Smart is beautiful when it adresses the actual needs of the industry. Starting from there, StageSmarts announces the introduction of their new C24 power distribution at the Prolight + Sound exhibition in Frankfurt next week. The C24 does incorporate all the core elements of the company’s larger and award winning smartPDU series that have serviced numerous arena tours and events since its launch just over two years ago.
The C24 is designed in Sweden by Mats Karlsson and Erik Davidson to deal with the challenging loads that today’s LED screens and lights represent. Each of the 24 channels has a load sensor that detects possible overloads as well as accidentally disconnected loads. A fast responding ‘lost neutral’ sensor disconnects the C24 from the mains to eliminate damaged due to excessive voltages, and make your expensive equipment safe when powered thru the C24.
Important part of the package is a 32A three-phase outlet with an adjustable RCD, useful for feeding a hoist controller and front-of-house power. Output options include Socapex, Harting, Powercon and Powercon True1. Icing on the cake, a communication port enables remote monitoring of all loads and system status via an external multi-port server.
This new addition to the StageSmarts portfolio is described by the Company to make serious power distribution available to a much broader range of customers and applications.
StageSmarts can be found in hall 12.1, stand D55 at Prolight+Sound April 2-5.
“Take your breath away”, Chauvet warns, as the Maverick MK3 Spot and MK3 Profile will do just that, with an eye-popping output from one of the most powerful single-source 820 W LED engines in any moving head fixture currently on the market. Prolight+Sound Premiere.
In 2016 CHAUVET Professional made major waves at Prolight + Sound when it introduced its line of Maverick fixtures. This year, the company will be celebrating the anniversary of its wildly popular moving lights at the Frankfurt show with the first public preview of the brightest, most feature-rich fixtures ever in the Maverick line.
Albert Chauvet during the Chauvet France subsidiary inauguration, March 2019.
“These are the brightest lights ever in the Maverick line,” states Albert Chauvet, CEO of CHAUVET. “We listened very carefully to the designer feedback we received at an invitation-only private showing of fixture prototypes last year to refine and develop the features that fit the real-world needs of touring LDs.”
Delivering all the brightness needed for any arena or stadium application, the two 820W LED fixtures are nevertheless user-friendly in terms of their weight and dimensions.
The two fixtures are include a wide range of performance features, including full-loaded static, rotation and animation effects. Both fixtures also have a 6° to 54° zoom angle, the widest CHAUVET Professional has ever offered.
The Maverick MK3 Spot and Maverick MK3 Profile will be on display at the CHAUVET Professional PL+S stand (Hall 12.1 E11).
Radial Engineering is pleased to announce that the DiNET DAN-TX2 and DAN-RX2, 2-channel Dante-enabled network interfaces, are now shipping.
The DAN-TX2 transmitter and the DAN-RX2 receiver are designed for use with any Dante or AES67-compliant network, utilizing low-latency audio-over-Ethernet protocol while featuring 24bit/96kHz digital converters for exceptional audio quality. Both devices will appeal to commercial installation and professional touring applications, as they feature locking EtherCON jacks to ensure secure and protected connection to the network, and they can be mounted in standard equipment racks with the optional SA series rack adaptor kit.
Power for the DAN-TX2 and the DAN-RX2 can be supplied using Power over Ethernet (PoE) or a 15V adaptor (included), and both power sources can be used simultaneously for redundancy.
DiNET DAN-TX2
Radial Engineering DiNET DAN-TX2.
The DAN-TX2 is able to feed any line-level audio signal to a Dante network, using a number of connector types to suit multiple applications and source devices. Two input channels can be accessed via XLR/TRS combo jacks for balanced pro audio equipment, RCA’s for consumer playback devices, and a 3.5mm stereo jack for use with smartphones and tablets.
Individual level controls and input pads are provided for each channel, or they can be linked to a single set of controls for easy operation with stereo sources.
DiNET DAN-RX2
Radial Engineering DiNET DAN-RX2.
The DAN-RX2 is a receiver that can be connected anywhere on the network and provide balanced analog audio outputs over XLR connectors, for reliable distribution to PA systems, powered speakers, or any other destination as needed.
A separate headphone output section is also provided, with 3.5mm and 1/4″ TRS outputs to use the DAN-RX2 as a personal monitoring system or for testing purposes. The case is made of thick folded metal and globally sturdy, as usual with Radial Engineering models.
As well as launching an impressive collection of new products, such as T1 Wash, iPointe, SilverScan…, Robe celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and is extremely proud to be attending Prolight+Sound 2019 as one of the market leading brands.
There will be another spectacular and unique live show, which will feature the concluding chapter in Robe’s “Lost Worlds” trilogy, which began in London at PLASA 2018. The show will play every hour on the hour and the accompanying lighting design will be utilising products from all the latest Robe & Anolis product ranges.
What’s new in Frankfurt this year
As a very good buddy of the already unveiled here T1 Profile (tested in SoundLightUp here), Robe will launch the T1 Wash and the T1 Profile FS, both equipped with the same MSL (Multi Spectral Light) LED module.
Robe T1 Wash.
T1 Wash The T1 Wash is the latest fixture in Robe’s amazing T1 LED series of products specifically designed for theatre, television and touring. Robe’s MSL™ (Multi-Spectral Light) LED engine is right at the heart of the T1 Wash, providing an impressive output of 10,000 lumens.
Using either the fresnel or PC lenses, the T1 Wash delivers the specific type of light output required by theatres and television studios. Like its T1 Profile and T1 FS counterparts, a closed optical system prevents dust and dirt. CMY colour control and DataSwatch™ filters include a selection of pre-programmed colours accessible via the next generation RCC™ (Robe Colour Calibration) algorithm, and wide ranging 2700K to 8000K CCT control ensure that all variations of colour are possible.
The precise needs of theatrical dimming are addressed via the new L3™Low Light Linearity dimming system which takes ‘smoothness’ to new levels of delicacy and refinement. The high CRI of 90+ provides the excellent natural skin tones required for performance and broadcast scenarios.
For television work, there’s a plus and minus green channel, while the implementation of Cpulse™ flicker-free source management will ensure that the T1 range is a rock-solid reliable source for all vision systems including HD and UHD cameras.
For finessing, there is a precise +/- 90° rotatable individually controlled internal barndoor system. The flexible zoom range is 7° to 50°, a beam shaper tool and a graduated scrim with 180° rotation, plus light and medium frosts offer full and detailed control for all lighting designs in theatre, television and touring.
Robe T1 Profile FS.
T1 Profile FS The T1 Profile FollowSpot has a digital camera on the head and can be connected to the RoboSpot BaseStation as part of Robe’s popular remote follow spotting system which is perfect for use in theatres, TV studios, concert halls, auditoriums and other assorted venues.
With the RoboSpot follow spot system it is no longer necessary to send operators into the rafters of venues to operate heavy and cumbersome traditional follow spot fixtures that take up valuable space in the world’s live entertainment venues.
Operators can now safely control multiple fixtures such as the BMFL range of products (exc. BMFL Wash), T1 Profile (TS now), T1 Profile FS, DL7S, DL4S, MegaPointe and Pointe from any location within the venue, reducing set-up times and operating costs.
The Robe RoboSpot system features a BaseStation with a large 15.6-inch HD touch screen for the operator to observe the performance from a “first person” viewpoint and a full range of hand controls for operating the fixtures such as pan, tilt, intensity, focus, faders and many others, all of which are fully customisable for the operator’s benefit. The screen receives the live video feed from the RoboSpot MotionCamera or from the fixture-mounted RoboSpot camera and the operator’s commands are instantly transferred to the luminaires via DMX control with no lag for perfect motion tracking across the stage.
Extra controls are available through the touch screen display as well as four programmable jog-wheels with an additional 10 fully configurable buttons for a truly customised user experience. The remote lighting desk still retains control of the internal features of the fixtures such as light intensity and colour. All these features combine to make RoboSpot an innovative follow spot system.
iPointe
Robe iPointe.
This is an IP65 version of the MegaPointe. Tailored for festivals, concerts and outdoor events or any scenario needing to deal with inclement or unpredictable weather, the iPointe is a bright, powerful multifunctional luminaire that works equally well as a beam, spot, effects and wash fixture. It was already discreetly part of the show last year mid-september at Plasa in London, but now launched in its definitive version.
The ingenious ingress protection has been designed and developed diligently over two years by Robe’s R’n’D team and comprises a series of interconnected filters and air chambers which prevent water ingress into the fixture. There’s also a unique new dust-free environment for the optical, gobo and colour systems eliminating the need for frequent cleaning and maintenance.
