Maroon 5
Lighting Co.
Creative Stage Lighting
Venue
Various (tour)
Bryan Ferry
Lighting Co.
Venue Rentals
Venue
Various (tour)
Deadmau5
Lighting Co.
PRG
Venue
Various (Tour)
No Business Like OUR Business
The mantra of the industry has been, “The show must go on.” It has been that way for years. Regardless of what happens, we must entertain the masses. A light goes out, a cue is missed, but the show must go on. Too many times I have been backstage and a glitch happens before or during the show. Being resourceful and talented people, we find a way to fix the problem and move on. Sometimes it is not the best solution, or even the safest, but the show must go on. We make that square peg fit into the round hole.
2011 Parnelli Awards
By the time Ed Wannebo took the stage at the end of the evening to accept the Parnelli Lifetime Achievement Award, it was already an entertaining evening filled with surprises. Then Kenny Chesney walked out on stage. A true man crush ensued. Chesney has had Wannebo working as production manager on his tours for a decade, and a tradition of his shows includes Wannebo running out halfway through to hand him a special hand-crafted margarita. On a Saturday night at the end of October, Chesney returned the favor. A surprised Ed got a big hug, the drink, and then Chesney addressed the Parnelli audience.
Solomon Group Lights Up Superdome, New Orleans Skyline
A new permanent LED lighting system is showcasing New Orleans’ Mercedes-Benz Superdome and anchoring the neighboring sports and entertainment district. The Solomon Group designed the installation using Martin Professional lighting. The lights wash the building’s exterior with changing colors, patterns and images. The inaugural lighting event on Oct. 20 attracted more than 4,000 spectators to watch a display that was synchronized to a soundtrack.
Illuminating the Ghosts of “Follies”
Those stepping into the Marquis Theatre on Broadway to see the current revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies are immediately consumed by a theatre draped in tattered gray tarps that extend into the sides of the venue and above the stage. Sounds of wind moaning in the background waft out of the speakers, conjuring a ghostly atmosphere. These elements help to set the stage, so to speak, for a set spotlighting a dilapidated theater where members of an old follies group meet for one last time to reunite and reminisce before the structure will be torn down.
Show Report: LDI 2011
If time flies when you are having fun, it really zips along at a three-day event like the LDI show in Orlando. From the education sessions, the back rooms, seeing new products in development, the show floor and, of course, seeing old and new friends — not just on the show floor, but at the Parnelli Awards (see page 28) and after hours, with friends telling old stories and catching up over a pint or four.
Strand, Selecon and Vari-Lite
Philips Brands Benefit from Investments in Technology
The Strand name is one of the most venerable in stage lighting — it’s been around since 1914, when Strand Electric was originally founded by two West End electricians in London, Arthur Earnshaw and Phillip Sheridan. The two set out to provide the prestigious theatre district with the most modern stage lighting and control available.
Play, Rewind, Repeat
For loopdiver’s repetitive dance motions, video plays a key role
Co-founded by choreographer/media artist Dawn Stoppiello and composer/media artist Mark Coniglio, Troika Ranch creates contemporary, hybrid artworks through an ongoing examination of the moving body and its relationship to technology.
The GOP Does Vegas
CNN and PRG Set the Stage for Verbal Fireworks at WRLC Debate
Debates among Presidential candidates are an American tradition and an important part of the democratic process. And ever since TV first brought the images of Senator John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard M. Nixon into American homes, visual imagery — how the candidates look and sound — have played a key role in the electoral outcome as well.
Martin MAC Aura
Martin Professional has hit the ball right out of the park with the release of the new MAC Aura. Featuring a tremendous light beam, combined with dazzling eye-candy effects, this fixture raises the bar for what manufacturers can accomplish with LED technology.