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    International Fitness Showcase Flexes Lighting Muscles with CHAUVET Professional!

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    A plethora of CHAUVET Professional LED fixtures were employed at the Blackpool Winter Gardens for the International Fitness Showcase — a lineup of ROGUE, COLORado, Q-Wash and Q-Spot came together for an amazing rig with amazing looks.

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    Lancashire, England – As befits an event devoted to physical conditioning, the pace was nonstop high energy at the International Fitness Showcase 2015, which drew 3,500 fitness instructors to Blackpool Winter Gardens for three intense days of Pilates, kettlebells, spinning, pole fitness, Zumba, step aerobics, street dance and other activities. Helping to pump up the action and motivate participants at the annual event was a collection of LED fixtures from Chauvet.

    Oliver Wilkinson, lighting designer and engineer at Arranpaul, which supplied lighting, sound and AV for the event utilised a variety of color rendering Chauvet fixtures to add a festive, glitzy air, not to mention a dash of intensity, to Blackpool’s Spanish Hall. A spacious Andalusian-style vaulted room, Spanish Hall was the main spot for the event, which was organised by Chrysalis Promotions, in addition to serving as the site for its awards ceremony.

    Wilkinson’s lighting rig included four Rogue R1 Spot fixtures, four COLORdash Batten-Quad 6 linear fixtures, 16 Q-Wash 560Z-LED moving washes and two Q-Spot 460-LED moving spots from CHAUVET Professional. The Q-Wash 560Z fixtures were flown in the corners of the ballroom for the “Zumba Party” atmosphere, whilst the Q-Spot 460 spots and COLORdash Battens were used to bring a dynamic backdrop to the stage. The Rogue R1 Spots served as stage and audience lighting.

    The intense output of the Rogue and Q-Spot 460 fixtures made an indelible impression on Wilkinson. “For the size of the room, the 460 spots didn’t let us down,” he said. “As far as Chauvet’s Rogue range goes, the R1 Spot has really made its mark. The optics are incredible for a fixture of this size and price range- plus, the high output of the LED still seems to amaze us at every event we use them on. No matter what the challenge is, the Rogue is always up to the job!”

    In addition to offering fitness activities and an awards ceremony, the International Fitness Show brought many of the leading suppliers from the industry to its exhibition space. Wilkinson added an attractive visual element to these stands by illuminating them with Freedom Par Tri-6 fixtures from CHAUVET DJ.

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    “For trade stands, the Freedom Pars were perfect! No messy cabling and no need for hot power, we just charged them up every night and they were ready to go in the morning,” he said. “We also used to the Freedom pars to uplight the extravagant mirrored staircase for the awards ceremony. They never missed a beat.”

    Wilkinson also used 14 PiXPar 24 par-style fixtures, four SlimPAR HEX 3 IRC units and 10 SlimPAR Pro Tri fixtures to light smaller rooms at Blackpool and as side lighting for the awards stage. “These fixtures worked really well, giving us rich and vivid colors that showed nicely even when it was sunny outside,“ he said. “This was an exciting event, and the lighting more than kept pace.”

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    Sound Stylists Goes Bold With CHAUVET Professional For Chris Brown In South Africa!

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    Chris Brown and his world tour show recently reached out to Bryan Hartley of Trans-Siberian Orchestra fame to create an amazing, powerful, and stunning show for the world.  Bryan reached out to Sean Crawley, Head of Lighting for Sound Stylists in Midrand, South Africa to add Legend 230 Beams to the rig.  Check this out!

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    JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – The world tour supporting Grammy-winner Chris Brown’s latest album X features a power-packed lightshow designed by LD Bryan Hartley, who is widely known for his work with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. As sometimes happens with international tours, however, rigs have to be pared down when the show travels from country to country.

    This was the case, recently when the Chris Brown tour made two stops in four days in South Africa. The lightshow nevertheless was able to deliver the bold, powerful statement that Brown’s critically acclaimed album deserved, thanks in part to a powerful performance from Legend 230SR Beams from CHAUVET Professional.