The iPointe’s impressive lightsource is a 310W lamp which has been specially developed for Robe by Osram. It produces a brilliant, crystal clear, razor-edged beam, adjustable from a tight, punchy 1.8° to a wide 42°. The beam can be accurately shaped and positioned by using the smart framing shutters.
Both static and rotating glass gobos produce precision in-air effects and projected images with a sharp, high-contrast flat field. A new effects engine can produce 12 varying beam and ‘flower’ effects, taking this winning combination of creativity and weather-resistance to new levels.
SilverScan
This is the first of Robe’s special edition “silver” range … to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary and Silver Jubilee. The SilverScan highlights 25 years of ROBE lighting fixtures and their continuing evolution resulting in new advanced technology whilst bringing moving light design back to its roots – a small, good-looking performance-based LED scan.
Robe SilverScan.
This fixture revisits the spirit and pioneering days of moving lights, as it all actually started with moving mirrors in the seventies with French innovators Telescan in motorized version, but actually dates back from the roaries 30’s on Broadway if we refer to very old patent showing manual mechanism. It combines it with the latest tech and best engineering available, offering all the features everyone loved from the ‘scan era’, when the concept of moving lights became etched in the consciousness of the entertainment technology industry.
Speed, outstanding colours and beautiful gobos have always been Robe’s top priorities – and these are all exceptional in the SilverScan. The 350W white LED light engine provides over 9,000 lumens, giving an extra bright beam with an even flat field and an impressive 20 000 hours of operation.
Smooth colour transitions and vivid, radiant colours can be created using the CMY colour mixing system and colour wheel, with 7 rotating or 9 static gobos added for outstanding projections and mid-air effects. The seamless zoom can go out to 27° at its widest, while the minimum 9° zoom produces a retina-piercing beam that can be trimmed with an ultra-fast stepless iris for even more potency.
Apart from new Coating Technology for Spiider + Tarrantula + LED Beam 150, IP67 Anolis range architectural projectors will be presented, such as Eminere 1,2, 3 & 4 LED battens and the Divine 72.
Robe Anolis Eminere 2.
Robe Anolis Divine 72.
As usual, the high-profile stand Robe booth – Hall 12 Booth D10 – will be impressively big, with every subsidiary or distributor represented, so come and have a look on all these new “Jubilee Newbies” and the rest of the Czech family of products.
Allen & Heath continues to update its flagship dLive mixing system with the release of the latest firmware version, V1.8, adding a huge raft of power-features that engineers will appreciate, from MCAs and Talkback Groups through to a hotly-anticipated new DEEP processing plug-in – the OptTronik.
Allen & Heath S-Class system.
Mix Control Association & 12 assignable Talkback Groups
Particularly welcomed in monitor world, V1.8 adds Mix Control Association (MCA), bringing the convenience of DCA groups and spills to monitor engineers, enabling simple control over multiple AUX/MTX sends via a single fader. This update further improves ease of control by introducing A/B/C/D inputs, enabling up to 4 input sockets to be assigned to every input channel, and provides fast and seamless selection of sockets via SoftKeys – perfect for rapidly switching to a backup microphone, or to pre-recorded files on a playback system.
The addition of 12 assignable Talkback Groups, which can be populated with any combination of the available mix busses, simplifies talkback routing with SoftKey controls enabling the engineer to quickly switch between different talkback destinations such as musicians, technicians or other production staff.
OptTronik compressor
New DEEP processing plug-in – the OptTronik.
Joining dLive’s acclaimed suite of DEEP processors, V1.8 sees the introduction of the ‘OptTronik’ compressor. Inspired by a legendary tube-driven, electro-optical levelling amplifier, OptTronik’s smooth, musical compression makes it the perfect match for many sources, including vocals and bass guitar.
New features and improvements
V1.8 also brings other new features and improvements to the system, such as Undo Scene Store, Mix to PAFL and Solo in Place (SIP).
Himself an in-demand monitor engineer, Mike Bangs, Live Sound/Touring Manager at Allen & Heath USA, says: “V1.8 is the next step in our string of user-driven updates, as we continue expanding and adapting the platform to the needs of modern engineers. I’m particularly excited about the addition of MCAs, which bring the power of DCA functionality to monitor mixers. Such a cool feature and engineers are going to love it.”
Ben Morgan, Allen & Heath’s dLive product manager, adds, “We’re really excited to launch dLive V1.8. This update brings powerful new features all round that are valuable to all types of engineers, whether you’re FOH or monitors, in touring sound, houses of worship, or installations.”
First (and brilliant) Las Vegas residency for Lady Gaga, the Enigma show was launched at MGM’s Park Theater end of December with Elation Professional DARTZ 360™ beam/spot effects playing an integral role in LeRoy Bennett’s lighting design. Lighting supply was by Solotech. With an acclaimed performance in A Star is Born and recent Academy Award win for Best Original Song behind her, the multi-talented superstar is arguably today’s hottest performer. Renowned for her dynamic showmanship, showy costumes and staging, and powerhouse vocals, the pop superstar knows how to captivate an audience.
Headlining her own Vegas show, Enigma, and an accompanying jazz and piano show, the two-year residency will cover 74 shows and possibly more. The theatrical show relates the story of Gaga and her Enigma character and embraces a message of healing and discovery. She calls the show “a celebration of all that is unique and different within us.”
What makes Enigma even more extraordinary is a visually stunning set and eye-popping lighting design. Although the Park Theater is a smaller venue, LeRoy Bennett, who serves as production, lighting and set designer, says he designed the show to feel like an arena concert.
To that end, a huge custom-built light pod fabricated by Unison and outfitted with over 230 DARTZ 360™ LED moving heads floats above the performer onstage and is the main lighting instrument on the show.
The oval-shaped light pod measures 38’ (0.96 m) in length and 28’ (0.71 m) in width and comprises 33 pre-rig sections. It is articulated and angled by automated hoists and is used throughout the show, sometimes as one huge wash light, at other times for individual, super tight beams.
Bennett, who counts stars like Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Kelly Clarkson and Paul McCartney among his clientele, has worked with Lady Gaga since her Monster Ball tour in 2009.
He is also using DARTZ on his current Paul McCartney and Kelly Clarkson tour designs. Talking about this narrow beam luminaire, “The DARTZ 360 is a bright, reliable, fast, and compact light source. It’s proven itself to be the best when used in mass.”, LeRoy Bennett says.
A lot of smaller fixtures
Harry Forster, lighting director and programmer for the Gaga residency, noted, “We knew we needed a lot of smaller fixtures to get as many into the pod as possible so the fixture’s output to size ratio and low weight were important,” adding that they were also impressed at the quality of the fixture’s white light.
Solotech is providing lighting, video, rigging and personnel for the Vegas residency, as well as the house PA system for the Park Theater. “The low weight and low wattage of the DARTZ enabled us to handle the logistics of cabling and rigging the DARTZ fixtures with great ease,” Solotech’s Andy O’Toole commented. The entertainment technology supplier began working with Lady Gaga back in 2014 by supplying video on the Art Pop tour. Their commitment has grown over the years, having provided lighting, video and rigging for the 2017 Joanne world tour and now the Vegas residency.
How the six-time Grammy Award-winner, Golden Globe Award-winner and Academy Award-winner maintains such a high level of creativity and quality on such a busy schedule and across genres is impressive to say the least. Her Vegas residency shows are spectacular and reviews have been phenomenal.
Did you know that Bergen (Norway) is the rainiest city in Europe? With a climate ranging from polar to temperate oceanic and humid continental, live production equipment has to endure challenging conditions in Norway indeed. This is especially true in the touring market. Production house Amas Produksjon Lyd & Lys, based a short distance from Bergen, needs mixing consoles that it can totally rely on and is proud to be the first Norwegian rental house to offer the Yamaha Rivage PM7 system.
Yamaha Scandinavia’s Tomas Nylen with Morten Egil Paulsen and Harald Hole.
“We have tried mixers from different manufacturers over the years, but we ended up using only Yamaha because the quality is so high. We can completely trust them,” says the company’s general manager Morten Egil Paulsen.
“We have never had a single crash or other issue with a Yamaha console, which isn’t something we have experienced with other manufacturers products.” One example of this reliability happened in January, when the company’s technical head Harald Hole mixed a festival on the island of Svalbard – midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole – with a Yamaha QL1 and Rio3224-D. “It was bitterly cold outside, very warm and humid inside, but the console and I/O rack worked perfectly. It’s the only place in the Norwegian territory where you can meet a polar bear in the middle of a city centre,” smiles Harald.
