Road Test: Strong Technobeam, page 40 - PLSN.com

PRODUCTION PROFILE
PROJECTION LIGHTS & STAGING NEWS
GEAR
2 5.3’x4’ custom screens
4 American DJ Accu Scan2s
2 Antari Z-1020 fog machines
24 Color Kinetics ColorCast 14s
1 Da Lite 6x8 Dual Vision fast fold screen
12 Elation Opti RGB
2 Elation Power Wash 250s
2 Elation Vision Scan 250s
2 Elation Vision Scan 575es
2 Elation Vision Scan 575s
1 Global truss system
1 Le Maitre Neutron XS haze machine
2 Martin Light Jockey + Laptop control systems
1 Sony VX2000 camcorder
3 View Sonic 2000 lumen projectors
ments to a small area. For the general stage
wash, six color-changing PARs were used to
front light the stage and six color-changing
PARs were used to up light the performance
platform. With the platform to help control
the roaming bunny, Kelly could place more
fixtures on the floor, which were obscured
by a 12-inch lip running the length of the
stage. The placement was ideal, providing
nearly 360° of light and allowing Kelly to
create interesting shadows and up lighting
when called upon. Eight more ColorCast
fixtures were placed behind the truss to
backlight Christopher.
That’s not all that was lighting Christopher.
“Unfortunately, he had a projector in
his face the entire night,” said Kelly. “Thankfully,
he’s a seasoned performer and graciously
accepted this fate.”
Because of the limited ceiling height,
using the automated lights was a bit of a
challenge. “In order to create crowd energy,
the lights have to sweep through the
air, especially at an electronic event,” said
Kelly. However, the audio speakers and
conventional lights in Amos’ will block the
light from any fixtures rigged on stage six
feet high or higher, which precludes projecting
above the crowd. But Kelly had a
fix. “By putting Bunny on the platform, we
were able to use the space on the floor
around him for both the LEDs and scanners,”
he said. The moving mirror fixtures
were placed on the floor around Bunny,
and the beams could either scan Bunny or
the crowd. Four more scanners were set six
feet off the ground and four more were inverted
on the truss to create cross beams
with the floor scans. “Rays of light seemed
to come from every corner of the stage,”
Kelly said.
For the final touches, Kelly used a solidstate
laser, haze, fire, glow tubes, hand held
lasers, cryo systems and “lots of fun interactive
effects.” The show was programmed
with transparent cues so colors, positions,
and effects could be piled on and changed
on the fly.
Due to the complexity of the show,
there were two operators on two lighting
consoles; one for the moving lights and
one for the LEDs. A Clear-Com system was
used to communicate with the VJ, who
called the lighting cues. “Although this was
my first time working with Rabbit in the
Moon,” Kelly said, “their communication
was clear and allowed for creative interpretation.
After three intense hours of the best
live show I have ever seen, I have never
been prouder of my team and the finished
product.”
The gig validated Kelly’s adaption of
the tour rider to the club circuit. Even with
the substitutions and budget cutting, the
band and promoter were ecstatic with the
results. For Kelly and crew, it was exhausting,
if rewarding, work.
“I crawled into bed that night,” Kelly
said, “and dreamed of carrots and rocket
ships.”
Despite the constraints in space and the budget, the band and promoter were happy with the results.
A 40- by 30-foot vision was shoehorned into a 10- by 17-foot space, for a $4,000 budget.
One of the two 5.4- by 4-foot projection screens framed in “goalie post” truss
Lasers, projected images and giant beach balls with people in them are some of the visual effects packed into the show.
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PLSN MARCH 2008