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ChamSys Unleashes The Power of Choice at LDI With New MagicQ Compact Wing and GeNetix TouchScene

Written by James Harrison on . Posted in News. No Comments on ChamSys Unleashes The Power of Choice at LDI With New MagicQ Compact Wing and GeNetix TouchScene

SOUTHAMPTON, UK – The Power Of Choice! Psychologists, motivational experts, and the like have dispensed reams of advice on how to embrace this potent force in our lives.

Now, ChamSys has made it simpler to channel this power (at least as far as lighting control and design are concerned), with the three new products that have been engineered to put more choices directly in the hands of lighting professionals. Debuting at the company’s LDI booth 1653, the ChamSys MagicQ Compact Wing, and GeNetix TouchScene are loaded with features that take flexibility to new heights, helping users excel in a variety of settings.

The highly anticipated MagicQ Compact Wing, with its extended playback surface, does this in myriad ways providing more faders, more playbacks – and more choices! All of which open up an endless world of creative opportunities.

A simple, portable solution, the MagicQ Compact Wing offers 20 playbacks – 10 fader and 10 executor playbacks. Each section of playbacks can page through multiple playbacks via its own Next and Previous page buttons. All the playbacks feature a large full colour display for playback with the legends located directly above each playback. The 10 playback Faders feature Flash, Go and Select (via its Touch display), while the 10 space-saving Executor playbacks employ a Select and Execute button for each playback.

Adding to its impressive versatility, the MagicQ Compact Wing, which is styled to match the MQ50/70 Compact Consoles, is equally at home when combined with the Compact Connect on PC Systems. Well-suited for live events, this highly adaptable product is also ideal for theatre, TV broadcast, or any application where additional playbacks are wanted for extended control.

Also enhancing the power of choice and building on this year’s LDI theme, true colours reveaLED, is the new GeNetix TouchScene series. The GeNetix TouchScene (and its smaller cousin, the GeNetix TouchScene MINI) are wall-mounted touch panel displays that enable remote scene activations at the press of a button. With cues provided through a ChamSys control system, The TouchScene family are able to provide precise remote control of the system and various levels of operation.

The larger TouchScene features an 8-inch display, while the Touch MINI has a 4-inch screen. Both sizes integrate with MagicQ, QuickQ, and GeNetix Nodes for activation of cues. Both also have a customizable UI layout design when connected to MagicQ Quick Q Systems, as well as support for custom background images.

Intended for the installation market, the TouchScene is similar to the 10Scene Wall Plates, but with the advantage that the touch display enables button functions to be labelled on the display. The touch display can be changed, providing more flexibility than plates that are limited to fixed button functions labelled by paper.

The versatile TouchScene shows faders instead of buttons. However, it can also show faders with buttons. In either case, the TouchScene handles more advanced features, such as colour picking that allows the user to choose from a rainbow colour picker. Again, more choices bring more power, more flexibility, and that, of course, leads to more outstanding results!

If you’re attending LDI 2024, stop by and visit the ChamSys team on booth number 1653 and the exciting new Light Lab in Room W227

Ed Warren Revs Up Four Tet Under The Bridge Performance with ChamSys

Written by rhansen on . Posted in MagicQ, News. No Comments on Ed Warren Revs Up Four Tet Under The Bridge Performance with ChamSys

BROOKLYN, NY – Ed Warren could see that the fans in front of him were really tuned into the two Four Tet shows he lit in Brooklyn at the start of this summer.

That was a given. Less certain though, was whether or not the people above the acclaimed British lighting designer had any idea what he or his famous client were doing! That’s because Four Tet and Warren were 100-feet below the long and very busy Kosciuszko Bridge (affectionately known as the “K Bridge”) when they were busy doing what they love – and are really good at.

“I must admit, it was different doing a show underneath such a busy overpass,” said Warren. “We really couldn’t tell at all what was going on above us. I wonder if anyone above could tell what was going on with us below?”

Given the height and design of the much traversed (34,000 vehicles a day) bridge, that connects parts of Brooklyn and Queens, those passing overhead were oblivious to what Warren and his friends were up to down below in the recently opened K Bridge Park.

Such a shame! Since the two-day festival featured a brilliant mix of EDM music in all its glorious forms by Four Tet and twenty artists he selected to be a part of his curated event.

Warren lit Four Tet’s two main stage sets – one on Saturday late, the other Sunday afternoon into evening, using his ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console.

Shawn Bunch and Rishi Guinness ran the other shows on MagicQ MQ-80 Compact Lighting Consoles with Wings, while See Factor’s Alban Sardzinski handled production on the B stage. All the consoles at the festival, as well as the lighting rig, were supplied by See Factor, working with Highlt PDS (design and drafting studio) GreeNow (power and generators) Firehouse Productions (Flex one audio), and Gravity Productions (festival production management).

For the Four Tet show that he designed, Warren turned the park under the double-spanned bridge into kaleidoscopic wonderland of rapidly-moving reflective light and gobo patterns right there in a converted industrial site at the border of two New York boroughs.

As is his custom, Warren made mirror balls an integral part of this design. “We had four mirror balls positioned around the circular truss above the stage,” he said. “There were also four pillars holding up the bridge. We rigged circular trusses around them as well, so in total we had eight above the dancefloor and four above the stage.”

As for the gobo looks that were so exciting in his show, Warren noted: “I don’t often use them much, but they were a good way to break up the show a little. We called upon them at the more relaxed gentle parts of the set before it went hard again – ‘Recovery Gobos,’ if you will.”

In addition to the intuitive, user-friendly layout of his ChamSys console and its step-saving Timeline feature, Warren found the Group FX feature to be particularly important at Under The K Bridge.

“I used a Show File from a previous Four Tet show with a not too dissimilar setup, so Group Cues and Group FX made changing the show to this configuration go very smoothly. Absolutely, without a doubt, with Group Cues, moving from one show to another has never been easier!”

Looking at the overall show, See Factor’s Alban Sardzinski said: “This was a very unique canvas to work with. It allowed some incredible looks to be created. The ability with ChamSys to busk fast, and drive 90 pixel bars and lights without limitations was a big contributor the making this a special event for everyone.”

Niller Bjerregaard Manages Complexity on Opeth TourWith ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium

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STOCKHOLM – Out of complexity find simplicity… Albert Einstein was fond of giving this advice to students. Words of wisdom for anyone grappling with the infinite intricacies of physics to be sure, but it’s also something to keep in mind when trying to capture the deeply nuanced and multi-faceted music of a band like Opeth. That’s especially true on a two-leg tour, each one involving a very different type of show.

Just ask Niller Bjerregaard!

The well-known designer lit two legs of the Swedish progressive metal band’s tour: One consisted of fly-in shows that carried only a backdrop and called for him to busk; the second involved an extensive floor package with video panels and a media server. Bjerregaard excelled at both by distilling things down to the basic core element of the band’s music.