Harald Hole on a recent European tour with Sol Heilo of Norwegian all-girl pop band Katzenjammer and a Yamaha QL1.
With Amas Produksjon’s inventory of Yamaha CL, QL and TF mixers at work on many events, investing in Rivage PM7 was the obvious way for the company to increase its capacity and, at the same time, step up a level and help to raise the standards of the Norwegian event market. Morten and Harald contacted Yamaha Scandinavia’s Tomas Nylen and the new Rivage PM7 system was quickly put to work.
“Rivage PM7 is a flagship product, with many new and improved features, but it is still easily recognizable for anyone who has used a Yamaha console,” says Harald. “The workflow is outstanding, it’s easily the fastest console that I have ever worked on.”
“We like how we can customize the console layout and there is such a good selection of high quality plug-ins that you can always find the right tools to solve any task,” he continues. “We love the magic of the new DaNSe dynamic noise suppressor plug-in. We have also been really impressed by the RND SILK processing and the selected channel section is great. It really brings back the feeling of working on analogue consoles.”
Morten, Harald and the team have already received many bookings and enquiries for the busy summer festival season and are looking forward to showing the Norwegian market how Rivage PM7’s enhanced facilities, backed up with Yamaha’s legendary reliability, is a great festival solution.
“Yamaha consoles are a better long-term investment than mixers by other brands. Just look at the PM5D, which is still up and running worldwide, and we have an M7CL-48 that is still earning money for us. We are sure that Rivage PM7 will be at work with us for just as long,” concludes Morten.
Cameo recently introduced us to this LED wall wash designed to be used in all applications, including facing hostile elements outdoors. Some important rental companies immediately introduced them into their inventories. We tested it.
Presentation of the fixture
[private]
Our specialist Jocelyn Morel, discretely photographed during the test.
This is a wall wash, with a rectangular panel 46 cm wide by 29 cm high and 16 cm deep, which houses 40 LED sources. It is a truly compact unit, considering its luminous performance. We measured and tested it at Impact Evenement, in Longjumeau, an important French rental and production company. The LED panel can be tilted through a range of 90°, with lateral knobs for tightening it on both sides of this axis. It is covered with a transparent waterproof plate that protects the sources. The back of the panel reveals the large heat sink for cooling the LEDs – a handsome piece of cast aluminum – and the three ribbed openings for internal ventilation. Rated IP65, the W600 is particularly suitable for outdoor applications, even for long periods of time, or for fixed installations of architectural lighting. The base of the steel bracket forms the base of the unit. It houses the electronics and connection panel, as well as the OLED display for the configuration menu and its four navigation keys.
A view of the base, connectors, display and ventilation.
The connectors are protected by small, captive rubber covers to ensure that they are watertight. There is a True1 input and output for the power supply and for chaining power to other units, and 5-pin XLR input and output for DMX signal connection. A small antenna protrudes on the inside of the yoke. This is for the DMX receiver, which allows the W600 to be controlled wirelessly, and even the units connected in succession. The fixture is easy to handle, it is easy to pick up and gives a nice impression of overall durability.
Each source contains a 15-watt Cree multichip and offers a native mix of Red, Green, Blue and White. The 40 LEDs are conventionally soldered on a large PCB, each topped with its own collimator, which fits precisely into place thanks to an indexing system: two small pegs are inserted into holes drilled in the PCB.
An individual collimating lens from one LED source, with its two small, cylindrical indexing pegs.
The circuit with the 15 Watt Cree RGBW LED sources. At the bottom of the image, we removed three of the collimators so that we could see the RGBW multichip components.
A metal mask screwed onto posts holds the collimators in place and the transparent output plate seals the whole assembly by means of a special gasket.
The metal mask that retains the collimators (bottom), and the frontal output plate (top).
Using DMX, and the modes…
Using the menu.
There are seven different control modes. These range from a two-channel mode – with one dimmer channel and one channel regulating full white from warm to cold – to a 15-channel mode with macros and channels for accessing the dimmer curve and advanced configuration settings. You will have to choose the one that is best suited to your needs. Many of these modes are similar except for one or two parameters, so it doesn’t seem very worthwhile to me to propose so many… Anyway…
The light of Zenit.
The field of light projected by the Zenit W600 is broad and gradually decreases as it moves away from the center. It spreads its many lux with a certain softness and will be quite easy to overlap. For this type of fixture, it’s impeccable.
A diffuser plate which can be magnetically snapped onto the front of the unit.
Cameo offers five optional plates to vary the diffusion angle: 25°, 45°, 60°, 60°, 100° and also an asymmetrical 60°x10°, which provides a linear spread for a more extended coverage. Mounting this is extremely simple, as the plate is instantly “glued” to the face of the fixture with precision by means of powerful magnets.
It’s really practical and it holds. There will just be a small safety cable to add for safety in certain circumstances. The W600 is also available with an optional 4-flag barn door module, also held in place magnetically on the front panel.
Under the base of the fixture, four inserts are provided to attach Camlock omega brackets (included) for suspension in all possible positions, starting with upside down head on a truss. While external applications are particularly indicated, interior applications are no less so – on a concert stage to illuminate a structure, scenery or architectural elements…
The W600 installed on a truss; we can see the omega brackets.
And since the W600 is compact, punchy, consumes a maximum of 565 W and offers a wide range of coverage options, I believe this unit really does have some serious advantages for coloring large areas in the events industry. It can be concealed to illuminate a lobby, porch, facade or even cocktail or reception areas by hanging on a grid. It is relatively lightweight (13 kg) and can be easily installed anywhere, in any position; in other words, there is a lot you can do with it.
The “declared” 18° native beam with a 35° field angle.
The same beam angle, seen from the other side (backlight).
We tried it in different configurations, including as a cyc light, and it effectively has all the power needed for this type of application. It has very nice coverage and the beam angles it offers really make it possible to create beautiful areas of color at different distances.
The beam with the 100° diffuser frame.
With the 100° diffuser frame, against the light.
Since we’re talking about it, the colors are really attractive and mix very well. It’s pure and clear. The strobe function is another of its assets. The light output is sufficiently powerful to create spectacular effects.
Colors from white to dark CTO.
The W600 features intensity control using one of four different dimming curves. We measured the “S” curve, which is very close to our reference conventional fixture. The response is excellent and allows for smooth and clean increase or decrease in output, even at the lowest end of of the scale.
The “S” dimming curve from 0 to 100%.
The “S” dimming curve from 0 to 10%.
Photometric measurements.
Derating
A 6% derating for a compact luminaire with this kind of power is an excellent result, and proof of good temperature management.
Let’s start our investigations with the derating, to get a precise idea of the attenuation of the light in relation to the heating time under the worst conditions, as we light all the diodes at full power. The illuminance measured at the centre stabilizes in five minutes and does not drop any more than 6%, which is excellent for this type of projector.
The relative percentage of colors in full RGBW white.
Flux
To determine the diameter of the field that gives us the beam divergence angle, we took into account the points along the two axes where we measure 1/10th of the illuminance value at the center. We calculate an angle of 37°. Taking into account the points where the illuminance is half the value at the center, we calculate an angle of 21°, which is close to the 18° declared by the manufacturer.
At a distance of five meters, the illuminance in the centre reaches 5,200 lux with the unit cold (4,900 lx after derating) and we calculate a flux of 20,000 lumens (18,850 lm after derating). This fixture IS powerful.
Conclusion
It is a handsome, simple and effective product that has the advantage of being perfectly suited to all conditions, including outdoor environments. This fixture is powerful, compact and will certainly take a very good place in the inventories of event service providers, both to “cover” space, to highlight architecture, or to color a surface. The W600 will also be highly appreciated for its ability to provide effects when you need to “throw light” and play with it.
Already renowned as a prominent acoustician, Eric Grandmougin joins Active Audio as Marketing & Technical Support Manager. We had the chance to meet him recently with CEO Regis Cazin. Complete extensive interview here. Quite an active duet indeed!
From left to right: Régis Cazin, Eric Grandmougin and Grégory Dapsance
SLU : How was defined this new position in Active Audio, and consequently in APG?