    “The original design had 174 fixtures, but the number of fixtures was reduced slightly due to venue structural weight limitations and availability of outdoor stage structure for the tour,” said Sean Crawley, Head of Lighting for Sound Stylists (Midrand, South Africa). “We also substituted Legend 230SR Beams for other fixtures on the rig. The lighting designer, Bryan Hartley, was receptive to our adding the Legends.”

    Despite its compact size, the Legend 230SR has a powerful output (96,000 lux at 15 meters) that makes it capable of delivering the kind of eye-tingling punch suitable for a performance by Brown. The South African X tour featured 30 of the Legend fixtures provided by Audiosure, which like Sound Stylists is also located in Midrand.

    The South African rig had 12 of the Legend 230SR Beams on the floor downstage — six on either side — and 18 of the fixtures on trussing over the stage. Preprogrammed and controlled with a Hog 4 console, the Legend 230SR Beam units created an array of high impact beam looks. “It was bold statement lighting,” said Crawley. “We had pillars of light going straight up. We had crisscrossing beams, and we had this unique look where the beams converged and then opened up like a flower. As I said, the looks made a very powerful statement.”

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    The 18 Legends on the overhead truss were used for audience lighting. “We drove those beams into the crowd to engage the audience,” said Crawley. “The brightness, the color, the sharpness of the beam all worked well to connect to people.”

    Grouped with a robust collection of other beams, washes and followspots, the Legend 230SR Beams created a “world class concert look” for the Chris Brown South Africa tour, which took place at the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg and the Moses Mabhida People’s Park in Durban. Although it may have been trimmed somewhat from its original design, the South African rig was still substantial, with close to 150 fixtures included. This created special demands for Crawley when setting up and tearing down the rig.

    “Time was the big challenge with this project,” he said. “We had 18 hours of set up time in Johannesburg on Thursday, and then we had to take down the rig and get to Durban, where we had 12 hours of set up time on Friday. It was non-stop work, excitement and a lot of lighting power for four days — and we enjoyed it a great deal!”

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    For more information on Audiosure visit: www.audiosure.com
    For more information on Sound Stylists visit: www.soundstylists.co.za

    CHAUVET Professional Sharpens Metal Edge for Motionless In White

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    Motionless in White was looking for a hardcore lighting edge to accentuate their shows even further than their Horror Rock monikers have pushed them.  Freddy Thompson of JDI Productions reached into the Legend case to create a bold, dark, and moody atmosphere for the rockers.  Check it out!

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    WORCESTER, MA– (For Immediate Release) – A Motionless in White concert is not for anyone expecting a predictable metalcore experience. Sometimes described as “horror metal,” the iconic group never fails to surprise and unsettle audiences by pulling unexpected tricks out of its musical bag, whether it’s a shattering blast beat that bursts out of nowhere in the middle of a verse or a haunting keyboard effect that leaves audiences looking over their shoulders. The band’s headline performance at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival was no exception, arousing the crowd with its unexpected twists and turns.

    Keeping pace with the music was an intense and sometimes darkly theatrical lightshow by lighting designer Freddy Thompson of JDI Productions that featured a collection of Legend moving fixtures and Vesuvio RGBA foggers from CHAUVET Professional. Thompson used six Legend 230SR Beams and eight Legend 412 moving washes positioned on truss towers, as well as two Vesuvio RGBA foggers on a rig that also included blinders, strobes and hazers to capture the penetrating mood of Motionless in White’s music in light.

    “I was going for was a darker theatrical look which I felt would complement the band’s persona,” said the LD. “I used very, very minimal lighting from the house rig at the Palladium, which helped the Legend’s beams stand out even more. By layering the stage with the rich colors of the Legend 412 wash fixtures, I could capture the moment during every song on the band’s set list (which began with Death March and ended with Devil’s Night).”

