Product News: May 2023
This month’s Featured Listings include the PICCOLA from hazebase and Tenore and Soprano from DTS, along with photos and info about new products from ADJ, CHAUVET, Elation, ETC, and SGM Light.
Moving Head Wash Luminaires
Here’s a detailed look at products from ADJ, Ayrton, Blizzard, CHAUVET, Claypaky, Elation, ETC/High End Systems, GLP, Martin by Harman, Robe, Vari-Lite and Volux.
STARS Labor App
With the objective of minimizing labor management chaos and streamlining managers’ tasks, the STARS Labor app significantly reduces the time and effort required for managing labor. Powered by Synchronus, STARS is a web-based system supported by the secure infrastructure of Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Virtual Production Products Seen at NAB 2023
The NAB show might have been celebrating its 100th anniversary, but the products on display were a glimpse of the future. We highlight a few of the standouts.
What Do I Mean when I Say XR?
Matthew Ward offers industry thoughts by asking and answering, “What do I mean when I say XR?”
Webster University’s ARwall Virtual Production Stage
Earlier this year, ARwall delivered a brand new virtual production stage at Webster University.
‘Molli and Max in the Future’ and BBC’s ‘Better’
Filmmaker Michael Litwak’s ambitions for “Molli and Max in the Future” drew on a vast array of practical and digital effects. Also, BBC turned to Universal Pixels and their virtual production studio powered by disguise to shoot 30 internal car scenes for their crime thriller series, “Better.”
Depeche Mode: ‘Memento Mori’ World Tour
For the first time in five years, Depeche Mode is back out on tour, in support of their March 2023 album release, “Memento Mori.” Always on the cutting-edge of music and pushing the boundaries of the synth pop genre, Depeche Mode’s 19th tour again delivers acoustically and visually. Lighting Designer Jason Baeri spoke with PLSN about the dynamic design and how it supports Depeche Mode’s music and audience experience.
MUSE: ‘Will of the People’ World Tour
Muse’s “Will of the People” World tour recently concluded its U.S. arena leg with a visual design aesthetic that is a stark look at a looming post-apocalyptic world. The powerful production design, from co-production designers Jesse Lee Stout and Sooner Routhier, has garnered a lot of positive attention from audiences and industry colleagues for reflecting the band’s vision.
Aly & AJ ‘With Love From’ Tour
The pop rock sister duo Aly & AJ [Michalka] are currently touring in support of their fifth album, With Love From. The two-time American Music Awards winners are hitting the road with a lighting and production design from Marc Janowitz. PLSN speaks with Janowitz and Programmer/Lighting Director Jacob Wesson.
Björk’s ‘Cornucopia’
Live performance trailblazer, Björk continues touring her Cornucopia theatrical masterwork globally through 2023. It’s a fantastic example of using lighting inventively to enhance a much larger mixed media picture that captures the varied expressions, emotions, moments, and messages of Björk’s work. The elegant lighting design is co-designed by UK-based creatives Richard White and Bruno Poet.
Mega-Monsters Tour 2023: Gojira and Mastodon
The metal bands Gojira and Mastodon are out in 2023 on their co-headlining Mega-Monsters Tour. Lighting Designer Pete Cary has been with Grammy Award-nominated Gojira for six-and-a-half years, while Lighting Designer Eric Price has been lighting the Grammy Award-winning Mastodon for just over a year. They spoke with us about their collaboration on the tour design and the support of Chicago-based JRLX Lighting.