Régis Cazin (PDG Active Audio & APG) : From the simple statement that it was difficult to talk to some of our customers or prospects who think only to already existing models on the market. We needed a kind of translator who could specify technically valid solutions with our own series, and also be able to feel the market needs and tendencies to guide our evolution and R&D for both brands. Eric’s arrival can also be considered as the symbol of APG and Active Audio renewal. 2018 was marked by the end of the backup for APG and by a 26% increase of our global turnover. Eric comes in at the very moment when we do hold the necessary assets to speed up our growth even more. He will help us create orignal products standing out of the competition, while still demanded by specifiers.
SLU : Will the positioning of your group change?
Régis Cazin : No. We’ll still be placed between basic and cheap Chinese products, and very big and ever growing competitors, especially in their trend to always keep developing new products. Our goal is essentially the propose the “different” product to fit niche markets. We know how to cope with big tours, but we may not have the matching commercial network. For Active Audio it is the same against major US players. Our products should not be necessarily be cheaper, but certainly better and more adequate for precise applications and needs.
Régis Cazin, Active Audio CEO.
SLU : Does this mean more network connected active loudspeakers?
Régis Cazin : (smiling) Perhaps. We already have the Ray-On models in active version with Dante. Same for the StepArray.
SLU : Where does the Active Audio name come from?
Régis Cazin : Not only from active speakers, but from the way how to modify the sound of a room in a different way than just with dampening or diffracting materials or other passive solutions. This means using active electro-acoustic devices. Active Audio founder was always at the forefront with Carmen, an alternative to the Meyer Sound Constellation system, but the market didn’t really catch up. We working at the moment on products inspired by this patent, to make them more… day-to-day usable. I’m moving forward a bit in history here, but I think next year we’ll issue a truly revolutionary product.
SLU : (hailstorm of questions with a slight amount of assumptions)
Régis Cazin : I cannot say more. Our idea is to make people’s life simpler for whose who use microphones and loudspeakers in a room, so that the product becomes obvious. This requests some techniques connected to active acoustics concepts. We’re aiming to be ready for ISE 2020.
SLU : And for APG, is the future up and running as well?
Régis Cazin : Yes, even if our customers don’t have the culture for active products and huge power yet, there’s no spotted demand from them. Manufacturing active speakers is not a big deal by itself. We have all the bits and pieces to make them, but achieving this in a price tag which is acceptable to the market is another more complicated story. In our mind, an active system must be intelligent, a bit like some Martin Audio products, otherwise it’s not worth it.
SLU : New products coming up anyway? For Touring, Installation, both?
Régis Cazin : Actually, both. In 2019 we’ll launch a complete range of speakers dedicated to installation. We’ll start by showing them to some customers to get comments and approval. It will include the very last generation of transducers and a very elaborate finish. (SLU comments: we did have the occasion to touch and see a 8″ sample for a few seconds, nicely finished and with a much better look and feel than the actual range). We’ll also update the Touring range because this part of the market is still of great interest to us, even though we’re targeting it rather to small- to mid-size venue or events. A 100,000 stadium is not for us (laughs). The Uniline range, for instance, is still successful and selling very well, but its aspect is a bit getting old.
The joint booth of APG and Active Audio at ISE 2019.
SLU : Are you looking for new transducers as well, which will make the new models not compatible with the old ones?
Régis Cazin : Let’s unveil everything, but I can say we’ll keep the compatibility to a maximum.
SLU : What will you show at next Prolight + Sound Frankfurt?
Régis Cazin : We’re not exhibiting this year, neither did we last year anyway. We’ve studied the ins and outs of not being at PL+S 2018, and we were very surprised by the lack of negative reactions. A lot of people, though, said they got bored at PL+S Frankfurt, so this year we’ll be rather focussing on development and direct demoes to all kind of customers and prospects. We’ll go to PL+S Guangzhou and PL+S Dubai, as these are the places where you see all the major audio brands and a lot of Touring people.
SLU : Eric, where will you be based?
Eric Grandmougin : I’m based in Nantes (West of france, direct fast train to Paris in less than 2 hours), I will travel around a lot, it’s important to be in contact with the users and the market to understand their needs and propose the best ever solutions, existing ones or future ones.
Régis Cazin : He even invested in a boat! (laughs)
One of the most prestigious venues in France, the Opéra Garnier, has updated its lighting consoles to a selection of ETC Eos desks. The Eos consoles were unanimously chosen by Jacques Giovanangeli, the head of the lighting department, and his team of 42 lighting professionals. Nice and effective move indeed. The previous console lacked the technological capabilities required for modern moving lights, and needed replacing to keep up with the venue’s demands. Fully aware of this, Jacques and his team began research to identify the best option.
François Wintz (console operator), Jérôme Denime (head of lighting crew) et Jacques Giovanangeli (head of Lighting department)
Jacques and his team narrowed the search down to three potential consoles and conducted demos of each. They compared the different interfaces by paying attention to the ergonomics of programming a show, the ease of use of moving lights, and the precision of color control.
The mythic Opéra Garnier auditorium with the lighting control room situated on the 3rd balcony.
”The reason for this choice was based on more than just the quality of the product,” notes Giovanangeli. ”I frequently travel to operas and theatres in France and abroad. I found Eos consoles in many places, such as the Bolshoi in Moscow, the Teatro Real in Madrid, the Staatsoper in Vienna and many other prestigious places like The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden in London and the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
The combination of the technical endorsement from my team and the observations I made on each journey led to us choosing Eos. Co-productions continue to increase between the major opera houses and many lighting engineers work mainly on Eos consoles. With Eos, we can anticipate what’s coming by sharing files.”
In total, four Eos family consoles joined the Palais Garnier with three Eos Ti desks, two in the control room and one in the workshop. A Gio @5 is also on stage if an engineer would like to operate lighting from the stage. The whole system communicates in ETCNet3 (ACN) and the main console controls all the fixtures over sACN. To complete the installation, 2 RVIs (Remote Video Interface) are also available from the stage.
This RVI system enables remote viewing of the console screens and local programming of the Eos system. This allows the opera house to offer the production manager a tool to view the desk’s displays from the stage making interactions with the lighting technicians easier and safer.
The Eos Ti, main lighting desk in the light control room.
Due to the number of shows during the first half of the year as usual at Opéra Garnier, the integration of the consoles had to wait for the summer break. With the renovation of the control room also taking place in late August and early September, the technicians had to work quickly to transition the consoles. Giovanangeli says, “The installation of the consoles was completed in record time and the team managed to release the first show, which was a large production, without any pitfalls.”
Jérôme Denime, one of the two opera lighting team leaders, adds, “We had to learn this new work environment and develop new habits. For example, previously we had to set all the spotlight parameters in each cue.
Jacques Giovanangeli (head of lighting department) in the center, with Jérôme Denime (crew chief) on the left and François Wintz (lighting technician) on the right.
Now, as Eos works with “tracking” logic, the parameters follow from one cue to another. There is no need to edit them entirely since they track from the previous position. It is much easier, but we had to get used to checking the states so that there aren’t any mistakes. The interface is very useful for tracking the state of the fixtures. In the end, the switch has saved us time overall. We are already completely comfortable with the system and we are still discovering new functions, especially as updates come out.”
A training program made the transition smooth for the entire lighting staff. The teams were able to get gradually accustomed to the new interface before putting on the first show and tackle the 860 dimmers with more than 100 moving lights.
In an effort to continuously improve training efforts and perfectly assist the Opéra Garnier team plus other professional users, ETC France is currently revamping its 2019 training program to better serve its end users. This is valid as well in a number of countries, just contact your local ETC subsidiary or distributor and stay tuned for more tuition seminars.
Over the past few months, many French venues have also chosen Eos consoles, such as the Opéra de Bordeaux (Dushow installation) and the Opéra de Versailles. ETC offers consoles appropriate for the theatre market with the Eos system and the touring market with the High End Systems Hog 4 range.
DiGiCo consoles were specified throughout the entire 2019 BRIT Awards. Staged at the O2 Arena, the production acknowledges the best in musical talent and this year counted The Carters, Drake and Ed Sheeran amongst its winners. The evening’s live mixes, which were also broadcast live on TV, saw Hugh Jackman, George Ezra, Jess Glynne and The 1975 amongst other top artists perform with the sound of DiGiCo.
Colin Pink, The BRITs longstanding Live Sound Supervisor, states: “The BRIT Awards is always a tricky show; being able to balance artists’ needs with simplicity and continuity throughout is hard to achieve. This year, every sound desk was a DiGiCo, which allowed the production to feel much more elegant than in the past.”
