LONDON – HSL is supplying lighting equipment and crew to Production North for the current six-week U.K. tour by boyband JLS, a group that has become well-known as the runner-up on TV's X-Factor reality contest in 2008. Peter Barnes designed the lighting. He and show producer Beth Honan – who have previously worked together on Blazing Squad and Girls Aloud – collaborated closely during production rehearsals at Rhyl Pavilion in Wales, together with lighting programmer/operator Dave Lee. Lee is overseeing lighting the show on tour, working alongside HSL technician Johnny Harper.
Barnes had to maximize an expediently-sized rig in terms of effect, and said, "HSL as always were extremely helpful in cutting a great deal that allowed plenty of creative latitude."
The basic visual style combines elements from the TV environment that led to JLS' fame, with a clean looking stage for their slickly choreographed pop show, complete with twist of live theatre. The overall emphasis is very much being on the four boys – Aston, Marvin, JB and Oritsé.
The set was supplied by Production North and consists of four sets of steps connected by a raised walkway at the back. Upstage of this is a 30ft wide by 10-foot deep MiTrix video screen which shows specially created content throughout the show. The visual design synchronizes the lighting and video looks.
There are 23 PixelLine LED battens ensconced in the treads of the set steps and the top of the set walkway is mesh grilled, allowing uplighting from 4 Molefey units beneath. Also below the set are four smoke machines and four high powered fans, used to make vertical smoke jet effects. A powerful 2Kw Space Flower effect nestles underneath the central staircase arch – and that's it for the floor lighting – reflecting the brief to keep the stage clear and uncluttered.
In the air is a back truss containing seven Robe ColorSpot 700E AT moving lights and six of the new Robe ROBIN 300E Beams – in which HSL has recently heavily invested. Lee credited the fixtures for being "extremely bright."
The mid truss has another four ROBIN 300E Beams and four i-Pix BB4 LED blinders, while the front truss has eight Robe ColorWash 700E ATs, three Martin Professional Atomic strobes and four 4-way Moles.
Ten GLP Impression LED moving lights also frame the video screen.
Lee operates the show using a Hog iPC console – his desk of choice for a show of this size. "As always the support and back up from HSL has been second to none," he said.
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