SOMERSET, UK – Around 400 Robe fixtures were on site in various areas at the 2013 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts in Pilton, Somerset UK. “Glasto” had a capacity of 175,000 with an eclectic line up of live music and entertainment over three days. Robe UK’s Ian W Brown took his tent and Wellies and got into the festival spirit, where iffy weather turned to sunshine, soaring temperatures and sizzling expectations.
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Brown spent time hanging out at many of the Glasto spaces including The Park with its abundance of open air stages, late night bars, lounges and cafés, tee pee villages, art installations and 17 meter high illuminated Ribbon Tower that overlooked the entire festival site.
South West Lighting supplied the main stage at The Park with a production design created by Ben Perrin and Mark Bott. This involved 24 Robe LEDBeam 100s, eight LEDWash 600s, four LEDWash 1200s and 10 each of ColorSpot and ColorWash 700E ATs.
Around 10 acts each day played here, including Solange Knowles (Beyoncé’s younger sister) and Southend-on-Sea’s The Horrors, whose LD Matthew Button, like many others, was impressed with the Robes.
The LEDBeam 100s all faced the audience for eye-candy effects and increased the general depth and back lines of the stage. The LEDWashes added side and effects lighting.
The Park’s main stage was televised for the first time, so the LEDWash provided ‘rider compliant’ LED illumination for camera, with no flicker issues and a range of white color temperatures. “We were very happy, and everyone else also seemed impressed with the rig,” said Perrin.
The nooks, crannies, hideaways and eclectic spaces around the Park including the entrance arch, Ribbon Tower and Glasto sign were designed by Misty Buckley and lit by Simon Marcus MD of Enlightened Lighting from nearby Bath, using a plethora of Anolis fixtures.
While Marcus enjoyed the relaxed vibe on ‘the hill’ at the Park, Enlightened’s Dave Thorpe took a trip to the wild side to The Common, where they had supplied Robe moving lights to the two main venues, The Temple and the Rave Cave.
Six of Enlightened’s new Robe Robin Pointes moved things in The Temple, which featured a heterogeneous mix of interactive and experiential happenings curated by Bearded Kitten during the daytimes, and Bristol-based Invisible Circus at night, followed by full on DJ sets pumping into the small hours.
LD was Paul de Villiers, who also used LEDWash 600s and LEDBeam 100s with other kit.
The Rave Cave had a rock-faced frontage, complete with a waterfall and abundant foliage, which was lit with Anolis ArcLine LED fixtures. Inside the cave were Robin 600E Spots and LEDWash 300s.
Moving further into the site, and staying in Enlightened territory, was the Glasto Latino Tent at the hub of a South American themed area, replete with salsa lessons and Cuban bands, all lit with Robe ColorWash and ColorSpot 575E ATs operated by David Johnson – one of Robe’s PLASA 2012 student team.
The next venue was Mavericks, a late night environment with a rig of Robes including LEDWash 600s, Robin 600E Spots and two Pointes, coordinated by LD Anthony van Sertima.
Next up was the Summerhouse, an outdoor venue featuring multiple off-beat bands, music and performance in the Outdoor Theatre area. This was lit with ColorSpot 1200E ATs and LEDWash 300s.
That brought the Enlightened team back to The Park and the Silent Disco was lit with some of Enlightened’s Robe 250 Scans, dusted off for the occasion but still going strong after all these years.
Enlightened fielded a crew of 16 for Glasto 2013. They are “delighted” with their new Pointes, says Thorpe, and hope to acquire more soon.
Fineline – one of two rental companies which first received new Robe Pointes in the UK – lit the Circus, Cabaret, Theatre and Acoustic Stages as they have in past years with a complement of Robes.
LD Judge (James Loudon) used 10 each Robin 600E Spots and LEDWash 600s in The Circus tent, while in the Cabaret, LD Wingnut used LEDWash 600s as did Theatre tent LD Hal Himsworth.
On the West Holts Stage, DPL supplied Robe ColorSpot 1200E ATs, which were given a good workout by LD Adam Powers, while over on the John Peel Stage, LD Cate Carter included LEDWash 1200s in her lighting rig.
That was just a smattering of the stages and areas lit with Robe products.
Ian Brown reports, “Everywhere I went I heard people enthusing about the fixtures, especially the Pointes, LEDBeam 100s and LEDWashes. It was also really great to get so much positive feedback from visiting bands and artists LDs all over the place.”