Full SD inventory
The consoles, deployed by Britannia Row Productions – which has been The BRITs’ audio supplier for over 20 years – were two SD7s at FOH with an SD7 Quantum surface, two SD12s at FOH for the presenters, hosts and acceptance speeches. Two further SD7s in monitor world were flip-flopping between live performances.
The 1975 brought in an SD5 for their monitoring duties and P!nk’s pre-recorded section was handled via her own SD12 by FOH engineer Dave Bracey – a long-time DiGiCo user.
“The advances that the Quantum Engine bring to the flagship SD7 allow so much more flexibility and simplicity to these multi-band gigs,” Colin continues. “It’s a great asset to the DiGiCo brand.”
Dave Bracey, Britannia Row Sales Director, joins the conversation: “This year’s BRITs really benefitted from a unique and brilliant production design from Misty Buckley. Her set was very favourable for an emphasis on quality live audio.
First ever use of 32-bit cards across the whole range of consoles
Lez is keen to highlight the benefits of working with DiGiCo kit: “As well as the show being completely DiGiCo this year, it was also the first time we’ve ever used 32-bit cards across the whole range of consoles on a live production. “Britannia Row has worked with DiGiCo for a very long time, as has our worldwide network within Clair Global. It’s the console that the majority of engineers are very happy to use, which is important for a multi-act show like this. The 1975 requested to bring their own monitor desk in, and as their preferred console is an SD5, it worked with the production perfectly. The Live sound quality this year was truly exceptional.”
Lez Dwight concludes: “The show went very well, with no technical issues whatsoever, in no small part due to DiGiCo’s expert presence. DiGiCo artist liaison manager, Mark Saunders, and product specialist Dave Bigg, provided instant, on-site support.”
More information on DiGiCo consoles and Britannia Row Productions.
It was during two consecutive concerts given at the Tony Garnier Halle (in Lyon) and, a few days later, at the Accor Hotel Arena (Paris, nicknamed “Bercy” since its creation) that we were able to experience this fabulous show. Vincent Lérisson is a lighting designer known for his impressive and energetic lights, which are completely done live – no time-code or other lighting equivalent of “lip-syncing”. Vincent advocates a certain approach to live lighting interpretation, making it his trademark. He’s just won the “Opus – German 2019 Stage Award” for Stage Production for his former work on the Justice “Woman Worldwide” tour. This honorary award is given annually on the occasion of Prolight + Sound exhibition, in Frankfurt. The jury and board of trustees of the award are made up of representatives of the The German Entertainment Technology Association (VPLT) and the European Association of Event Centers (EVVC), as well as experts, representatives of the trade press and Messe Frankfurt.
The Svobodas provide depth and warmth, the “stockings” create volume, and the light of the MagicPanels creates a show.
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Though he is not alone in being deeply attached to the living energy of light and its manual control (as is the case with other lighting designers, including myself), we can still emphasize that, in this field, he is among the best of his kind in our country. If we add to this a taste for his unique lighting and a “touch” that we can recognize as his signature, it was important for us to highlight his latest work, which was so successful and remarkably well received by all those who were able to attend one of these concerts.
Besides, this fellow is used to it. He has already demonstrated his talents on a regular basis with some outstanding achievements. It is important to note that he is also the lighting designer for Justice. If you can read French (or just enjoy the photos and the diagrams, they speak by themselves), we invite you to read the article we had previously written about him on Louise Attaque’s tour.
The Bercy team including (standing, from left to the right): Olivier “L’Abeille” Alain, Jules Lajoie, Vincent Lérisson, Aurélien Visbeq, Marion Hervieux, Jean-Maxence Chagnon, Sébastien Sacco, Martial Blond, Christophe “Poussin” Beaup, Philippe L’Écu Ducouret, Jérémy Dufeux, Louis Perrin, Sébastien Richardon, and kneeling: Antoine Tomasi, Christophe Janin, Cyril Vlaemink, Yvan “Vanvan” Petit Pierre, Alexandre “La Mangue” Tuloup.
As is usually the case, a project like this is the work of a team. Vincent also has his associates, who play an essential role. We can mention in particular Sébastien Sacco, who manages and integrates all the network systems… There is Rico, who manages the stage machinery conceived by the designer, and who must operate a bunch of mechanisms that move up and down throughout the show… There is also Jérémy who assists Vincent at the console and who replaces him on dates when he is not able to be there. There is “Ecureuil” (“Squirrel”) and the MECAoctet team who developed the whole complex motorization process to give life to huge elevators that are illuminated and that constantly modify the appearance of the stage… There is also… in short, there are lots of people who brought this beautiful concept to life.
A global view of the scenographic infrastructure.
The lighting of the stage is largely based on two well-defined elements, which are unique and outstanding in the design of this show. The first of these is a backdrop, entirely covered with Svoboda fixtures, while the second is a roof, which is in fact an impressive mechanism of motorized “pods” that can work at any height, reshaping the space and scale of the stage as the songs are performed. Other more traditional elements complete the project, and we’re going to take a closer look at how.
The backdrop – the “svobs”
Vincent Lérisson in front of his wall of Svobodas.
So let’s talk about the backdrop. It is a wall of 60 Svoboda fixtures mounted on Spotlight motorized yokes. The assembly was carried out by Dushow, who provided all the lighting equipment for the tour, following Vincent’s requests.
The backs of the fixtures are fitted with mirrors, taking up the distinctive and asymmetrical shape of the Svoboda. The mirrors are made of Dibond, a material on a panel designed to be used for cut-out elements in the creation of signs, scenery, etc… Each Svoboda with its moving yoke weighs 54 kg.
The control of the fixtures is carried out through four 16-bit pan and tilt parameters (i.e. two channels per function) and a fifth channel for the external dimmer using the conventional method. The units are positioned on a gigantic grid constructed specifically for this purpose and arranged into six rows of ten fixtures. This assembly consists of separate modules.
The formidable effectiveness of the Svobodas.
Each module consists of four fixtures, arrayed in squares, which are transported mounted and cabled in bins of three modules each. They are mounted level by level and taken down in the same way. When suspended, the whole thing – including the lights, cabling and grid – weighs about four tons. Side-Up created this hanging system, as well as a significant part of the set. Personally, I found it absolutely magical. The warm and “traditional” look of this ensemble, worked into the middle of a decidedly modern structure – in stark contrast to this type of source – is incredibly impressive. Vincent specializes in this kind of union. It’s part of his signature and he has mastered it.
The roof, the pods and their “stockings”
The entire upper part of the stage is occupied by a huge system of trusses that supports a set of 21 moving elements, organized in three rows of seven. Each element has a Claypaky Mythos and three Ayrton MagicPanel-FX on its underside.
The “stockings” system fully extended.
This square, with its fixtures, can be lowered almost to the floor, leading to the deployment of the white fabric stretched over its four sides, inside which there are two Claypaky K20s that enable the whole thing to be completely colored.
The deployment occurs over a course of nearly ten meters and allows quite spectacular spatial effects: bringing the fixtures they support into play at angles that constantly vary and so that they can be used “low to the ground” above the musicians’ heads, but also providing a medium for video projection over the entire surface of the fabric and on three sides. In short, it is a very complex structure that we would never be able to fully describe and that is heavily exploited during this show.
The stocking system in its retracted position.
When the pods are retracted into the upper section, they give way to a broad and uncluttered scene, in which the beams of the Svobodas and Mythos radiate out over large spaces. For the following song, when it descends almost to the limit, the roof “squashes” the artists, who are confined with a very low clearance, just a few dozen centimeters above their heads…
The effect is striking – as the motorization of large-scale scenic elements can often be – but here again, the concept is really pushed to a whole new level and each time offers a surprising visual effect and a powerful emotional vector throughout the show.
The floor
The upstage floor, with the Mythos and Chorus Lines at the foot of the array of Svobodas.
The floor seems almost empty because the kit that occupies the top and bottom of the set is so imposing, but it is of great importance, especially for its interaction with the two large moving structures. It consists of Claypaky Mythos, Elation Chorus Line motorized LED battens, and a bunch of Martin Atomic LED strobes.
The upstage floor is occupied by six Mythos and seven Chorus Lines. These provide sometimes very intense and impressive backlighting, and the Mythos also allow beams to be directed to the MagicPanel-FXs located higher up, or even to the rear mirrors of the Svobodas.
Playing with the Chorus Lines.
We also find two lateral deployments, with three sets of two Chorus-Lines mounted vertically in pairs, plus three Mythos on each side. All this floor kit allows for a multitude of combinations that are very well thought out.
