue. On the strength of his work for that event, he was invited to produce the production lighting design this leading house / trance phenomena.

SYDNEY – Vivid Sydney, a festival of light aiming to transform the Australian city into a wonderland of “light art”, has recently reached out to Taronga Zoo, and lit up a trail with giant animal multimedia light sculptures. The project was created by Ample Projects, with interactive lighting, sound effects and moving parts. The sculptures were presented with a great technologically advanced setup – the tender was won by Mandylights who created a colorful and atmospheric setting for the sculptures.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – The Stars of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg encompasses music, opera, ballet, film and other outdoor celebrations, such as Scarlet Sails, a tall ship and fireworks show along the Neva River. Key events included the Classic Music on Palace Square festival, featuring opera vocalist Anna Netrebko. StagePro used Prolyte staging components to support this and other events.

AMSTERDAM – Kinesys automation was an integral element of Sean Burke’s elegant production design for Mariah Carey’s ‘Sweet Sweet Fantasy’ tour, which headed to South Africa in late April after completing a substantial UK and European leg earlier this year. It was the artist’s first trek through continental Europe and the U.K. in 13 years. The Kinesys system was operated by Jonathan Wood of Event Automation & Lighting Services and supplied to the tour by lighting contractor, Neg Earth Lights.

KREUZLINGEN, Switzerland — Two Swiss TV shows, Hello Again and DGST, were staged at the Bodensee Arena in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland featuring a lighting design by Lutz Hugo Kleine-Herzbruch, managing director of Essen, Germany-based rgb gmbh. Kleine-Herzbruch enhanced the backdrop for both shows with 54 GLP impression X4 atom moving LED heads. DGST is pictured here.

LAGOS, Nigeria – For Night of Bliss, a religious event attended by large crowds at the Trade Fair complex in Lagos, Nigeria, Evans Owase of Pro-Broadcast Light & Sound used a collection of Rogue R1 Beams and R1 Spots from Chauvet Professional to transform the event space with bright, richly colored light. The Night of Bliss, which took place in late April, was conducted by well-known Nigerian pastor Vale Odu-Thomas.

KATOWICE, Poland – Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Katowice 2016 was a sold-out, multi-day gaming event held in March. It was seen by 10,000 fans at the Spodek arena and millions more worldwide. ARAM worked with ESL on the event, providing visual support for the main stage, other stages and trade fair booths. ARAM provided more than 1000 light fixtures including Clay Paky Mythos, Sharpy and Super Sharpy moving lights along with LED screens and curtains and HDX and HDF Barco projectors.

JOHANNESBURG – LD Robert Hoey used Vari*Lite VL4000 Spot and VL4000 BeamWash fixtures for South Africa’s Naledi Theater Awards this year. The ceremony took place at the Lyric Theater in Johannesburg’s Gold Reef City amusement park. The Awards, which have been running for 12 years, honor excellence in the performing arts. They also aim to raise the profile of live theater in South Africa. Hoey had to ensure the ceremony was perfectly lit for broadcast, so positioned the VL4000 Spots in a Front of House position for maximum cover.

DUBAI – Production Technology LLC (Protec) receive an award for ‘Best Use of Event Technology’ from Informa Exhibitions, organizers of the Middle East EVENT Awards. Protec was honored for a fusion of artistry and technical precision: an industrial robot gracefully sketching the finer features of Jimi Hendrix. Staged at the Joharah Ballroom in Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, Informa Exhibitions also engaged the services of Protec to support the award show.

LONDON – Riders are revving up to participate in the 2016 First Night Riders ‘Magical Mystery’ charity motorbike and classic car ride, visiting theatres across the country to raise money and awareness for The Theatrical Guild (TTG). This year’s tour, organized by Triple E’s David and Brenda Edelstein on TTG’s behalf, will hit the road between July 7-11, staying within 100 miles of central London. Triple E provides track systems and custom designed equipment for use in the entertainment industry.