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In Memoriam: Chris McGregor, Production Designer & Creative Visionary, 61

Chris McGregor

Production Designer and President of San Francisco-based Stage II Productions, Chris McGregor died of a heart attack on Monday, July 31, 2023, at 61. McGregor is widely known for his creative work for Phish and The Residents as well as lighting and production design for numerous events. His passing was initially confirmed by The Residents, who he had worked with since 1989. McGregor earned a BFA degree from the California Institute of the Arts in 1984.Read More »In Memoriam: Chris McGregor, Production Designer & Creative Visionary, 61

Adam Hall Group Receives the BSFZ Seal of Innovation Competence

Every innovation begins with an initial idea. At the Adam Hall Group, these ideas emerge anew every day – and they are developed step by step in the Experience Centre at their Neu-Anspach headquarters into finished products and solutions that support event technology users worldwide in their creative processes. Recently, this innovative competence has been officially confirmed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. With the award of the BSFZ seal by the Certification Body for Research Grants, the Adam Hall Group is now recognized as a researching and developing company.Read More »Adam Hall Group Receives the BSFZ Seal of Innovation Competence

A Projection Problem (and Solution) for Adele’s Vegas Residency

PLSN spoke with Silent House Studios LD Cory FitzGerald and STUFISH Senior Partner Ric Lipson on their design for Weekends with Adele at The Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. “One of the big challenges was finding a fabric that we could project onto that would be bright and clear but that would also be dark enough when you didn’t want it to be lit with projectors,” noted Lipson. “We worked with a company called Carbon Black. They have a fabric that is a very dark gray. It’s essentially covered in a coating that reflects the laser projection in a much brighter way than a traditional projection surface. That became the silver bullet for making the projection look great on the sliding panels.”

CHAUVET Professional Helps LD Systems Create Wonderland Visuals for Visit San Antonio

Everything looks better in colorful light, even something as remarkably beautiful as a world-famous tourist attraction that draws some 34 million visitors a year. LD Systems demonstrated that recently when it transformed the city of San Antonio into a glittering field of brightness and color for the US Travel Association’s IPW 23 Visit San Antonio event.Read More »CHAUVET Professional Helps LD Systems Create Wonderland Visuals for Visit San Antonio

A Wise Move for Robe

2023 Spot Festival in Aarhus, Denmark with lighting provided by Soundwise. Photo by Maria Stougård Mathiasen

Soundwise is a busy Aarhus, Denmark-based full production rental company, which was founded by Lars Thorsager in 2001, initially, as you might expect from the name, as an audio specialist. Their client base includes music and cultural shows and events, touring and corporates, the latter being a rapidly expanding sector. It’s that growth in premium industrial shows over the last year that has fueled a new investment in Robe moving lights, with 12 ESPRITES and 12 LEDBeam 350s joining the rental fleet.Read More »A Wise Move for Robe

Avoid Extinction by Adapting to Tech Changes

PLSN’s LD-at-Large, Chris Lose, notes that, after years of feeling like the “young gun on the crew,” where he could easily “work circles around lighting techs who struggled to adapt to new technologies,” he has once again started to “feel the creep of maturity” set in. The solution, he notes, is to guard against extinction by adapting to technological changes, detailing his journey from working with a Strand 520i to the Wholehog II, grandMA1, grandMA3, while eyeing a future that could include consoles that harness AI to optimize show production.

GLP Ignites Filip Jančík’s Spectacular Classical Shows

Flamboyant Slovakian violinist Filip Jančík has a unique way of presenting his concerts, delivering inspired interpretations of a repertoire of TV/movie soundtracks and popular songs. This has led to him touring over 25 countries across the globe during his career. In recent years, however, he has performed mostly in his native country.Read More »GLP Ignites Filip Jančík’s Spectacular Classical Shows

The Many Hats of CHAUVET Professional at Glastonbury

They might not have been as common as flags at the 2023 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, but CHAUVET Professional fixtures seemed to be everywhere one looked at Worthy Farm during the world-famous event. The company’s products were used to add extra color and excitement to 17 of the festival’s stages. Included in the group were main attractions like the Pyramid, Greenpeace, Flying Bus and new Levels stages, as well as more specialized attractions like the Avalon Stage, nightclub-like Salon Carousel, The Hive Stage, Outside Circus Stage, and the San Remo Stage, an interzone for dreamers, visionaries and other revelers.Read More »The Many Hats of CHAUVET Professional at Glastonbury

Robe Catches the Spirit of Glastonbury 2023

Arcadia Spider 360-degree arena at 2023 Glastonbury Festival (Photo: Chris Cooper/ ShotAway)

Robe moving lights were in action across multiple stages at the 2023 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, including in three key ‘creative’ areas of the massive site at Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset in the UK. These were the spectacular fire-breathing Arcadia Spider 360-degree arena, the eclectic, fabulous and funky Park Stage, one of the most popular Glasto zones, and the BBC Introducing stage which showcases some of the hottest rising music stars and some cool unique pop-up performances.Read More »Robe Catches the Spirit of Glastonbury 2023

LD Drew Hornback Makes Impactful Moments Using X-Laser Fixtures on Scotty McCreery Tour

“I wish people would put their phones down and take in the moment,” said Drew Hornback, touring Lighting Director for country music singer/songwriter Scotty McCreery. While reflecting on the recently wrapped Damn Strait Tour, Hornback said that he understands concertgoers want to capture the memories of seeing the talented McCreery on stage. However, he believes that audience members always get the best experience by simply soaking in the experience with their eyes and ears.Read More »LD Drew Hornback Makes Impactful Moments Using X-Laser Fixtures on Scotty McCreery Tour

‘My Mother’s Courage’ in Madrid Lit with Astera AX3 LightDrops

Photos by Lucia Romero

My Mother’s Courage is a bold new theatrical co-production by Teatro de la Abadia in Madrid, Ur Teatro Company and Palma de Mallorca’s Teatro Principal in Spain, recounting a gripping multi-layered narrative based on Jewish Hungarian-born George Tabori’s true story recalling how his mother Elsa Tabori escaped from Auschwitz and the Nazis during the Second World War using her wits and determination.Read More »‘My Mother’s Courage’ in Madrid Lit with Astera AX3 LightDrops