The Mythos on the floor projecting gobos onto the deployed “stockings”.
The key lighting and cross lighting.
The lateral trusses with BMFLs.
A front truss equipped with ten BMFLs provides key lighting for the musicians. Between these fixtures, eight Chorus Lines are positioned to respond to those on the floor and to direct flat beam blades towards the stage or the audience. A set of four BMFLs per side, positioned on lateral trusses, completes the lighting for the musicians.
The video, a strategic support with finesse.
During certain parts of the concert, often the more intimate ones, Vincent uses the resources of automation, light and video…
The video in this show is not predominant and is simply used to convey certain content related to the songs, or close-ups of the performers. The images are projected on the canvas deployed by the descent of the pods, from six video projectors, two frontal units of 30,000 lumens each, and two units of 20,000 lumens each on both sides to project certain images for depth onto the sides of the “stockings”.
Alabama provided the video production and crew. The dressing of the corners of the “stockings” allows for a very nice depth and still reinforces the “three-dimensional” aspect.
…to create paintings, some of which are perfectly intertwined to create a scene specific to each song.
Interview with Vincent Lérisson
We met Vincent Lérisson to ask him some questions about his work on this tour.
SLU : How did you get involved in this project and what were the criteria?
The video projection plays with the mirrors on the backs of the Svobodas…
Vincent Lérisson : Calogero and his artistic director had been following different things I had done since the 2012 Justice tour, without my being aware of it, and they contacted me and proposed that I work on this project, because they wanted to change their universe: “We like your touch,” and so on. At the very beginning, there was actually a potential set designer, and they finally entrusted me with the scenography as well.
…and the Mythos with those of the MagicPanels.
As for directives, I didn’t really get any, except maybe from Thierry Suc, the producer, who wanted a rather colorful design and not too “black and white”. And this corresponded well with the artist’s requests for something lighter and more “pop”.
SLU : We can recognize your “touch”, with some key elements that you are fond of and that you use in different ways, especially with this movement of material in space.
Vincent Lérisson : I like it when things can come magically to life. It’s something I’ve been working on for a long time; something I’m always looking for. I like to modulate space with light. This involves the suspension of the lights, the animation using movements with props that move around the artists on stage. I am lucky to have found people who know how to do it and who support me.
The NPU rack and network connections via Luminex Gigacore switches.
SLU : On this tour, there is a lot of material that has obviously been designed and built specifically for this show. In this case, who finances the creations and what is the proportion of specific purchases and rentals?
Vincent Lérisson : There are two parts. The production finances part of it, such as the frames, the pod hardware, everything that is purely decorative and various accessories that are entirely specific to the show. And for all the mechanization and technology developed for this show, it is the vendors who have invested to develop the equipment.
Obviously there is a cost that is passed on in the “per date” billing for the service by the vendor, but it has been a very big investment for those companies and they have spent a lot of time developing very specific systems for this tour.
SLU : Regarding the video, what was your approach to integrating it into the show? Was it your idea to integrate cameras or a request from the artist?
Vincent Lérisson : The project was born with the idea of not using any video. The artist, though, still had the feeling that it would be a little frustrating for the audience far from the stage in the larger venues not to see the performers well. However, he wanted to avoid the traditional video screen placed on stage or suspended. Since I had conceived this concept with the white “stockings” that unfurl, I thought that we could project onto this surface, even onto the three sides that are visible to the public. This required placing lateral projectors, but the idea of a three-dimensional effect was really cool. Then, technically, we set up a whole mapping system that links the movements of the stockings to the video projection. There is an interface that ensures that the image never protrudes beyond the surface deployed by the movements of the “stockings”.
A mix of video and Mythos effects on the “stockings”.
The video is not done here as a key element of the show, but once we had the video projectors integrated into the kit, we tried to use them intelligently at different times to create certain textures or dressings. The content was developed internally with Seb Sacco. As the basis of the presence of video in this show is the I-Mag, we have a total of four cameras, including one FoH camera that captures a good part of the show, and three remote ones distributed around the stage, controlled from a small control position near the stage. Everything goes through an Avolites AI server and the mix is done live from the lighting console. The cameramen only have to take care of the frame, zoom and focus.
SLU : Let’s talk about your famous “pods”.
Vincent Lérisson : In fact, it was an idea I had, but I didn’t really know how to make it happen. It was intended to take a prominent role in the show. We have a system that both supports the fixtures and allows for unlimited angle changes. This allows us to modify the volume of the scenery above the musicians. These elements are decorative and are illuminated from the inside, and lastly there is the “video” aspect, because the system serves as a projection screen. It is a multi-purpose set piece.
Very impressive backlighting and color effects.
I contacted a company that designs and creates this kind of thing for our industry – MECAoctet. They are very skilled in both automation and servo-control of all kinds, and they know how to adapt industrial equipment to create a lot of things that simply don’t exist for the entertainment industry. And this company is run by people who are familiar with our business and with touring. And they fulfilled and even exceeded our expectations, and even more.
Spectacular special effects through the use of the motorized stockings and their internal coloring by the K20s.
SLU : How is the system operated during the show? Do you send commands from your console?
Vincent Lérisson : No. The system is controlled by Rico, who is stationed at the side of the stage. It uses a dedicated software developed by MECAoctets that reacts to specific commands. The operator is essential mainly for safety considerations. The pods are capable of descending all the way to the floor, but we have set up limits to avoid any incidents.
SLU : I saw that you really use a lot of ambiance lighting on the audience. Is it your intention to illuminate the public so intensely?
Vincent Lérisson : It was a request from the artist, who needs to see the audience. It may seem a little harsh on the crowd, but it’s really important to him. It lets him feel more comfortable. It’s part of the compromises I have to make. During the tour, we added trusses all over the venue above the audience with SGM P5 LED fixtures to illuminate the audience from a less blinding angle.
A balanced mix of video and lighting effects.
SLU : Is this rig intended for big venues only or do you plan to be able to take it to festivals?
Vincent Lérisson : For festivals, we take everything but the pods with us. There are two reasons for this. The first is that we’re going to be playing on certain dates that won’t be able to accommodate such a structure. The second is wind… the system of pods represents such a wind catcher that it isn’t possible to use it on outdoor stages. They are veritable sails, arranged just a few centimeters apart… We take the whole wall of Svobodas, all the floor kit and, for the rest, we adapt.
Vincent Lérisson and Jeremy Dufeux in action.
SLU : Tell us about your team.
Vincent Lérisson : I have a few main people who are competent in very specific fields and with whom I like to work. Seb Sacco, for the network, Jeremy at the desk who replaces me on certain dates, Rico runs the motors, and Poussin does one of the followspots.
And I work with the Dushow team, which is made up of really great people. In particular, there is Aurélien, the lead followspot operator, who has worked with Calogéro for a long time, and who helped me a lot on many occasions during the creative process.
SLU : You’re not on all the shows because you’re touring with Justice at the same time, if I’m not mistaken?
Vincent Lérisson : Yes, exactly. This is the first time that I have not been at the helm of one of my creations every night. It’s sort of a new experience for me. It has both positive and negative aspects. The good part about it is that, when you go back on the tour after a while, you get a fresh look at the show. But on the other hand, I am very fond of making the show evolve as the tour progresses, because very often the artist’s interpretation itself can change, and here, I can’t do that. When there are changes along the way, I need to see things to make my sequences evolve, so it’s quite difficult for me in that sense. I like to modify, refine, test, and then discuss it with the team. I like to take everyone’s thoughts into account. Everyone brings something to the show, so I include them in that process.
SLU : I noticed that there is a lot of light that can sometimes seem a little aggressive for the musicians’ eyes on stage. Do you have any problems with them, as far as that is concerned?
The MagicPanels used for massive impact…
Vincent Lérisson : It is true that “my touch” is known for throwing some violent lights, so from the very beginning I warned them. I therefore started the discussion so that everyone would be comfortable and understand what I was going to do. There are black-outs, bright lights, radical angle changes, “punches” and so on. I ask them to be open-minded and to try to understand the artistic dimension as much as possible.
…with an intense and effective exploitation of their limitless tilt rotation.
Then, if there are things that raise purely technical problems, solutions are found. It was a conversation I had first with Calogéro, in particular, so that he would be well aware that on stage it was likely to move, but also that a good part of the lighting effects that I use would also come from there. Everyone has been on board and, overall, things are going well.
The motorized pods by MECAoctet
We met with Philippe Ducouret, one of the managers of MECAoctet, who developed the entire motorized pod system. Interview.
