Download a PDF - PLSN.com

NEWS
Showlites Reunion to be Held at Parnelli Awards
Scores of former employees to gather before Parnelli Awards
LAS VEGAS, NV—On October 20, at 7:00
p.m. at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in
Las Vegas, there will be a reunion and cocktail
party for all those who worked for Eric
Pearce’s Showlites and
its various spin-offs
over the years, right up
to and including Show
Group Production Services
(SGPS). One of
the most influential
companies in the history
of our industry, it
has been on the cutting
edge of live event
technology and advancement
since its founding in London
in 1974.
“Showlites has had a phenomenal
influence on the industry because of
the many aspects it pioneered that are
now industry standards,” says Clive Forrester
of All Access, who joined Showlites
in 1975. “The company always had a
technological edge.”
“Showlites was one of TMB’s first customers
back in 1983 and, I am happy to say,
we are still doing business 23 years later,”
says Marshall Bissett, TMB president. “‘Eric’s
University’ has produced many companies
whom we talk to every day. The world of
trussing, cabling and control systems owes
everything to Eric Pearce’s good ideas.”
Just a few of the legends that came
out of the organization include Dale “Opie”
Skjerseth (Production Manager, Rolling
Stones); Mark Spring (Production Manager,
Paul McCartney, George Michael); Toby
Fleming (Production Manager, Tina Turner);
Ed Wannebo (Production Manager, Kenny
Chesney); Kiernan Healey (TV LD); and
Simon Miles (TV Designer), among
many others.
The company started in the early 1970s
as Keylites, and when Pearce’s partner left
in 1974 he renamed it Showlites and expanded
the operation to include full production
services. “Showlites, in conjunction
with its sister company, Alderham,
devised a number of new goods, including
the bar of six (six PAR lamps pre-rigged and
wired with a Socopex connector), the use of
the multicore cable, the Socopex dimming
system, the Alderham 60-channel lighting
board, and the Alderham 804 lighting console,
which was the first veritable large rock
and roll lighting board,” says Forrester. “These
innovations revolutionized the concert touring
industry in efficiency and ingenuity.”
Forrester says that the multi-connector
system and rapid deployment lamp
bars were an especially big breakthrough.
“We could speed things up with them,
and when ABC saw us setting up an Elvis
Costello system at the Forum, they asked
if they could rent our equipment for the
American Music Awards. We said, sure—
but the union was not happy about it because
they thought it would lead to less
work.” The opposite proved to be true, as
the device allowed designers to expand
the size of their systems and put more
lights up.
Showlites expanded into North American
with an office in Southern California
in 1979 serving such acts as Van Halen,
The Who, and Supertramp. By 1982 offices
included Baltimore, Md., and Dallas,
Texas, and high-profile events added
to their growing resume included the
inauguration of President Regan, The
Academy Awards and the 1984 Olympics.
Pearce continued to spin off companies,
including Showpower, Inc. under John
Campion (Alstom Power Rentals, FL) and
Showstaging, Inc. under Erik Eastland (All
Access). By the late 1990s, the company
again reinvented itself, moving to Orlando
and operating under the name Showgroup
of Florida, Inc.
“Then he moved the company back
to California in the mid 1990s and it became
SGPS, ridding itself of its lighting
equipment and concentrating on rigging,
trussing and engineering products
for the movie industry,” Forrester says.
“Today, Showlites, Inc. no longer exists,
although its memory and all the individuals
who passed through company have
shaped the face of the current concert
touring industry.”
Forrester estimates hundreds have
gone through the organizations and went
on to launch successful careers. “I have a
bunch that work for me here at All Access!”
he laughs.
For more information on this reunion,
please go to www.parnelliawards.com.
Shawn Moeller Dead at 40
ATALANTA—On July 13, 2006, Shawn
Moeller tragically and prematurely died of a
heart attack. Moeller was a production tour
rigger working with Shakira. He was previously
employed with the Rolling Stones,
KISS, Aerosmith, Sting, Ricky Martin and
Jennifer Lopez.
Moeller was born on June 7th, 1966, in
Davenport, Iowa and in 1984 he entered basic
training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri,
receiving advanced training as a combat
engineer at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. After his
training, Shawn received an overseas assignment
in Germany. He later applied and
was accepted into the United States Army
Rangers. After 21 months of service Shawn
left the Army with an honorable discharge.
In 1986 he met his future wife Brandy and
their daughter, Aubrey Gail, was born in August
1990.
A trust has been established for Aubrey
Gail Moeller. All contributions can be
made at any Bank of America Location, care
of Aubrey Moeller College Fund or Mail to:
Aubrey Moeller, 231 Grapevine Dr, Douglasville,
GA 30134
Ad info: www.plsn.com/rsc
PLSN AUGUST 2006
www.PLSN.com
Moonshine Lighting
Founder Dies
MEMPHIS, TN—Randy Ridley, co-founding
owner of Moonshine Lighting Inc. in Memphis,
Tenn., passed away of a sudden heart attack on
June 28. He was 52 years old.
Randy and his wife Cindy started the company
in the late 1970s from their garage in
nearby Jackson, Tenn. The two of them toured
with Merle Haggard, Ricky Skaggs and George
Jones before establishing residence in Memphis
and becoming dealers for a variety of theatrical
manufacturers and distributors.
Ridley leaves behind his wife and co-founding
owner, Cindy, and a 14 year-old daughter,
Christine Marie. The company is in the process
of shifting duties and Cindy said that they will
continue operation as per usual.