Also helping Bjerregaard realize his vision on the two-part tour was his ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console. “My ChamSys Light Desk together with Capture visualizing software and Hippo Media server, all connected to the network ports on the desk, with sACN on all used universes,” he explained. “It was so easy to set up third-party software/hardware and have it speak to the ChamSys desk. I found the network ports and the number of universe available straight out of the desk also to be fantastic.”

Bjerregaard, described the tour as “quite challenging, but fun.” In essence, he had to program his show twice, spending time at the Victory Event & Tour APS warehouse with his ChamSys desk and visualiser.

“The first leg of the tour was programmed with a busking/Cue feeling; we had to be very adaptive to the different shows we did,” said Bjerregaard. “I was specking a heavy floor package and a MQ500M desk to accommodate show needs and production, but for the first leg, it ended up very different. Unlike Leg 2, which was more modern looking, Leg 1 was a Doom-Old school Heavy Metal look with the band in silhouette and heavy smoke. This was really fun. In moments like this you don’t really know what’s going to happen next, and your fingers just play along to the music and moods. I loved the depth it created with some looks that were very dramatic and ’evil feeling,’ which suited Opeth’s stage presence.

“We followed a different approach in Leg 2, with a large video component. It was jammed packed with risers, lights, and video panels — all provided by Victory Event & Tour APS. This was a well prepped production and I spend a week in Victory warehouse to prepare the tour and production, preprograming it on my MQ500M, but this time seeing the whole floor set up and connected to a Hippo Media server witch ran the video content on DS – MS Banners and a US video Wall directly from the desk intergraded with the Light All In Cue lists and Bump Buttons. The Production looked cool with big dramatic looks to go with Opeth’s fantastic diverse and exciting music.”

Prior to beginning his design for the tour, Bjerregaard spent a great deal of time listening to the music of Opeth. Closing his eyes and feeling the surge of emotional energy, he visualized the moods and imagery in his head, describing them as Doom, Death, Ominous Darkness, Depth, Happiness, Bliss, and Heaven!

“My interpretation of Opeth is vibrant colors, dark space, and silhouettes mixed with a 50- cue list of moods and strobes effects,” he explained. “It was a journey of taking risks and not following the norm. The band plays for two hours every show, and each song is about 12 minutes long, with five or six different main parts. A very comprehensive cue list was needed. Each song took about three or four hours to program. Some songs had many fast breaks and solos that need highlighting, so I used many Cue Macros to log different cue lists to make sure I hit all breaks and video changes correctly. There was no timecode to help me.”

What was there to help Bjerregaard was the Opeth crew: Steven Page, George Davidson, Ollie Sandqvist, Saso Pusnik, Milton Evens, Stefano Cassese – and, of course, his trusty ChamSys.

“It’s a very different challenge on a two-legged tour like this,” he said. “On the leg where we didn’t have a big floor package, we had to rely on house rigs. So many variables had to come together to make it look seamless and coherent. ChamSys has all the right tools to make this happen– and easily too.

“On leg two, a crucially important feature was the Macros to Launch Cue Lists for video content,” continued Bjerregaard. “It made it so much easier not to have to think about video content, as it just connects to different cues. Also, the Motorized Faders feature was a big help when we had multiple faders running effects and video content at the same times as the main cue list.”

On the subject of cue lists, Bjerregaard had a final thought on the tour. “The thing I love about Opeth is their raw power mixed with delicate and clever combinations. So, the cue list I did for them was extensive and pretty complicated.”

Relying on his clear creative vision (along with a powerful console), Niller Bjerregaard was able to make these “pretty complicated” transitions in this show, something he describes as “seamless and pretty.” Such is the power of simplicity.

ChamSys Offers Comprehensive Training and New Products at PLASA 2024

Written by rhansen on . Posted in News.

LONDON – The Hilton London Olympia is 0.322 kilometers from the Olympia Events convention centre, a mere four minute walk, give or take a few seconds. But those who make that short trek during PLASA 2024 will gain some valuable knowledge that is likely to take their careers great distances for years to come.

ChamSys will be conducting a series of learning sessions during the first two days of the three-day show, which runs from September 1-3, at the Hilton’s Warwick and Napier Rooms. The sessions will cover a variety of topics, from an introduction to MagicQ, to a guide to achieving faster programming with Group Cues and Group FX, as well as well as learning experiences with guest LDs like David Howard and Simon Horn. Some session will involve a nominal fee but will provide gift bags that include a MagicDMX worth £15. For a complete training session schedule and registration form, https://chamsyslighting.com/pages/plasa-london-2024.

Visitors at the events centre are also invited to visit ChamSys at Booth D10 to get hands on experience with the company’s control solutions, including the powerful MagicQ MQ500+ Stadium Console, which offers direct control of 400 universes with no external processing, gigabit networking, and the ability to support two touchscreens directly from the back panel.

Also on display at the booth will be GeNetix control solutions that simply data distribution with lighting products, including those from CHAUVET Professional and Iluminarc.

CHAUVET Professional will be sharing Booth D10 with ChamSys. The company will be showcasing many of its latest products, including the two newest members of the award-winning Maverick Silens family of quiet, fanless fixtures: the 430W Maverick Silens 1X Profile and 760W Maverick Silens 2X Profile. Other fixtures highlighted at the booth will be the Ovation Reve family, and the exciting STRIKE Bolt 1C and STRIKE Bolt 2C, which already have been shaking up the concert and touring world with their unique ability to transition smoothly from potent strobing to smooth colour block effects.

Booth D10 has been designed to engender networking and customer connections. To further this connectivity, CHAUVET Professional and ChamSys will be hosting a get together at a Sixes Social Cricket Club on Monday. Visitors can learn more at the company’s booth. Though the companies will be offering plenty of sound advice at Booth D10 and at the Hilton training rooms, when it comes to flicking Kookaburras visitors will be on their own.

Alon Shnaiderman Powers Eden Hason With ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console

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NEW YORK – At times during his performances on his recent arena tour of the US Israeli superstar Eden Hason seemed to be elevated in space as if he were seeking to connect himself and the audience to some higher, more hopeful meaning. It was an apt metaphor for these times, which is exactly what the singer and his lighting designer, Alon Shnaiderman hoped to create when they worked on the vision for this show together.

“The concept of the performance design was built by me together with my client,” said Shnaiderman. “We meet and began to bring his personal place onto the stage. There was a hopeful, positive message he wanted to say to the audience, we broadcast this through the design.”

In keeping with this vision, the singer and his lighting designer sought to create an uplifting mood. “We wanted to give the impression of levitation, that the whole element floats and gives a feeling in space,” said Shnaiderman. “This was key to the story Eden wanted to tell.”

Relying on 20 automated hoists, Shnaiderman created multiple layers of light to change perspectives during the two-hour concert. Over 340 lighting fixtures, one thousand meters of neon strips and 12 fog machines provided him with myriad options to create a wide range of looks. He availed himself of these opportunities with great skill in his 120-univese show, calling forth a broad palette of hues, from monochromatic purples and passionate reds, to multi-colored rainbows that evoked a range of moods.

At times he created very intimate looks with subtle washes and tightly focuses spots, while at others, he used the runway that was connected to his open stage to set a more glamorous tone.