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    Thompson was careful to coordinate the colors of the two Legend fixtures in his rig. “At critical points we wanted to bathe the stage in color,” he said. “At those points, I would use brighter colors in the beam fixtures to ensure that they cut through the rich color wash of the Legend 412 units.

    “The Vesuvios were critical to creating the theatrical atmosphere on stage,” continued the LD. “We used them to send up colorful columns of fog (the Vesuvio RGBA shoots light through fog). Aside from adding extra drama to the stage, the fog also worked well to highlight gobos, rotating prisms and fast random strobes.”

    Thompson positioned the Vesuvio foggers on the downstage center edge, leaving enough room for an ego riser to be placed in between the units. “We arranged the Vesuvios this way so the artist could stand between the units while they shot colorful fog upwards,” said the LD. “It was all very dramatic.”

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    The Legend fixtures were arranged on four 8’ and two 5’ truss towers. Thompson spaced the taller towers evenly between the drum riser and guitar cabinets. He positioned the shorter towers stage left and stage right. Each tower had a Legend 230SR Beam on top. The taller center truss towers had two Legend 412 fixtures, while the smaller side towers had only one 412 unit.

    “Having the beams mounted on top of the towers helped create a great position for these fixtures to be focused almost anywhere desired, whether it was on the audience or a point on stage,” said Thompson. “The 412s were mounted on the face of the truss towers to help create an eye candy effect for the set. I knew these Chauvet fixtures would be a good choice for this design because the units have proven their road worthiness time and time again. With such a short time frame loading in at the beginning of a three-day music festival, I needed fixtures I could trust would get the job done with no issues.

    “A big challenge with a project at the end of a three-day festival is that there isn’t a lot of onsite programming time available,” continued the LD. “Thanks to Josh Korel, the band’s production manager sending me a complete set list, I was able to complete most of my programming in our visual studio at JDI Productions using Light Converse. By the time the rig was set up at the beginning of the festival’s third day, I had just enough time to update my position, focus my gobos and start the show.”

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    Start the show is exactly what Thompson did and with flying colors, not to mention a fistful of dramatic effects. The end result was a lightshow that was as intense, original, evocative and multi-layered as the music of one of the metal genre’s most complex bands.

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    For more information on JDI Productions visit: www.jdiproductions.com

    Road and Rental Ready PVP X6IP Outdoor Video Panels!

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    Such a large amount of production calls for outdoor video, and CHAUVET Professional is at the forefront of providing a tough weatherproof solution to the need — meet the PVP X6IP outdoor video panel!

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    SUNRISE, Fla. – As the festival and outdoor concert season kicks into high gear, lighting/production designers have a new tool that will make it easier for them to set up ultra-bright, weatherproof video walls at these events – the PVP X6IP high-resolution LED panel from CHAUVET Professional. Featuring a pixel pitch of 6.9mm, the PVP X6IP is an outdoor LED video panel rated at IP65 for its ability to withstand rain, while being brilliant enough to produce images that stand out in the daytime sun. It is also very touring and rental friendly, thanks to an innovative design that allows for quick and secure assembly, easy serviceability in the field, and the versatility to be used indoors as well.

    With its high-res 6.9mm pixel pitch and ultra-bright 4,500-NITS illuminance, the PVP X6IP will render images and graphics of any type with impressive clarity, brilliance and definition of detail. The panel utilizes tri-color (red, green, blue) SMD 2623 LEDs with a black body to produce the highest in class contrast levels for video that “jumps out” even in broad daylight. Designed to be both video and audience friendly, it features a 3,120 HZ refresh rate and wide 130° viewing angle, making it ideal for use on-camera, while providing clear visibility from a broad expanse of “live” vantage points.

    Designers and installers will find that it’s easy to build video screens and walls of all sizes with the PVP X6IP, too, because CHAUVET Professional has included many innovative and quality features in its design. Each panel has a 19.7 x 19.7 inch (500mm square) display surface, and a thickness of only 3.27 inches (83mm), and is manufactured via a computer guided CNC cutting process to provide the ultimate precision for seamless modular connections. Stainless steel hardware is integrated into each unit to allow for easy and secure interlocking between panels.