SLU : Philippe, can you tell us about your company and its involvement in the Calogéro show?
Philippe Ducouret : The company is called MECAoctet and we are a young company founded about three years ago, based near Toulouse. There are four partners: two software developers and two electromechanical specialists. We work in the field of motor control systems, and develop our own hardware and software for our projects.
Aggressive and impressive backlighting.
We come from very different backgrounds: a PhD in mathematics, industrial engineers, but also show business people, like me, who have been working in this sector for many years. We have known Vincent for some time now, having already worked with him on some projects.
SLU : And what exactly is this system you have designed?
Philippe Ducouret : The concept consists of 21 pods, each with a square base measuring 2.3 m x 2.3 m. They are motorized and independently controlled. The descent of each pod deploys a canvas “stocking” which forms a backlit surface that also serves for projection. Each element weighs 495 kg, for a total weight of 13 tons for all the pods.
SLU : Technically, what does it consist of in terms of hardware?
Philippe Ducouret : The mechanical design of each pod is based on two frames. One is fixed, attached to the grid that supports the entire assembly, and the other moves vertically powered by a system of motors that drive three chains. This frame pulls the fabric with it, which unfolds, and the whole thing can be lowered nine meters and supports a set of four moving heads. The purely “metalwork” production of the frames was done by Side-up, a company based in Nimes, who also manufactured most of the baskets and trolleys used to transport the technical elements of this show.
When the Svobodas create a pop/rock/romantic atmosphere.
SLU : And for control?
Philippe Ducouret : We developed the software that controls each pod independently, but also with a degree of interpolation (which allows for example to create “waves” in the movements between pods). The software development also required the implementation of a control interface for the show operator who runs the system live. Depending on the needs of the show, he can “draw” a shape in real time that can be used for the entire set, and also manage the movement of each unit. It can be a repositioning, as well as an evolution in motion.
The baskets for the Svobodas are brought in for the load-out to the trucks.
SLU : As for safety?
Philippe Ducouret : For this ensemble that evolves above the stage, we had to devise several levels of protection. This involves braking systems that block all movement in the event of a power failure, monitoring the data transmission network, an emergency stop button, of course, and more. Everything is organized so that there are no incidents.
SLU : And for the implementation?
Philippe Ducouret : It’s quite simple: there’s a square grid of 500 mm trussing provided by Transit (who provides the rigging on the tour), which is supported by twelve 2-ton hoists configured with pulleys, and which is mainly composed of three trusses – corresponding to our three depths – and on which we hang our 21 pods (3 x 7). When folded, these modules had to be 1.3 m high, including the fixtures, to be able to load ten of them into a semi-trailer.
SLU : You tackled the project from a technical point of view, but did you also look at it from an artistic point of view?
Philippe Ducouret : Absolutely! It is important to include emotionally relevant information. For example, strictly speaking, a simple movement of the stage curtain is a purely technical action, but one which you can “bring to life” by the way you manipulate it. Here it is a kind of the same thing. There was much thought given to movement, the speed of the movement, how the elements will evolve among themselves, and how to deliver a result that meets the artistic’s expectations.
The power and energy of the light from the motorized Svobodas. Absolutely beautiful.
We were once again captivated by the sumptuous lighting of Mr. Vincent Lérisson. Here again, he has created a splendid design that demonstrates a superb use of technology in a surprising and grandiose production, with a dazzlingly vivid light, entirely controlled “live” by the hand and the sensibilities of the lighting designer. Nothing will ever replace it as long as “live” music at least purports to convey an emotion to the audience. Bravo!
Top-tier TV production company and music venue, Epic Studios go big in quarter-million pound investment. Epic studios’ clientele has included shows such as ‘Top Gear’ and ‘WWE Wrestling’ – has embarked on a major audio upgrade of its Norwich, UK premises, with Allen & Heath dLive and SQ mixing systems.
‘Blind Tiger’ Music Video / Installation of MLA Sound System, featuring dLive at FOH. Filmed at Epic Studios.
“I’d been hearing many positive comments about the dLive and SQ series on social media and after seeing them in use on major world tours and appearing on technical riders, I was very keen to try one out,” comments Matt Rabong (technical manager at Epic Studios). “I used to work exclusively on another desk, however after getting my hands on a dLive S7000 at InfoComm, I knew this was the perfect desk for us. dLive has integrated seamlessly with our workflow and my engineers love it! It was extremely easy to train everybody on its features.”
Fully customisable facility
As well as Epic’s TV productions, the facility is fully customisable and caters for a variety of productions and events. These range from television programmes and game shows to sporting events, corporate events, arena gigs (with artists such as Chase & Status and Newton Faulkner) and even private functions and intimate shows.
‘Blind Tiger’ Music Video / Installation of MLA Sound System, featuring dLive and SQ. Filmed at Epic Studios.
The installation also features a large investment in Martin Audio’s flagship MLA PA system, which integrates seamlessly with dLive. One of Epic Studios’ sound engineers, David Wallace, comments, “The MLA integration with dLive is great and the MADI and Dante connectivity are perfect for our demanding broadcast requirements.”
Rabong continues, “The sound quality in dLive is superb and it gives us incredible fidelity through our new MLA compact rig. We invested in a full suite of gigaACE, MADI and Dante cards for the DM48 MixRack to enable us to have digital splits to broadcast in our full HD production gallery, as well as 48-way multitrack recording directly to a laptop at FOH and audio distribution to other parts of the building using Dante. The quality of the onboard FX is amazing and having up to 64 multiband compressors across any channel type is very useful.”
Wallace adds, “Whilst researching desk options, dLive seemed to be the best in terms of high-quality audio, functionality and ease of use. The live experience is a dream to work with – it’s powerful and flexible but also robust and reliable.”
SQ-7 as monitor desk
‘Blind Tiger’ Music Video / Installation of MLA Sound System, featuring SQ-7 on Mons . Filmed at Epic Studios.
With dLive being used as Epic Studios’ FOH desk, the team further invested in an SQ-7, used primarily as their main monitor desk. Rabong adds, “The SQ-7 broadens our flexibility in the studio and allows us to run a dedicated monitor desk – with a digital split from the gigaACE card in our DM48 MixRack or an analogue split available in house – or even as a standalone broadcast desk, multitrack recording direct from its built-in USB out.
If we have a smaller event or need to fit into a tighter space, we can also use the SQ-7 as a FOH mixer. The software is also really intuitive and it’s been very easy for my technical staff to get to grips with.” Rabong concludes, “Investing in Allen & Heath has given us a great deal more flexibility as a venue overnight and has increased our audio quality for our audiences in a big way.”
The whole world of entertainment technology and music business is coming together at Prolight+ Sound and Musikmesse in Frankfurt am Main from 2 to 5 April 2019. Prolight+Sound 2019 will offer all visitors, either confirmed pros or newcomers to the sector, from the professional audio sector in particular, a variety of new highlights and product innovations from the industry’s key players.Read full list here.
For the first time since 2015, the two trade fairs are being held concurrently on all four days (Tuesday til Friday), to enhance the professional aspect of this event.
The two exhibitions will reinforce their synergies and reflect in an even more efficient way the demands and needs of the visitors and the worldwide market.
In 2018, Prolight+Sound and Musikmesse have once again registered a raise in the number of attendees from 152 countries.
Un nouveau Hall pour Prolight+Sound : les avantages
This year a new hall is being part of the general halls’ layout, including the Hall 12, used for the first time for this event. Brand new jewel of this architectural ensemble, it is the largest and more modern building in the whole Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre, with 33,600 sq. meters of brut surface offering first class surroundings for the presentation of highlights and product innovations from the industry’s key players in Pro audio, stage lighting and techniques, and entertainment tools in general.
Moreover, Hall 12 will complete the way the halls are linked together, allowing an easy access to Hall 8, dedicated to Pro audio, with only 130 meters walking distance. With this revised hall layout, Messe Frankfurt has responded to an important demand of exhibitors and visitors by locating the entire ‘Audio, Sound + Recording’ product segment in Hall 8.0, at ground level.
Previously, companies from this segment were to be found in different halls. Now, key players, including are concentrated together under the same roof.
Short walking distances between halls.
The Media technologies and LED sectors do keep their traditional space in Hall 4.0, with the addition of a dedicated space for projection and events security. Being the most central hall in the Exhibition Centre, it’s very close to the “Torhaus” entrance. It is very close as well to the “Networking Area” situated in Hall 4.1, the new Business meeting point of the exhibition. It’s an elaborated meeting lounge, with conferences rooms and catering zones, hence offering excellent conditions for very professional discussions.