Helping Shnaiderman accomplish this in his time-coded show was his ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium console. “I really love this console because of its logical layout and user-friendly features,” he said. “With a timecoded show such as this one, the MQ500M is truly an invaluable tool.”

Shnaiderman found the MagicVis 3D Visualiser easy to work with and helpful in the way it allowed him to render effects clearly. Another thing he appreciated was how his console made it easy to work with groups of fixtures. It also helped him make fast focuses and good locking positions.

In addition to relying on the MagicQ MQ500M Stadium, Shnaiderman was able to count on the support of talented colleagues, beginning with Sarit Production Ltd., screen designer ACX Studio, and VJ Moshe Baskin. AV supplier Sincopa also made critical contributions as did stage director Mor Shlomovitz, along with stage manager Itaar and Udi Bar Shavit and Ruth Tzarfati. 

The Eden Hason tour was indeed a massive undertaking that required the work of many hands, but ultimately, it also raised many spirits.

Alain Corthout Powers Black Eyed Peas With ChamSys Stadium MagicQ MQ500M

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PARIS – The ancient Greek philosopher Hierocles was fond of using concentric circles to represent something he called oikeiosis, the essence of our identity as humans, with the inner circle symbolizing the individual, and each succeeding curve representing a broader and broader universe. The same theme surrounding this shape has been echoed by philosophers throughout the ages. It was also called forth this spring in Alain Corthout’s stunning production design for Black Eyed Peas show at La Défense Arena.

Corthout reflected the music and stage persona of the iconic LA band with a transcended visual panorama that wove light and video together in concentric patterns that seemed to reach out further and further, extending as far as the imagination would take them.

“The lighting and video concept aimed to create a seamless fusion of elements, utilizing expansive curves and circles to present a unified visual experience,” said Corthout. “By integrating concentric rims extending from the video screens, we sought to evoke a sense of grandeur and cohesion within the large venue setting.”

Using this majestic canvas, Corthout unfolded a narrative over a show that spanned more than two hours and featured a 24-song set list. “The narrative of the show centered on encapsulating the joyous, ecstatic, party atmosphere synonymous with the Black Eyed Peas’ music,” he explained. “Our design and programming were tailored to mirror the energy and tone set by the band.”

Powering this creative outpouring, was a ChamSys MQ500M Stadium console, supplemented by a stadium wing and a spare MQ500M unit. The lighting, which required 55-universes, was run exclusively by the console, whilst the video was done with Resolume, under the direction of Austin Stengle. Programming for the show was executed using Capture 2024 Symphony.)

Belgium’s Phlippo Showlights supplied the ChamSys console and lighting-video kit for this show. “They demonstrated exceptional expertise by assembling an 800-light rig within a single day,” said Corthout. “They also supplied the rigging, sound, and stage risers. Mike Walker, the production manager, and co-designer, also deserves a great deal of credit. His contributions were integral to the success of the project.”

Corthout drew on many of the performance features of his ChamSys console to turn his vision into a reality on stage. “The three pivotal features of our console for this application were Group FX, Grid FX, and Speed Masters,” he said. “These functionalities streamlined the programming process, offering ease of use and rapid adaptability to the dynamic tempo changes, and last-minute song adjustments typical of live performances. Their significance lies in the efficiency they afford in programming, ensuring seamless transitions and synchronization with the evolving musical elements of the show.”

The MQ500M’s Copy Heads Programming, “an amazing tool to transform an existing show to a completely new setup,” was also valued by Corthout, as was the Replace Palettes, Multi Console + Visualiser settings (which allowed one person to do presets, while a colleague programmed cues), and the MVR Import + Plot.

Elaborating on the latter feature, Corthout noted, “it allowed super-fast import from Vectorworks CAD programs or visualiser. You can start to build up your show without losing time on patching.”

In the end all these tools came together, and, like Hierocles’s oikeiosis, expanded ever more outward to create something that really seemed to know no limits.

Chris Foot Powers Placebo with ChamSysMagicQ MQ250M Stadium Console

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HALIFAX, UK – Before Placebo came on stage at the historic Piece Hall, the band’s Brain Molko appeared on video, appealing to fans to keep their cell phones firmly in the pockets. The award-winning singer and guitarist urged those in the crowd to “live in the here and now,” so he and bandmate,  bassist Stefan Olsdal, could better celebrate the deep emotions that swirl through each of their songs. 

All but a few of the fans adhered to Molko’s wishes. Very smart of them! They were justly rewarded with a beautifully diverse show that was more than worthy of their full attention. Driven by Molko’s unique high-pitched vocals and Olsdal driving rhythms, the show treated the audience to one emotional high point after another.

Supporting the performance on stage every exhilarating step of the way was a dynamic 9-universe lightshow run on a ChamSys MagicQ MQ250M Stadium Console by Chris Foot, a ChamSys user since 2012.  Working from an original Jvan Morandi design, Foot took over running the Placebo show on their extended global tour in late 2022.

“This is an album campaign with a certain look & feel already established, so design-wise I’ve tried to keep a similar theme to the start of the cycle, whilst also moving the show forward at the same time,” said Foot.  “Of course, the look has changed several times throughout the tour depending upon the size of the venues and things of that nature.”

Foot credits his MQ250M, which was supplied by Colour Sound Experiment, with helping him change the show quickly to adapt to different venue demands, and meet new challenges.  

“A thing that is different for me in this show is the addition of video,” he said. “I am spending a lot of time working with our video director, Giulia Sirianni, on finding a nice balance between the two of us throughout the show. In terms of colour combinations, intensity and focus. It’s important that lights and video gel nicely, so using darker or contrasting colours is a nice way to allow the video to pop or be the focus of attention at times. I do like the MQ250M colour picker for easy fine turning of colours.”

The Fixture Search feature of his MQ250M has been another big help, giving Foot the flexibility to navigate his way through the myriad venues on this tour. “I’ve encountered many weird and wonderful house rig fixtures in various parts of the world,” he said. “So, having the ability to grab a personality quickly (and potentially edit it), is amazing. 

“I am also grateful for the Expand Palette feature,” continued Foot.  “I encounter many different fixture types, particularly in festival season, so having the ability to add information into palettes and expand throughout the show is very nice. Another great gift, though it might seem minor, is the mirror on my ChamSys desk. It really helps when you have to build so many positions really quickly.”

Foot’s show is cue stacked, with no timecoding, but each song has a number of manual cues on faders or buttons. “Being able to change how faders & buttons behave really helps,” said Foot. “Having the extra encoders/flash buttons above the main playbacks on the MQ250M comes in very handy. It eliminates the need for an extra wing.”

Comparing his MQ250M to other consoles, Foot said “it gives me a lot more scope.”  That’s a good thing! Foot needs that scope to follow the many paths that Placebo travels in this show, providing fans with beautiful images along the way – images that will last in their memories, and thankfully, not their cell phones. 

Front Of House Festival Magic With ChamSys At Glastonbury 2024

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In the world of performing arts festivals, nothing beats Glasto.  And for those of us who live and breathe lighting, nothing is better than the firsthand FOH experience of watching talented lighting designers and operators perform their magic.