    For quick, effortless mounting on truss or pipe, the PVP X6IP can be used with CHAUVET Professional’s RB-X50CM or RB-X200CM X-Series Rig Bars (sold separately), which include adjustable connectors that facilitate easy alignment of the panels. Installation can also be accomplished via M12 threaded inserts that are conveniently positioned on all four corners of each panel.

    Another handy aspect of the PVP X6IP’s design is that the LED modules themselves are magnetic. This allows for quick replacement of LEDs on the spot whenever necessary, for easy serviceability on the road as well as the repair bench.

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    To increase safety in outdoor settings where wind is always a factor, the PVP X6IP features a blow-through design with an 8% transparency. But CHAUVET Professional has incorporated innovative sealable louvers into the design, which can be closed to block out back light, giving the panels the versatility to perform equally well in indoor applications. This increases their value to dealers and rental houses, noted Anthony Chiappone, Product Manager for CHAUVET Professional.

    “We looked at everything lighting and production designers, installers and dealers wanted in a high resolution outdoor video screen, and we created the PVP X6IP to do it all,” said Chiappone. “From its black-body SMD 2623 LEDs and 6.9mm pixel pitch, which produce daylight-defying brightness and highly detailed images, to its rugged IP65 outdoor rating and ease of setup, the PVP X6IP is designed to deliver outstanding performance on the touring and festival circuit.

    “It’s even got some very innovative features such as the sealable louvers for indoor use, which were included to give the panel greater versatility,” added Chiappone. “Rental houses and dealers will appreciate the efficiency of stocking one product that has the functionality to fill a variety of different client needs.”

    Made of solid die-cast aluminum, the PVP X6IP panels are durable enough for years of touring and rental use. Yet they’re also very lightweight — just 19.8 pounds (9 kg) each – making them easy to transport and handle.

    Operating on LINSN control protocol, the PVP X6IP panels include Seetronic Etherkon IP65 data connectors. They work with CHAUVET Professional’s VIP Driver (sold separately), which will act as an interface between any
    DVI or HDMI video source and the PVP X6IP, and allow media playback, configuration, addressing and remote power control of the panels.

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    Read more on the PVP X6IP:  http://www.chauvetlighting.com/pvp-x6-ip.html

    CHAUVET Professional ÉPIX and Nexus Add Flair To Martin Audio Launch

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    What better way to launch a groundbreaking audio product that to highlight it with a glittering display from state-of-the-art lighting products!  That was the thinking of Martin Audio when it called upon a collection of ÉPIX and Nexus fixtures to add extra glitter to an already dazzling launch event for its revolutionary CDD installation series of loudspeakers.

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    Held at the Kap Europa Conference Centre during Prolight + Sound, the event marked the first live demo of Martin’s CDD series products, which combine distinctive curved enclosures with unique Coaxial Differential Dispersion technology to deliver ultimate coverage consistency from a stylish enclosure. Guests at the event had the opportunity to walk the coverage pattern of a singular CDD12. A bar room set up at the event allowed visitors to listen to the smaller enclosures, and a specially constructed nightclub zone provided an opportunity to appreciate the more full-on sound, with the CDD15 and the double 18 subs (CSX218).

    Contributing to the club-like atmosphere of the event were the high output CHAUVET Professional fixtures, which were arranged on the same trussing that held the loudspeakers. A total of 33 ÉPIX Bar 2.0 pixel mappable tri-color SMD LED bars and seven Nexus Aw 7×7 warm white LED panels were used at the event. The vivid pixelated colors of the ÉPIX dressed the trussing around the Martin loudspeakers; whilst the sharp narrow beams of the Nexus Aw 7×7 created a blinder effect to enhance the nightclub atmosphere.