Knowing what is making the industry move
The needs related to modern productions are constantly growing and, as such, the requests to the professionals are more and more demanding. The Prolight+Sound seminars will offer precious information from industry experts.
New at Prolight+Sound 2019, CAVIS – Congress for Audio Visual Integrated Systems’ seminars. They will focus on the growing market of permanent installations, giving Prolight + Sound exhibitors a chance to present relevant products and projects. Companies like ARRI, Audinate, ETC, Holoplot, Lightact and Meyer Sound have already confirmed their active participation.
From the triumph of IP-based transmission, via virtualised playout, to UHD streaming: new technological solutions are changing the sector at a rapid pace. The new Broadcast + Production Forum at Prolight + Sound, held on April 5th, provides a platform for these and other innovations and creates a contact point between companies, decision makers and users. Manufacturers of products such as cameras, radio links, streaming encoders, picture mixers, broadcast panels and specialised audio applications have the chance to present their solutions in 45-minute lectures.
Advanced Audio + Application Exchange (3AE), following last year’s successful première, is once again organising The Future of Audio + Music Technology programme on April 4th.
This event covers subjects that are set to have a decisive impact on the future of the music and event industry – from the use of mobile apps in studio and live settings, via blockchain technologies, to cloud-based DAWs.
The Immersive Technology Forum is held once again, and even extended to the whole four days. This new lecture programme gives you the opportunity to discover how to upgrade events through the inclusion of immersive experiences, how to earn money now and in the future with virtual-reality content, and where appropriate solutions can be used in 360° productions, with the help from Holoplot, L-Acoustics, Out Board, ShowTex and Visoso, amongst others.
For the first time, Prolight + Sound is cooperating with the organisers of the Sample Music Festival with top brands, such as Akai, Denon DJ, RANE, Ortofon and Mixars, making presentations on a special area of the foyer of Hall 4.0. Other companies, such as Ableton and Native Instruments are showing their new products within the framework of workshops and product demonstrations. Well-known artists from the world of DJing, controllerism and turntablism, such as Beat Matazz, Clockwerk and S-Trix, will give visitors the chance to look over their shoulder at workshops and showcase. The official main sponsor of the ‘Sample Music Festival Area’ is Schenker Technologies.
With the Audio Makers Square, Prolight + Sound and Musikmesse are establishing a special area for the international DIY community. There, visitors will find everything for building audio equipment themselves and can take part in audio-builder workshops. The area is being organised by MakeProAudio GmbH and other partners.
Another première is the collaboration with the organisers of the Music Tech Fest. The programme includes an ‘Innovation Masterclass’ with award-winning composer Reeps One and the ‘MTF Labs’ where innovation leaders in the field of music production pass on their knowledge.
Rounding off the programme is a 24-hour ‘Trackathon’ at which up-and-coming young people produce and perform songs. The ‘Trackathon’ is hosted by composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Martine-Nicole Rojina.
Prolight + Sound and VPLT will present the new format of the International Event Safety + Security Conference I-ESC on Wednesday, 3 April in Hall 4.0 at the circle stage.
International experts on event safety and security will discuss some of the topics currently confronting the event and live performance industry. The new format includes plenty of opportunities for discussion and networking and presents three major topics in presentational form, three panels providing international insight and discussion, and satellite presentations that will contribute to your knowledge and expertise. The keynote will be held by Dr. Donald Cooper from the Event Safety Alliance. The entire conference will be held in English and simultaneously translated into German.
Major highlight of this exhibition will be the Prolight+Sound Conferences (du 2 au 5 avril) with major industry topics, such as: education and training, normalisation and legals duties, and innovative of of technology, for Live productions, and installations as well. Representatives and specialists from companies and associations such as Gerriets, Neumann & Müller, Showtex, I.T. University of Copenhagen, the German Entertainment Technologies Association (VPLT) and the European Event Centers Association (EVVC) will be present amongst the speakers.
Back to the Future (or the other way around)
A world première for visitors to Prolight + Sound and Musikmesse is the Vintage Concert Audio Show with milestones of concert PA systems from four decades. Over 200 exhibits on a special area in Forum.0 will show what PA systems from the sixties, seventies, eighties and nineties looked and sounded like. Bikers welcome (just joking). Many of the vintage systems will be shown in action: on all days of the event, there will be a decade-linked audio panel discussion at which sound-engineers from that period explain the equipment used at that time and answer visitors’ questions.
They include ex-Prince studio engineer Hans-Martin Buff, Jon Caffery (Joy Division, Sex Pistols) and Michael Baur (Rammstein), and many more. Full program here.
28 x Astera AX1 PixelTubes – battery powered wirelessly operated fully controllable LED RGBW batons – were used by Alex Webb from Allied London to create ‘The Heart of Manchester’, a 20-metre high heart shaped light sculpture on the Quay Street façade of the No. 1 Spinningfields building in central Manchester.
Alex is a brand manager for Allied London, the property developer at the centre of evolving this vibrant area of the city, which has become a leading business destination, legal quarter and a thriving living and working community as well as a place for socialising and entertainment. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Spinningfields commissioned various public art displays around town to explore love and heartbreak in the city, a project that also included offering this as their own creative contribution for public enjoyment and Instagram hotspots!
Inspired and tasked to find new, fresh and invigorating ways of getting people to engage with their environment and appreciate the striking modernist urban backdrop of Spinningfields, Alex is constantly seeking to drive footfall to and spark interest in the area’s cafes, bars, restaurants and other facilities.
Pulsating heart in celebration of Valentine’s Day
The pulsing Astera AX1 heart is visible across the evening skyline and from key vantage points like the Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink station and as far away as Old Trafford. It was an instant Valentine’s Day hit on social media with people flocking for selfies with it in the background… so much so that the installation has been extended and will run for the remainder of February.
The Astera AX1 PixelTube. “Look, no wire!”
Alex organises many different events and activations, and he first saw Astera products, including the PixelTubes, at the PLASA lighting and sound show in 2017. They were demonstrated on the booth of exclusive UK distributor and London based Ambersphere Solutions.
The tubes weigh only 1kg each, and Alex found some industrial strength suction pads which he used to fix them to the inside of the windows along floors 12 to 17 of the building.
Black cloth is used as a mask behind the lights and the heart measures approximately 20 metres top to bottom, with its lowest point around 40 metres up the building. The AX1s were programmed by Pete Deacon productions and Alex Webb – using the Astera App – to pulse through a series of various full colours and hues, from rich sumptuous red to hot steamy purple!
The AsteraApp, for long distance and easy control of any original lighting installation like this Manchester example.
Astera BlueBox ART7, the bridge between a tablet or smartphone and any Astera AX lighting fixture.
The original idea was that the tubes could be removed and charged up during the day and then clipped into place ready for the evening’s lighting display… but with mains power available and the fact they can also run as wired fixtures, they are going for 24 hours! With the black cloth masking behind the luminaires and the brightness of the output, they can be clearly seen in daylight as well.
Multiple events scenarios
He thought they would be perfect for multiple event scenarios, and purchased 40, which were also used in ‘The Shape of Light V1’ a work by Alex Webb for the 2018 Leeds Light Night festival, which involved four different shaped geometric metal stages, illuminated internally with the tubes on a slow pulse chase.
For Valentine’s Day 2018 Alex and his team helped realise the original ‘Heart of Manchester’ illuminated sculpture by artist Stuart Langley, which was displayed on the same building and involved a cloth drop that was lit. This year Alex revisited that initial ‘Heart of Manchester’ concept, this time using the AX1 tubes and lighting technology in a different and more elaborately way.
Local lighting landmark
He is also using the AX1s for another installation on Hardman Square, which is a striking 2-metre-high heart shaped floral arrangement of cineraria eucalyptus, asparagus fern and salal, created by local florists at David Wayman Flowers, who are located in Spinningfields.
This sits in a specially fabricated metal structure that helps keep it upright. The AX1s are charged up during the day and set up at dusk, are cable-tied to the insides of the metal legs, bathing the piece in reds and pinks to draw attention and accentuate its texture and subtleties.
Shape of Light V2 has been in place for around three months now and has become a local landmark and generated a lot of public interaction. People and tourists have been experimental in unclipping and moving the tubes around to get better and different photos and more light on themselves, etc., whilst composing their images! In all that time, none of the tubes have been stolen!
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