Come along with us as we revisit the excitement of witnessing their incredible work and gorgeous setups as they created thrillingperformances seemingly everywhere at Worthy Farm.  And whether they were MagicQ or QuickQ consoles, PC Wings or GeNetix nodes, ChamSys did seem to be everywhere at this year’s edition.

A huge thank you to all our amazing colleagues for making this festival truly spectacular. It was an unforgettable experience to see your lighting designs and programming skills in action at so many stages.   

We’re excited to share with you a small part of the Glasto magic we experienced firsthand with our round-up of the stages we visited.

The Pyramid Stage had never looked as vibrant in the sun as it did during Michael Kiwanuka’s performance that was brilliantly brought to life with stunning visuals controlled by our MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console.

Pyramid Stage
GLS Lighting
LD Ed Warren • Op Amy Barnett
MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console

GLS supplied the floor package with an MQ500M, which Ed Warren and Amy Barnett put to electrifying use, creating a show that served as the ideal complement to Michael Kiwanuka’s psychedelic soul sounds.

West Holts
DPL Production Lighting LImited
LD Ed Warren • Op Kristina Jazykova
MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console

From his collaboration with Will Thomas on the Car Henge art installation to his design for Sugababes at the iconic West Holts stage, Ed Warren was Glastonbury’s busiest man, running six different sites. 

Kristina Jazykova masterfully operated a MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console, delivering an unforgettable visual experience for the huge crowd that gathered to watch Sugababes.

Pyramid Stage
LD Patrick Sollitt • MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console

Practice makes perfect and Patrick Sollitt has been lighting legendary UK songwriter Paul Heaton for nearly a decade.  Paddy ran Heaton’s Glastonbury show to perfection on a MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console.

Pyramid Stage
LD Anthony Hazelden • MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console
Console from Neg Earth Lights

Burna Boy amused his Glastonbury fans with an invitation to join him in taking off their shirts. His longtime LD Anthony Hazelden kept his on and smoothly delivered a stunning light show from his MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console.

The Levels
SR Production Services • LD James Newmarch
MagicQ MQ500M+ Stadium Console • GeNetix GN10 Nodes

James Newmarch punched light through the haze and controlled 114 universes with a MQ500M+ Stadium Console, along with 88 universes of 3D pixel mapping running from video content loaded directly into the console.  Home to some of the festival’s highest-energy shows, The Levels stage also marked the location of a GeNetix debut in a Glastonbury rig.

Wishing Well
David Howard Lighting Design • MagicQ MQ250M Stadium Console

David Howard brought his MQ250M and his magic to bless this new stage with dreamy transcendent looks.

The Glebe
BSM Stage Tec • QuickQ 20

Brian from BSM brought a ChamSys QuickQ 20 and got into the act with his lucky ducky as he prepared for the next run at Glastonbury’s quirkiest outdoor theatre.

Stonebridge Bar
LD James Dickinson • MagicQ MQ70 Compact Console

At the ever-popular Glasto bar, James Dickinson kept the energy level high for Annie Mac’s set.

Glasto Latino
Mass Affect Lighting • MagicQ MQ250M Stadium Console • MagicQ Extra Wing Compact

Glasto Latino drew a crowd from the moment the festival opened.  Operating a rig provided by Enlightened, Mass Affect Lighting brought their MQ250M Stadium Console to keep pace with the Latin dance moves and serve up red hot lighting looks.

Field of Avalon
WaveCo Productions
MagicQ PC Wing Compact • MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console

Eclectic folk and roots music reigned for days and nights at the Avalon stage. 
Our MagicQ PC Wing Compact was used for Kate Nash, while an MQ500M powered the The Cat Empire show. 

Shangri-La – Peace
PF Events • LD Harry Merrison
MagicQ MQ250M Stadium Console • MagicQ Extra Wing Compact

Harry Merrison brought a golden warmth and immersive panoramas to the Peace Stage on an MQ250M + Extra Wing Compact.

Lonely Hearts
SR Production Services • MagicQ MQ250M Stadium Console

LD Kai Mcilquham adroitly worked his MQ250M to move with the dance beats of DJ Wilkinson.

Left Field
South West Group Events
MagicQ MQ70 Compact Console • MagicQ Extra Wing

No surprises as SWG Events kept things running smoothly at Left Field Stage with a ChamSys MagicQ MQ70 Compact + Extra Wing.

Unfairground – Flying Bus Stage
GLX Productions
MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console • MagicQ MQ500M Wing

Glenn from GLX brought busloads of powerful looks to the Unfairground’s funnest stage with his MQ500M + Wing.

The Hive
Luke Adams Lighting
MagicQ MQ250M Stadium Console • MagicQ Extra Wing Compact

The Hive Stage buzzed flawlessly with Luke Adams Lighting at the controls.

Circus Big Top
Fineline Lighting • LD James Loudon
MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console • MagicQ MQ70 Compact Console • GeNetix GN5

Operators Rory and Tom were accompanied by the most brightly illuminated duck at Glastonbury and deftly ran their MQ500M alongsidean MQ70 to woo the crowd with a design by James Loudon and a rig that included GeNetix GN5 nodes.

Steve Mccracken and Mac-Events Rock Callum Beattie With ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console

Written by James Harrison on . Posted in News.

GLASGOW – Where does chart-topping Scottish singer-songwriter Callum Beattie draw his inspiration from? One music critic put it this way: “Throw some Springsteen, Dylan and Oasis into the blender and you wouldn’t be far off.” That’s a pretty heady mix, but the artist from Edinburgh has more than lived up to these high expectation since bursting on the scene six years ago. Retain all the raw, honest power that he displayed as a teenaged street singer, Beattie brings a genuine sense of authenticity and power to his songs, all wrapped up with a generous serving of musicality.

All these features captivated sellout crowds on his recent winter tour of Scotland. Supporting him note-for-intense-note with some fiercely bold visuals was a power-packed light show by Steve Mccraken of Mac-Events, who programmed the show and ran it throughout the tour on his ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console.

Working with a kit supplied by Limelight Event Services, Mccracken busked some manual flashes, strobes, and other looks, but most of his show was cue stacked. “We kept the looks consistent from show to show to create the experience that fans expected,” he said. “Although we had to make some changes to accommodate some venues, we remained consistent overall.”

The looks that Mccracken designed seemed to be tailor-made for his client’s genuine up-from- the-streets stage presence. For example, Mccraken created some interesting effects mixing silhouettes with wide prisms and gobos. This look was notable in the song “Don’t Walk Alone,” during an instrumental break down, when the band are silhouetted and many of the lights are chasing. “The band appear out the dark every second or so,” said Mccracken. “It’s a simple loom and it brings so much to this part of the show.”

Given that Beattie and his fans thrive on close contact, Mccracken arranged his fixtures to maximize the artist-audience connection. “I deliberately put my front lights low, so Callam could see the crowd a little easier,” he said. “I also had blinders on during the talking sessions.”