    The performance of the CHAUVET Professional fixtures created a positive impression on James King, Marketing Director of Martin Audio. “The relationship with CHAUVET Professional kicked off at ISE when they helped us with our inaugural demo this year, and so when it came to the pivotal launch event for CDD, we were delighted to have their support once again,” he said. “CHAUVET Professional always gives that extra dimension to our presentations and demonstrations and the CDD event was a total success, with many saying it was the best event Martin Audio had ever laid on.”

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    For more on Martin Audio, visit https://www.martin-audio.com/

    2nd Annual CHAUVET Professional Student Lighting Showcase!

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    We started a great event on the West Coast for the students in the region to come by the Burbank Showroom, rock and roll with a real rig of excellent CHAUVET Professional touring fixtures and equipment, and mingle with industry leaders in the region.  So far, it’s been a success twice!  Did you come this year?

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    BURBANK, CA – (For Immediate Release) – Vividly dynamic lightshows weren’t the only thing only on display at the Second Annual Student Lighting Showcase. Also shining brightly was the creative bond that connects generations with a shared passion for lighting, as students from four colleges got the incredible opportunity to have their designs evaluated by some of the most respected LDs in the industry.

    Held at the CHAUVET Professional Showroom in Burbank, the one-day event drew students from California Institute of the Arts, the University of California Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts, LACC Theatre Academy, and the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Groups of two or three students from each school collaborated on designing a lightshow for one song chosen by them. Lighting designer Joe Spangler programmed the one-song shows for the students.

    When the student lightshows were completed, they were shown to guest lighting designers, an esteemed group that included such luminaries as Lee Rose, Joshua Hutchings, Martin Phillips, Steve Young and Ian Peacock. The LDs then provided the students with feedback on the shows, answered questions and shared ideas about lighting, providing them with an educational experience that will last a lifetime.

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    “This was really an experience, not a competition,” said DeAnna Padgett, National Sales Manager for CHAUVET Professional, one of the driving forces behind the event. “We don’t score the students’ designs, so there’s no one who comes in first place or anything like that. There’s a very relaxed atmosphere at the event with drinks and appetizers and a lot of mingling. It’s really all about some of the leading designers from one generation passing their lighting insights onto aspiring designers from the next. Everyone from both generations really likes the experience.”

    Like all successful events, the Second Annual Student Lighting Showcase was the result of a lot of dedicated people pulling together. In addition to the guest lighting designers, college students and internal Chauvet team members, Padgett singled out the educators from the four schools for their help in making this student showcase special.

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    “In doing this event, I am just very fortunate to work with people like Anne Militello from CalArts, Jim Moody of LACC, Tom Ontiveros from USC and Lonnie Alvarez with UC Irvine,” said Padgett. “There are so many things they did to make this a success, not the least of which is the amazing job they did preparing their students. The four of them have a genuine love of lighting design. They know how special this industry is, and they’re dedicated to passing that passion down to the next generation.”

    Talking Light – Matt Collier from Brothers Gow

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    Up and coming LD Matt Collier from Arizona-based jam band Brothers Gow is in the blog today, talking about light, inspiration, and rock and roll with our Customer Engagement and Education Manager, Jim Hutchison. Check it out!

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    Jim:  Tell me about Matt Collier the lighting designer.  How’d you get started with Brothers Gow, and how has the journey taken you?

    Matt Collier:  Well, Brothers Gow was founded in 2007 in Flagstaff, AZ and I started out helping them on shows more for the free drink tab than anything else haha. But honestly, they started the band in September of that year right after the college school year started. In the beginning I just took pictures and helped load in and out. After we got to the point of having too many sound channels to run from stage, I learned the basics of sound, which spurred my interest in working in live music production.

