MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Over 100 Robe moving lights were in action at the 2007 Melbourne Parklife event — one of Australia’s highest profile and most popular dance parties, produced by Future Entertainment. Andy Mutton designed the lighting, which supplied by Clifton Productions.
The sold out event was attended by 20,000 dance and electronica enthusiasts who grooved the day and night away to an impressive line up of international artists like Digitalism, Shapeshifter, Justice, Scratch Perverts, Riot In Belgium M.I.A. and many more, appearing across 4 stages — Earth, Wind, Fire and Water.
Mutton’s primary challenge was making the lighting as flexible and dynamic as possible across all performance areas, so each operator had enough options for all the acts to have their own unique lightshow. They also had to accommodate several visiting LDs.
The largest tent on site was Air, which Mutton himself operated using a GrandMA console. Two long audience trusses ran down each side of the tent and the stage featured 4 over-stage trusses with two curved trusses rigged on to the front, along with four vertical sections onstage.
30 Robe ColorSpot and ColorWash 1200E ATs were distributed across the audience trusses and over the stage, along with 12 ColorSpot 575E ATs on the curved trusses. There were more CW & CS 1200E ATs over the stage, plus six on the floor, which proved very popular for blasting through from the back for the live acts. “It was a question of making big statements in a large space” explained Mutton, “And I had plenty of scope to do that with the Robes.”
Visuals on this stage included a Masstechnik LED wall, with content supplied and operated by Olav Meyer. Other lighting fixtures included PixelLine battens, LED PARs, strobes and profiles.
Up on the main hill of the undulating Birrarung Marr city center site, Parklife’s Water stage also featured plenty of live acts along with several visiting LDs, some of whom sent in specs to Clifton’s beforehand. Where possible, the rig here incorporated their requests, while also providing a selection of general stage cover and looks. For moving lights, they used 18 ColorWash 1200E ATs, 12 ColorSpot 575E ATs and 7 ColorSpot 1200E ATs.
The fixtures were rigged onto ‘S’ shaped trusses, suspended over the stage’s ground support structure (echoing a water theme), and onto two audience trusses that protruded from the stage and were suspended on the tent king poles. Justin Ogge operated lighting with a Hog iPC.
The Fire stage was looked after by John Stanley running an E:cue control system. It was the smallest in terms of kit with four Robe ColorWash 1200E ATs and 12 1200 Washes and four profile spots.
Stanley is a big Robe fan, and has used the fixtures on numerous shows and for many installations for some time. He says, “Robe fixtures are the fastest on the market for colour flicks and other effects, which makes them ideal for dance events like Parklife. He also likes the punch and intensity of the 1200.
The Earth stage, featured the ‘natural’ skyscraper clad backdrop of downtown Melbourne’s financial district, with Stuart Campbell running the lightshow on a Hog PC with a wing. Twelve Robe ColorWash 1200E ATs and eight ColorSpot 1200E ATs were hung on the front and side trusses and floor.
The stage was rounded in shape, complete with two circular trusses hung with plasma screens wrapping the rear. They also had some profile spots and strobes, but the Robes were used for all main effects.
Mutton says “They are sturdy lights and great for hanging at different angles”. He also likes the colour and gobo wheel options. His work spans film, TV and touring as well as dance parties, and also recently designed Godskitchen at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, which was also supplied by Cliftons. This was the first time he has used Robe’s new ColorSpot 2500E ATs. Clifton’s has the largest inventory of Robe rental stock in Australia, all of which has been supplied by Robe Lighting’s Australian distributor ULA.
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