Mccraken, who designed the show in Capture and preprogrammed on his MQ500M, explained how his console helped him. I triggered a lot of the FX in programming off macros, so I really liked how the extra playbacks in my ChamSys helped me keep everything I needed in one space rather than me having to sift through separate pages.

“I also appreciated how I could layout my desk, so I could know that the first five faders and above will be for my manual front wash, specials and so forth, whilst the next bank of five would be for my macros, then the last bank for my song stack and bump buttons.”

The extra Playbacks were also helpful to Mccraken as a programmer, since they made it easier for him to train his eyes on the stage, instead of trying to follow multiple pages. “I also liked the Dual Screen for maximum layout space, so if anything did go wrong, I could catch it quickly,” he said. “This helped when changing Fader Colours.”

Thanks to the user-friendly features of his console, Mccracken was not only able to spend more time getting creative with this lighting, but he could also enjoy the show more… because, like many people in Scotland, he too is a Callam Beattie fan.

Niklas Fuchs Busks LEMO Unplugged Tour With ChamSys Stadium Connect

Written by James Harrison on . Posted in News.

GRAZ, AUSTRIA – LEMO may be one of the most popular Austrian performers today, but at heart, says Niklas Fuchs, he is more like “the friendly musician from next door.” This relaxed and engaging personality is reflected in the star’s LEMO Unplugged Tour, which has a set that looks like a living room.

“LEMO truly is authentic and friendly,” said Fuchs. “On this tour, he wanted the audience to feel like they are visiting him at home listening to his songs from the couch. So, the design basically consisted of a whole lot of carpets on stage, standard E27 LED Bulbs, and some living room luminaires that we literally bought on the way to the first show. It created a special atmosphere.”

Filling in on the tour for LEMO’s usual lighting designer Bernhard Endl, Fuchs accented this welcoming mood with a warm, inviting light show. Position in a vertical configuration over the stage, his rig focused attention on the artist while contributing to the homey atmosphere. He used different parts of his rig at different points in the show, to create more varied and moving looks.

“Over time I learned the power of not using the whole rigg in certain situations,” said Fuchs. “This really opens up a whole new set of possibilities. It gets a lot easier to create drama, big contrasts and always keep some element of surprise throughout the show. Also, stages can look a lot bigger when there is just one well-focused spot on the singer.”

Fuchs ran his show on his new MagicQ Stadium Connect, and busked the entire time. “I didn’t do any preprogramming or anything in this case,” he said. “I just used my busking show file for the whole tour, creating the show in the newest BETA Version of the Stadium Connect, currently running on 1.9.5.3.”

Speaking of his new Stadium Connect Fuchs noted: “It is the ultimate desk for me. I’ve built a custom case for it. I am hugely in love with this piece of equipment.”

Busking as he does, Fuchs finds the Motor Faders, quick access to Group Masters, and the additional playbacks on the encoder knob to be invaluable on this tour. “With busking, it really gets down to the number of physical buttons, faders and knobs you can quickly access for various looks and tweaks,” he explained. “I programmed my busking file especially to suit the layout of the Stadium Connect. I am just using two pages. On page one I have all my group masters – the important ones on the faders, the less important ones on the encoder knobs. Then on page two, I have a total of 42 directly accessible playbacks. 10 Faders, 10 Executors on Pause Buttons, 10 Executors on Play Buttons, 10 Playbacks on Encoders and Flash Buttons, and two crossfaders that are also programable.”

Another feature that Fuchs is enthused about is the built-in Numbpad. “I know it sounds silly, but I really appreciate having a physical Numbpad on the Stadium Connect,” he said.

“Silly?” Hardly. When you impeccably busk an engaging show like this one, any preference you have is just fine.

Chauvet France to Distribute ChamSys in France

Written by James Harrison on . Posted in News.

PARIS – Since its founding in 2003, ChamSys has taken great pride in the ability of its cutting-edge software and hardware control solutions to adapt to the myriad and always-evolving needs of lighting programmers and designers. Hence, the company’s name, which is derived from the supremely adaptive chameleon. 

 

It is in this spirit that the company has adapted to the changing needs of its rapidly expanding footprint in the French market, by announcing that its entire product line will be distributed starting December 1, 2023 in this market by Chauvet France, a wholly own subsidiary of ChamSys’ parent company Chauvet.   

 

In its new home, Chauvet France will sell, service, and provide training for the entire line of ChamSys consoles, including the popular Stadium series, which has been used at major concerts, festivals, and theatrical productions throughout France. The new distribution arrangement will also allow ChamSys to broaden its French language training programs.

 

Concurrent with this development, highly regarded lighting programmer and designer, Rémy Rouvoy has joined Chauvet France as the ChamSys Business Development and Support Manager. Rouvoy brings vast experience to his new position, not only through the many shows he has worked on personally, but also as a result of the key positions he’s held as a trainer for ChamSys products in his previous missions.

 

“We are very pleased to welcome the ChamSys brand to the Chauvet France roster,” said Martin Fournier, Chauvet’s European Sales Director. “There is great synergy between our two sister companies in terms of our philosophies of striving for constant improvement and innovation. ChamSys is a benchmark in light control for operators worldwide, and Rémy Rouvoy is a precious addition to our team! We thank Sonoss for their help in ChamSys distribution over the years.”

 

Fournier added that Chauvet and ChamSys also share a common commitment to providing quality service to all customers. This, he says, will result in them finding “a complete offer of proven solutions for their technical challenges.”

Ed Warren Busks Connectivity at C2C With ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium

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TURIN – It’s important that everyone in the audience feel like part of the show, says Ed Warren, especially when lighting a festival that features DJ and EDM performances. The award-winning designer was determined to achieve this level of connectivity when lighting multiple A-list acts at the C2C festival in early November, even though the venue he was working at, Lingotto Turin, wasn’t exactly conducive to creating a sense of intimacy.

Opened in 1923 by Fiat, Lingotto Turin was the largest automobile factory in the world back in the day, employing some 16,000 workers in three 24/7 shifts. The building may have been a paradigm of productivity when it was turning out automobiles a century ago (something it stopped doing in 1957), but as a live music venue…? Well, despite its many wonderfully evocative features as a concert setting, the sprawling structure does create challenges for anyone looking to connect audiences to the stage.

“The venue is absolutely gargantuan,” said Warren. “C2C, which was formerly known as Club-to-Club, has a nightclub vibe, so you want to make everyone feel included, like they’re a part of the show. A lot of the acts are DJs, so I felt it was essential to extend the show out beyond the stage all the way to the back, regardless of the size of this place.”

Warren accomplished this goal with a dynamic and captivating 12-universe show that he ran on his ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console. Creating rectangular patterns of light and video on the stage, he also repeated them with similar configurations on the ceiling. As a result, he turned the entire space into an immersive geometric configuration that blurred the lines separating the stage and audience.

“We extended light and video throughout the big room, even onto the ceiling,” said Warren.“This is a festival look that we have been working on for a few years – and now, we expanded the concept by adding overhead LED screens, an upstage screen, and screens/lighting hung horizontally over and around the dance floor. This year I was also asked to design the second stage, which was an in the round style. The festival directors had seen a show I designed in that style earlier this year and wanted a similar kind of experience.” 