    Thats right about when I saw Phish live for the first time and Chris Kuroda’s show blew me away. I’ll never forget my first show at the Gorge in ’09, and after that I’ve been all about lighting. The feeling that I got when a deep blue would wash over me when they went into a slow section or the beautiful scenes he created that seemed to match the music and intensity of the show perfectly. Those feelings were really my inspiration to be a Lighting Designer. I wanted to be the one to bridge that gap between performer and audience member and put my artistic spin on how I hear music.

    Lighting has become my life and I love it. Being able to run lights for my band Brothers Gow every show still is just as fun as it was in 2009. In addition to BG, I’ve also got to run lights for some of my favorite acts, like Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Galactic, Particle, Greyboy All-Stars and Nahko and Medicine for the People. Lighting just suits me I think because I’m very much a hard working, logical based guy (which is good for troubleshooting and rigging/staging) but I also have a creative mind from my photography background. All in all, the journey has been great so far.

    What has pushed you to develop new looks while lighting Brothers Gow?  Where do you draw your artistic inspiration?

    Being creative in this business is critical to push yourself to become a better LD. In my opinion, finding new looks is important especially when working a lot of shows like I do with Brothers Gow. Switching it up and keeping your design fresh also allows you to see your rig from a different perspective and discover cool new ideas. I watch a lot of lighting videos from many different artists and genre’s, but my influences are Chris Kuroda, Saxton Waller, Luke Stratton and Jefferson Waful. All of those guys run lights for bands that are similar to Brothers Gow so seeing how they interact with the changes in the music inspire some looks or chases I use. Lots of tempo changes, deep grooves and intense climactic moments so being quick on the music changes is crucial.

    I like to pull design ideas from all over the place but mostly its cool architecture or art. Im very big on symmetry as are most designers but I just like how it looks when you have everything set perfectly and all the scenes move together fluidly. Its seems to be more organized than an asymmetrical look and I’m more of an organized person I guess. I’ve become a better designer trying to emulate the looks and programming that Phish and Umphrey’s [McGee] have for their live shows. Not trying to copy or steal what they do, but rather teach myself how to create looks like the professionals and run a show like a professional. They must be doing something right if they’re in that FOH position.

    What control surface do you use?  When you started out with the band, what was your controller then?

    I currently use the Martin M-PC for my controller. I love it and don’t plan on switching anytime soon. I’m pretty inexperienced in running anything other than M-PC so I can’t gauge how much I like other control platforms. Martin M-PC does everything I need as of right now and I’m planning on going up to LA on our time off this summer to take a course and further my programming knowledge. Originally, we started with 6 scanners and a Chauvet Obey-50 DMX512 controller so we have come a long way since then but I’ve stuck with our Chauvet roots cause they continue to evolve and push the limits, just like my lighting and the band.

    Can you tell me a bit about how the energy of the crowd impacts your show, be it positively or negatively?  What’s the crowd vibe do for you as an LD?

    Being the LD in a packed room is unlike anything I can describe, and definitely takes the show to another level.  The trick is still having that same energy when the show isnt very busy. Putting forth the effort to still run a good show is important even if there isnt a full house because the bands feeds off your energy and lighting and the people in the house still deserve the best show possible for coming out to see the show. If the show isnt too busy I like to try out new FX and color schemes too… but NOTHING compares to a hot sweaty packed house of dancing fools!!

    What’s the next technological tool you want to incorporate into the Brothers Gow lighting rig?

    Martin just recently release a touch console called the M-Touch that is very affordable at under $1000 dollars. Right now I run my show with a mouse and external monitor so it would be nice to upgrade to a small console but in all reality, Im sure I will be buying more Chauvet Rogue R1’s next. Just ran my first couple shows with them and am very, very stoked on how well they perform.

    Check out this second set video from Brothers Gow’s set at the Orpheum Theatre in Flagstaff, AZ:

    For more on Matt Collier and Brothers Gow, check out:

    The Brothers Gow Facebook Page
    https://www.facebook.com/brothersgow

    The Brothers Gow Lighting page, Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/BrothersGowLighting

    The Official Brothers Gow website
    http://www.brothersgow.com/