Got Crew?
While the problems created by this shortage of labor are numerous, it is also a rare opportunity to address another equally important issue in our industry’s labor pool—Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Products to Consider
New products from hazebase, ADJ, Avolites, Defender, ETC, Lectrosonics, Naostage, Neutrik, Pliant Technologies, Vectorworks, Wenger and JW Winco.
LED PAR and Fresnel Luminaires
Here’s a look at LED PAR and Fresnel luminaires, including products from ADJ, ARRI, Astera, CHAUVET Professional, Chroma-Q, Claypaky, Elation Professional, elektraLite, ETC, GLP, Luxapel, Luxibel, Martin by HARMAN, Mega-Lite, Robe, Robert Juliat, ROXX / ACT Entertainment, and SGM Light.
McGraw Tour 2022: A Neon Glow
When country superstar Tim McGraw hit the road for McGraw Tour 2022, Lighting and Production Designer Patrick Brannon adapted the canceled 2020 design with its Neon inspiration for the outing. Nashville-based Premier Global Production Co. provided the lighting support for Brannon’s designs. The designer tells us how he did it and talks about two new products he put in his rig.
Kx5 at the LA Coliseum: A History Making Evening
Production Director Chris Schroeder and Technical Designer / Lighting Designer Collyns Stenzel fill us in on the design and challenges of staging a history-making EDM concert when EDM super artists Kaskade and deadmau5 performed together as the duo Kx5 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The live entertainment milestone event now holds two EDM records.
Bandit Lites: 55 Trailblazing Years
Having started in 1968, by a then 12-year-old Michael T. Strickland, Bandit Lites is now celebrating it 55th Anniversary. It is today a global leader in the live event industry with facilities in the U.S., Europe and Asia. This month we speak with Strickland and others at Bandit about the five-plus decades of supporting some of the biggest acts and events in live entertainment.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: An Effects Filled Production
Trans-Siberian Orchestra has been touring its annual holiday-themed production for 23 years but Director of Touring and Production Elliot Saltzman and Production and Lighting Designer Bryan Hartley make sure that every year is a fresh design that tops the year before. Helping them do that is special effects expert Doug Adams, President of ImageSFX. PLSN speaks with all three having just wrapped the 2022 tour.
The CoiL Learning Center: Lead, Teach and Learn
Entertainment Technology Partners (ETP), in concert with their brand, LMG, created and support the CoiL Learning Center, with two U.S. locations at LMG’s facilities in Orlando and Las Vegas, as well as one at an ETP studio in London. We take an in-depth look at CoiL speaking with Ormilla Vengersammy, Director of Academic Programs, and Earl Hoback, Technical Programs Manager.
Visionary Honoree: Keny Whitright
Keny Whitright, innovator and inventor, is being honored with the Parnelli Visionary Award this year. Whitright created the first color scroller using gel strings and never looked back. The innovative technology developed by his company, Wybron went on to be used in all segments of the live entertainment industry. His vision created many products that became standards in our industry over the course of his career.
Lighting Company of the Year Regional Winners
The PLSN readers have spoken and the six Regional Hometown Hero Lighting Company winners have been selected. All of these companies are now in the running to be named Hometown Hero-Lighting Company of the Year at the 21st Annual Parnelli Awards in April. We look at all 6 winners so our readers can again vote for the one Parnelli Hometown Hero-Lighting Company.
Indispensable Technology
With voting underway for the Parnelli Awards, [see the Official Ballot on pg. 47] PLSN readers have the opportunity to vote on lighting, staging & effects, and video technologies worthy of the name Indispensable Technology for the Parnelli “IT” Award. This month we have a roundup of the 18 nominated products.
Nina Agelvis, Lighting Designer/Programmer
Nina Agelvis, lighting designer and programmer is this month’s NextGen making a path for herself in the industry. She has already had a rich and varied career though she is only in her twenties. Her resume includes being an electrician, a stagehand, a drafter, teacher, programmer, and a lighting designer. She’s worked in repertory theaters, live music clubs, the corporate world, and on a cruise ship.