The Mulehouse in Columbia, TN sets a new standard for live and streaming events; this multi-function venue brings together many different aspects of making and listening to music—from workshops, to exhibitions, to multi-media interviews and, of course, live shows. The venue, which can accommodate more than 500 spectators, meets all the requirements for high-quality streaming. The lighting package from ETC ensures balanced lighting in the architecturally impressive venue, using over 50 spotlights from the ColorSource family, a HedgeHog console, and an ETCNet streaming network.
Prominent entertainment professional Blair Garner is behind the concept of the new location. The award-winning radio DJ has shaped the American country radio landscape for over two decades; he is a member of the National Radio Hall of Fame and Country Radio Hall of Fame. Garner says, “I worked on the Mulehouse concept for several years. I had something completely new in mind,” he says of the multi-purpose location, which has been furnished with many loving details. A lot of time was also invested in research. “We asked artists, managers, record company executives, and sound and lighting technicians what—in their opinion—constitutes the ultimate venue. Their answers gave rise to the Mulehouse.” The plan seems to have worked, as the artist’s signing board in the backstage area, inscribed with many hymns of praise, suggests.
No compromises were made in terms of quality when it came to the lighting concept for the live stage. In the former place of worship, for example, more than 50 ColorSource fixtures and the HedgeHog console provide atmospheric lighting, which is something they have in common with the Ryman in Nashville. The Mulehouse’s Head of Technology Geoffrey Borchgrevink explains, “We use the HedgeHog in a variety of ways; it controls the iconic ‘LED Bulb Wall’, the stage lighting, and in fact the entire auditorium. It’s the ideal console for us, as we can do whatever we want with it and it’s very budget friendly. It’s an extremely intuitive console that is like a Swiss Army Knife among lighting technology tools—it has a tool ready for every requirement.”
Borchgrevink has been working with Hog consoles for around 15 years; he knows the advantages of the console and its reliability—that’s why he doesn’t use a back-up console. For lighting instruments, he is very pragmatic—the systems have to offer very good performance, be reliable, and offer good value for money. Against this background, Brochgrevink also opted for 27 ColorSource PARs installed on Prodigy Flypipes, while ColorSource PARs ensure a homogeneous stage wash light. “The ColorSource’s functionality and performance are convincing, as is the attractive price. That’s why I’ve been working with this fixture for years!”
The lighting concept in the Mulehouse is rounded off by an ETCNet network; ETC was a pioneer in the field of Ethernet-based network systems. All lighting values, system status, and show control data are transmitted with just one cable. “It makes our work much easier, and it performs exactly as it’s supposed to,” says Borchgrevink, adding “and should there ever be a problem, ETC Customer Support will take care of it. The customer service from this company is unrivaled!”
Further information from ETC: www.etcconnect.com