Busking his way through the entire festival, Warren coaxed the maximum level of versatility out of his distinctive rig, ensuring that his lighting reflected the distinct style of Flying Lotus, Moodyman, Marina Herlop, Slauson Malone and the other acts, all whilst limiting his palette to selective (and very bold) colours.

“I had a busk show file ready to go and just added the festival’s fixtures to it,” said Warren. “My MQ500M was ideal for this. It was important for me to have a good busking setup, since I busked every artist that I lit over the weekend. I can’t think of an easier, more user-friendly way to do this than with ChamSys, because the console is so intuitive.”

Warren praised his console’s Group FX and Intensity Faders for saving him time during the busy festival weekend. Another time-saver was the direct link to Capture on his Mac when he used the Patch Import Function. He also used an Execute Window to house his palettes and groups, all of which helped his show run smoothly.

Together, these and other features contributed to Warren’s show flowing with a variety of intensely focused artists, as he transformed this Goliath of the industrial age into an immersive contemporary nightclub.

Mathias Kuhn Tells Papa Roach Story On Tour With ChamSys

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NEWARK, NJ – Right from the start, Papa Roach fans at the Prudential Center, knew that the trailblazing metal masters were going to be coming at them in full force. Walking onto a dark stage, the band started to play “Between Angels and Insects,” as the background behind them suddenly erupted with strobing images from a massive video wall that ran almost the entire width of the stage.

The menacingly raw and powerful images on the wall were repeated on the extended riser, making the band members on it look as if they were being absorbed into the foreboding video. It was exactly the kind of evocative narrative that German lighting designer Mathias Kuhn and the band from northern California envisioned when they sat down to plan the production for the Revolution Live tour in support of Shinedown.

“Video is by far the biggest part of the show,” said Kuhn. “The band just wanted to step back from the usual couple of lights on a pole, and create a visual part of the show, that sucks the audience right into their narrative. On previous tours, I used a bookend shaped videowall to create the look of a band that is surrounded by the video content, so they are playing ‘inside’ the Wall. We talked a lot about the start of the show, how we wanted to glue the first three songs together but make them look totally different — and that worked out pretty well. A lot of people in the audience were just blown away by the band’s energy.”

Kuhn created this magic with the help of this ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium console and a PC wing backup. “I used a Resolume Arena server that I trigged with my ChamSys console via ArtNet. The show’s video element is running on my console’s Timecode. The ChamSys Timecode Tracks is making it very easy to run unique video content for each song.”

A ChamSys user for the past couple of years, or so, Kuhn says that his MQ500M, which was supplied for this tour by Bandit Lites, stands out because of its power and time-saving efficiency. “ChamSys is definitely the fastest console for touring,” he said. “The cloning and morphing are extremely fast, while the Group Cue feature is making it very easy for me to adapt to the different rigs we’re encountering on this tour. It saves me a lot of time programming, so I can concentrate and what I like best, lighting!”

In terms of his lighting, Kuhn is working with his light tech Joe Dileo from Bandit Lites, and video tech Caleb Gurley from Fuse to keep the focus 100-percent on supporting his client’s music.

“Papa Roach are such great performers, I don’t want my design to distract from them,” he said. “I choose colors to reflect the mood of the song, but I did not want to ‘candy-color’ the show. Many times, I will use white light on the band and audience.”

Often, Kuhn will spot individual band members in large white ovals, which helps him create a club feel even in the large amphitheaters and arenas on this tour. He called upon this look for this tour.

“I like oval shaped looks,” he said. “Not only because they create a kind of a roof on the stage, but they also give us an almost graphic structure that changes with the viewing angle, so the show looks a little different from every seat. This results in a more unique experience for fans.”


Regardless of where they sit on this tour, Papa Roach fans are seeing exactly what they came for: an unapologetically intense metal performance by a historically great band supported step for step by equally powerful ChamSys run show.

Eagle Production Co and Moshe Baskin Sets Stage for Salvation Army with ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M

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POCONO MANOR, PA – The Kalahari Resort in the Pocono mountains bills itself as “220,000 square feet, filled with wet, wild, fun.”  The massive complex does indeed offer some distinctive amenities, such as the world’s first virtual reality water slide. On the weekend of September 23-24, it was also the site of The Way, a Salvation Army Young Adult Retreat.

In addition to enjoying the usual attractions at the resort during their recreation periods, the retreat attendees, who hailed from every East Coast state, as well as Puerto Rico, enjoyed high-energy performances by Unbound, a contemporary worship band.

 

Reflecting the ebullient personality and sound of the band was an eight-universe lighting and video show designed and created by Eagle Production Co. that Moshe Baskin ran on his ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console.

Baskin busked his show, which he designed in Vectorworks and programmed in L8.  Working with his Eagle Production Co. rig, he relied on silhouettes and split beams, as well as a variety of top lighting and side lighting to create an ethereal, spiritual aura around the band, as well as other performers, including the inspired dance troupe, Move.  He also used on some richly textured monochromatic color schemes to set the mood on the 28’ by 42’ stage.

 

“I aimed for very dreamy and spiritual atmosphere,” said Baskin. “My goal was to engage the crowd with uplifting looks without distracting from the performers. For the dancers, I used top spots for dramatic impact, and for front washing I got excellent looks from my Rogue R1 BeamWashes.”

Working with Chris Severn and Tzvi Stein, who assisted in the design and logistics, along with Felipe Concha from the Unbound band, Baskin not only supported the music and dance performances, he also provided more conventional lighting for the speeches and presentations that were part of this triennial worship event. During dramatic moments in these segments, he lit up the stage and crowd with blinders.

 

Baskin credits his MQ500M with helping him put together the lighting design for this diverse event. “I didn’t have much time to program,” he said. “When I showed up it was time for rehearsals! Even though it’s very powerful, the MQ500M is very intuitive and easy to work with. I was able to create various looks as the performers were rehearsing. The Group Cues, made it a breeze to fan between positions and colors, so I could create some crazy looks quickly.”

Since Baskin busked throughout the entire weekend event, he also found the Programmer Live feature of his console to be invaluable. “The workflow capability of the ChamSys is so smooth; it allows me to concentrate on creative issues. In keeping with the mood of the event, I used soft palettes a lot and updated them in live-linked to the programmer.

 

“I also loved how easy it was, just typing a number (for time) followed by a *, plus the list of symbols like+.- on the ChamSys keypad and hitting a palette to quickly offset that palette across selected heads in various directions” continued Baskin. “It was super quick to create fades and delays on the fly. When you’re busking an event with so many components that’s as good as gold.”

Photo Credit: Kevin Diaz

Steve McCracken Makes Magic with ChamSys At Fly Open Air Festival

Written by James Harrison on . Posted in News.

