International News

LONDON – Entec provided gear for Portishead’s summer shows. Entec first started working with Portishead through their previous lighting designer Tony Austin, who also originally asked current LD Niall Hannell to come on-board, initially as a programmer in April 2008. Niall took over as LD last year.

PRAGUE – Yaron Abulafia’s exciting new book “The Art of Light on Stage: Lighting in Contemporary Theatre” was launched at the 2015 Prague Quadrennial. Robe is sponsoring this work by the artist and award winning lighting designer. The launch – attended by over 300 guests – took place at the Hybernia Theatre in central Prague. The book is the first history and analysis of theatre lighting design that brings the story bang up to date, with Yaron exploring the poetics of light and charting the evolution of lighting design against the background of contemporary performance.

WINDHOEK, Namibia — The National Theatre of Namibia just got a new Ion control desk, thanks to ETC’s South African dealer Prosound. Prosound’s general manager, Ian Blair, says: “We recently did an extensive upgrade for the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, and on one of our follow-up visits, we called in at the National Theatre of Namibia, where we met Technical and IT Manager Jack Francis, Jr., and Head of Lighting Asser Kauazunda. Asser and Jack advised that their current, old theater console had reached the end of its life, but with the upcoming Independence Theatre Festival, they really needed a new desk, and fast.”

LONDON — 50 Cent and his group G-Unit returned to London on July 17 for a one-off gig at the O2 Arena. White Light answered the call from producers Musicalize, providing a rig that included Clay Paky Sharpys, Vari*Lite VL3500s, Martin MAC Vipers and i-Pix BB4s along with Phillips Showline SL NITRO 510 strobes to support the lighting design by LD Fraser Elisha. 

LEEDS, UK – Singer songwriter Paolo Nutini recently played a concert at Millennium Square in Leeds, UK, in the city center, before close to 7,000 fans. LD Jason Hyne used a rig that included his touring specials package along with Robe BMFLs, Pointes and LEDWash 600s supplied by Zig Zag Lighting. The event promoter was Futuresound Events. 

GUATEMALA CITY – Walter G. Moran opted to include fixtures from Italy-based LDR (Luci Della Ribalta) for a major lighting installation at the Frater, which ranks among the largest churches in Central and South America. The modern multi-complex venue is built on a site in San Cristobal, a few miles away from the Guatemala City’s center. The 50,000 square meter building includes a main auditorium with 13,000 seats, and the church is the largest man-made structure in the country. Moran was assisted with consultation from Fabiano Besio of LDR of Italy.

MADRID — Amid the high-flying tricks of the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour stop at Madrid’s Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, Riedel Communications equipment provided the communications and signal management capabilities critical to an exciting, well-coordinated Freestyle Motocross event. On July 10, as more than 23,000 fans looked on, top professional freestyle riders impressed the fans with their tricks. The Red Bull production team used Riedel’s Artist digital matrix intercom systems and MediorNet real-time signal distribution and management platform to produce and bring the spectacular live event to the world. 

AVIEMORE, U.K. — Mumford & Sons are on the road in support of their third studio album, Wilder Mind. The band is currently in Europe playing a mix of own-show headliners and festivals. LD Ed Warren specified 32 Robe BMFL Spots and 10 CycFX 8s which are being supplied by Neg Earth in the UK and Europe and Solotech Canada for the North American sections of the tour.

BEIJING — PR Lighting will again present a dynamic display at the 24th annual PALM Expo in Beijing Aug. 19-22. Featured products will include the XR 330 Framing and XR 470 Beam along with the company’s XR 330 BWS, Pro Stage 150LED 19LT/D and Pro Stage 150 LED 26LT/D. Last but not least, PR Lighting will also display its CSL 384 fixture, pictured here.

VERBANIA, Italy — The ‘Tones on the Stones’ festival has renewed its partnership with Clay Paky for the third year running. LD Sergio Licursi used Alpha Wash 1500s, Alpha Spot HPE 700s and A.leda Wash K20s to light the quarry. A Compulite Vector UltraViolet + Playback Wing for the upper quarry and a Pathway Cognito 2 for the small stage in the lower quarry controlled the fixtures.

SPAIN – LD Diego Garcia specified Clay Paky Mythos fixtures for the Leiva tour at Barclaycard Center.

IBIZA – Clay Paky Mythos, A.leda B-EYE K10 and Alpha Profile 800’s commissioned for Heart Ibiza event.