KwaZulu Natal, South Africa – Robe moving lights were chosen for the 2012 Splashy Fen Music Festival, staged in the foothills of the southern Drakensberg mountains in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Returning designer for the second year was Llewellyn Pieters from Durban-based event technical support company, Black Coffee. The Robes stood up to an exceptionally dusty environment, and handled the general humidity and the salty sea air well, says Pieters.
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KwaZulu Natal, South Africa – Production lighting for the 2012 Splashy Fen Music Festival – staged in the foothills of the southern Drakensberg mountains, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa – was designed by Llewellyn Pieters from Durban based event technical support company, Black Coffee.
The rig involved a selection of Robe moving lights including ROBIN 600 LEDWashes and ColorSpot 575 and 1200E ATs, chosen by Pieters, who was LD/operator for the event for the second year.
He needed to make the stage as versatile as possible as a performance space for the boutique festival, so the lighting concept needed to be as dynamic as possible for the budget.
The lights were arranged across three trusses and on the floor. The back truss had four T-shaped bars added, creating a ‘virtual LX bar’ upstage.
“I needed to get the absolute maximum out of each fixture,” explains Pieters.
The LEDWash 600s were spread out evenly along the back and mid trusses, where they were provided cross stage wash coverage. Their light weight also helped balance the weight loading of the trussing, with the ColorSpot 575s positioned to the sides. The ColorSpot 1200E ATs sat on top of their flight cases on the floor.
The low power consumption of the LEDWash 600s was also useful as only a 63A single phase was available for lighting. The units also use up less truck space. Pieters says, “When working in smaller venues with limited power – and the client of course always wants the best lightshow possible – using the LED fixtures means we can now create a mini concert effect in a standard function room!”
Another bonus is a reduction in the amount of power distro kit needed when using LED units.
He adds that the LEDWash 600s are “versatile, quick, bright …. and the zoom is amazingly dynamic” as well as the individual ring control facilitating some great ‘eye-candy’ effects for audiences.
He likes the fact that LEDWash 600s can be used for authentic PAR can emulation. Being able to change the focus positions helps give the overall impression of a much larger rig.
For Splashy Fen – particularly this year with the absence of seasonal rains – the Robes stood up to an exceptionally dusty environment. They also handled the general humidity of the Durban area and the salinity of the sea air very well, says Pieters.
Black Coffee has invested heavily in Robe products, especially in the last two years – all supplied via South African distributor DWR.
With the work schedules continually getting busier and busier and the company’s reputation for excellence spreading, the most recent purchases have included more LEDWash 600s bringing their total currently to 24, and the handbag-sized LEDBeam 100s.