EDINBURGH – The transformation seemed magical. For three nights this summer, Princess Gardens Park, a refined and stately 37-acre oasis of green in the middle of a downtown shopping district, took on the air of an EDM club as thousands of fans piled in to see stars like Kerri Chandler, Shanti Celeste, Mr. G, and DJ Boring, perform at the Fly Open Air Festival.

Setting an appropriately intense tone for the proceedings was a bright, bold, and fast moving 14-universe lightshow run by Steve McCracken on his ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium that featured a massive 40-meter-long EDM-club-worthy wall of light.

Working with a lighting design by Nick Jevons of NJ Designs, and fixtures supplied by LITE-UP Productions, McCracken, busked the entire weekend. He relied on the big wall to create chase sequences, intense colour washes, and other effects that transformed the park into an immersive club setting.

Like all such seemingly “magical transformations” however, this one was the product of some very down-to-earth hard work, along with generous servings of skill and resourcefulness on the part of the entire production team, including 19Mil, which – designed and assembled all the mirrored panels. McCracken explained how the magic happened:

“I was approached by Nick Jevons to operate this show for him.  The spec his client wanted was beams, the bolder and brighter the better.  So, my role was to work with our techs Chris Gowling and Russell Cobden to install the light, then programme the show and operate it.

“There were some issues we had to deal with in the installation process to make our wall of light work,” continued McCracken. “Namely, the weight and configuration of the fixtures, meant that we needed to outrig them, which was a bit challenging, given the structure of the wall, which had two layers. But all departments worked well together to arrive at the desired outcome.”

Outrigging created its own issue, because it resulted in a tight gap between fixtures. To address this, McCraken had to limit the tilt the fixtures on the wall to prevent them from hitting each other. His ChamSys console came to his aid. “Our MQ500M provided a quick and easy solution,” he said. “I used the Tilt Limits within the Patch Window to limit how much fixtures could tilt.”

McCracken also made good use of the Grids feature in his console, as it allowed him to layout his fixtures on the output grid. “This enabled me to make quick groups whilst busking to create different FX,” he said. “The wall was my only audience-facing surface of light, so it was important not to keep using the same look repeatedly.”

Colour was another critical part of McCraken’s plan to create a diverse range of looks. He notes that his console’s Colour Faders we extremely helpful in referencing different colours to various effects. This helped him call up cues quickly for various drops and changes in tracks while he was busking.

The Soft Palettes feature also helped him maintain an intense pace. “Purely from the busking side of things, soft pallets help me quickly change the look at the push of a button, instead of programming a lot of cues,” he said, noting that fast movement and intensity were essential to creating the right aura at the Fly Open Air Festival.

Thanks to this aura, fans got to enjoy freedom of being outside in the park, all while being immersed in a club atmosphere…pure magic!

Ed Warren Works Magic For Sugababes At The O2 With ChamSys

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LONDON – “A stunning celebration of chemistry!” That’s how one music journalist described the triumphant return of the original Sugababes when the multi-platinum Brit Award winning trio made their moving O2 homecoming on September 16. The 15,000 fans in attendance on that Saturday night not only eagerly embraced that chemistry, they expanded on it as well, creating a warm, emotional glow that transformed the entire arena.

Ed Warren felt the energy too. “I just loved how the whole thing came together,” he recalled. “It wasn’t just the lighting, but also the choreography, the music, the lasers, the confetti – and most of all, the beautiful harmonies of the three iconic singers.”

Warren, or course, was also a big part of the evening’s vibe. As the show’s lighting and stage designer, he supported the beloved stars’ performance with a production that celebrated their place in British music history, while also reflecting the redolent moods that ran through every song in their 90-minute set.

Running his Colour Sound Experiment supplied rig on his ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium, Warren created myriad looks that ranged from flashy disco-like specials to soft, contemplative washes in his impeccably crisp timecoded show.

“The entire show was programmed to timecode; the only live busking I did was for key lighting the performers,” he said. “I worked very closely with Matt Sharp and Pete Thornton from More Eyes in the time leading up to the production to coordinate light and video.”

Part of the evening’s magic came from the classic Ed Warren mirror ball. At one point in the show, the only light in the arena came from the beams reflected off the massive ball hung over the audience. “We also had a one-meter mirror ball over the B stage,” said Warren. It played a huge part in making the moment special.

The colorful effects Warren created were also critical in weaving magic throughout out the evening. A longtime ChamSys user, he credits the MagicQ console’s FX Palettes feature with making it easier for him to add this dimension to his show, as it allowed him to build up FX quickly from existing Palettes.

“This is a fantastic feature,” he said. “My FX are updated each time the Palette is changed, rather than me having to go in and update FX or Cues. I’m not sure how I survived before it!”

Also making Warren’s life easier on this show and virtually every other project was the Timeline feature that allowed him to program his show over a variety of desks and lap tops. “Regardless of what I programmed the show on, it translated across devices perfectly,” he said. “This was important since I was able to program this show in my spare time as I traveled. So, I did so on my laptop during flights and on train rides, as well as on my MQ250 and MQ70 at home. Every second counts! And yes, I love programming to timeline, being able to skip forwards and back through the audio.”

Working with a great team, was another big timesaver. “Neil Smith, the lighting crew chief for Colour Sound Experiment, as well as the techs Tyler Paxton, Cem Hurrell, and Simon Robertson were wonderful,” said Warren. “We had a special group of people on a very special night. It was a great memory maker.”

ChamSys Immerses Large Crowds at PLASA

Written by James Harrison on . Posted in News.

LONDON – A frame not only contains a subject; at times, it can also serve as a window into bold new visions and unlimited opportunities. Such was the case earlier this week at the ChamSys PLASA London stand. Built around the theme of “Frame Your Control, Bringing Immersion Into Frame,” the company’s exhibit engaged enthusiastic crowds of attendees with innovative products and ideas designed to help them take their creative visions to new heights.

Visitors got an up close and personal look at products like the MagicQ MQ500M Stadium, a standout console that seemed to be everywhere at Glastonbury earlier this year, and is currently making waves touring with the likes of Ed Warren for Mumford & Sons, and Will Thomas on Bobobo’s Fragments Tour.

Also garnering attention was the ChamSys MagicQ Compact series, including the new MagicQ Compact Connect, a lightweight USB control surface that connects to a PC or Mac to deliver robust and flexible control of lighting, media, and LEDs. Visitors were universally impressed with this product, which is small enough to travel inside hand luggage, yet can send up to 64 universes of ArtNet and sACN directly from its onboard network port without the need for additional licenses or dongles. This compact powerhouse is packed with features, including via eight rotary encoders and live show control through 10 playback faders featuring Flash, as well as Go and Select buttons.

ChamSys’ impact at the show was not limited to exiting new products, the company sponsored a series of well-attended education sessions that covered a wide range of topics including Timecode & Audio Timeline, Group Based Programing, and Execute Window and Basic Pixel Mapping.

A highlight of the show were the Sunday and Monday LD learning experiences with David Howard of David Howard Lighting Design. Attendees left these sessions with an plenty of useful ideas and valuable tips on things like busking, and taking full advantage of Group Cues to streamline running a show on tour and through festival or house rigs.

PLASA billed this year’s show with the slogan “The Next Era of Live Events is Here.” Anyone who visited the ChamSys booth and viewed new possibilities through the “frame” of the company’s products and learning sessions, left Olympia London knowing that the future has indeed arrived.

ChamSys Versatility on Display at Glastonbury

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PILTON, UK – ChamSys consoles make themselves right at home in all sorts of FOH platforms. This was brilliantly evident at Glastonbury 2023, as various models of the company’s products powered a wide variety of shows on over a dozen sites, from the Pyramid Stage, where Jason Hyne displayed his virtuosity on the MagicQ MQ250M Stadium console for Cat Stevens, blending soft washes with retro video images; to the Funkingham Palace, where David Howard used his MagicQ MQ250M to support relentless DJ Performances.

Another site where ChamSys versatility was front and center was at Kelis’ performance on the West Holts Stage. Sam Campbell used his MQ250M (supplied by DPL Production Lighting) to conjure up a wide array of looks for the New York singer, sashaying multi-color washes across the deck in sync with her hit “Got Your Money,” and moving to more in-your-face strobing looks for her performance of “Caught Out There.”

The MagicQ MQ250M ’s diverse capabilities supported a variety of performances at the Lonely Hearts Club stage. Fineline Lighting, which provided the console there, also furnished MagicQ MQ500M units for the Acoustic Stage, as well as the Circus Big Top.

Helping to generate visual excitement for a variety of acts outdoors was the MagicQ MQ500M that GLX Productions provided to the Flying Bus stage. Other ChamSys consoles that helped to make life brighter at Glastonbury were the MagicQ MQ50 Compact Console, used with a wing at the Glasto Latino stage, which was supplied by Mass Affect Lighting and Enlightened, and the MagicQ MQ70 Compact Console, used by Phil Dawkins at the Greenpeace Tree Stage in collaboration with set designer Belinda Best. That stage featured a surprise performance by Fat Boy Slim.

The MQ80 also contributed to the visual feast, being used at three venues: The Hive Stage (provided by Luke Adams Lighting), The Truth Stage (PF Events), and Left Feld (SWG Events).

Like ChamSys, noted designer/programmer Ed Warren seemed to be everywhere at Glastonbury. In addition to lighting a diverse group of musical acts at the festival, Warren was at Carhenge a mystical, dreamlike space where old, abandoned vehicles were arranged in vertical formations reminiscent of Stonehenge. Working with his trusty MQ80, he mixed beams and a variety of redolent colours, to deepen the transcendent vibe at Carhenge. It was a look quite different than those created by other LDs that animated the performances of artists like Fat Boy Slim and Kelis, but all demonstrated the versatility of ChamSys, while contributing to the panorama that is Glastonbury.

Maxi Gilbert and ChamSys Soar for Manuel Carrasco

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MADRID – Maxi Gilbert says that he draws inspiration for his designs from opera sets. At first that may seem a bit surprising, since the Madrid-based designer has created lightshows for stars like multi-Grammy winner Alejandro Sanz, and chart-topping Manuel Carrasco. But anyone who sees his work on Carrasco’s current Corazón y Flecha tour will readily appreciate the connection.

Like opera itself, Gilbert’s design for the 30-city Spanish tour is bold, ambitious, passionate, full of life, and oh so very easy to get swept up in. With it’s massive center stage video wall and giant inflatable heart pierced by an arrow (16m wide for most of the tour), and 272 custom-made neon flex lights, the design, which was done with visual director Susana Martinez Allende, creates an immediate, and very dramatic impression.

Photo credit Javier Rosa

This sensation is accentuated by the light from 282 other lighting fixtures, projecting a vivid array of colors, pixel mapped effects, and dynamic beams angles that transform the stage deck into a glowing surface, on to the powerful aerials that embrace the entire room.

Show designer Maxi Gilbert and Lighting operator and programmer Fernando Lopez are running this show, which was 37 universes in LX and 1,088 for the Neon, on a ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console. “I first used a ChamSys console in 2014 for Russian Red and Vetusta Morla ,” said Gilbert, owner of XLR Estudio. “I was introduced to ChamSys through a lighting op I worked with, who also worked with Alain Courthout. Alain was selling his Maxi Wing, so I bought it from him. And so it began!”


Photo credit Javier Rosa

The first time Gilbert used the MQ500 Stadium was on an Alejandro Sanz tour. He found it to be “the most powerful and intuitive console” he could wish for. “This console allows me to accomplish all the lighting tasks needed,” he said. “The new software version is so fast and stable; it’s invaluable.”

Many of the features Gilbert prizes in the MagicQ MQ500M Stadium are coming into play on the Corazón y Flecha tour. “I always look at the new features ChamSys incorporates into its products,” he said. “In this tour the new Timecode/Timeline feature has been extremely helpful in ensuring our shows are crisp and smoothly run. We will be relying on this feature in our 2023 designs.”


Photo credit Javier Rosa

Also valued greatly by Gilbert was the Pixel Mapper feature in his console, as it made it easy for him to assign pixels and images to each fixture in this elaborate rig individually and in selected groups. This feature also makes it possible for him to modify the layout of his pixel mapped fixtures to accommodate different venues on the tour.

Gilbert designed the show in Capture and with his ChamSys. He found the inbuilt MagicVis 3D visualiser of his console to be an invaluable tool, thanks to the vivid and very accurate characteristics of its beam and gobo renderings. This came in handy when he showed renderings of his design to his client. Working with Manuel Carrasco, he was determined to create a show that, like a great opera, soared as high as passion and imagination could take it – and that has proven to be very high indeed!

 Photo credit Javier Rosa

Simon Horn Calls on ChamSys for Anastacia Tour’s Bold Background Without Video Wall

Written by James Harrison on . Posted in News.

LONDON – You can’t always get what you want, as Mick Jagger once famously noted, but if you’re a gifted lighting designer, you won’t be deterred by any such setbacks. When one door closes, you can ingeniously open another, and come up with a look that’s every bit as good as your initial plan, or perhaps even surpasses it.

This was the case with Simon Horn when he designed the lightshow for Anastacia’s current tour. Originally scheduled to start in February 2020 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the singer’s seminal hit “I’m Out Of Love,” the tour had to be shelved because of COVID. This year, supply shortages and budget constraints still lingering from the pandemic lockdown made it impractical for Horn to get the level of video he wanted for the tour. He more than compensated for this, however, by creating a captivating background using geometric configurations of light that he is running on a ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium, which, like his lighting rig, is supplied by 4Wall Entertainment.

“I have always stood by the idea that if you are going to use video, and do it well, it takes money,” said Horn. “There are some shows I’ve seen that were ruined by the desperate desire to use video walls regardless of anything else, even if this meant compromising the budget for the lighting as well as the budget for custom content.

“In those cases, you end up with average lighting and average content,” continued Horn. “I would much rather have a dynamic, strong looking interactive lightshow, than force in some video screen that doesn’t make sense.”

Horn faced this realization when planning the Anastacia tour. “We all wanted video on this tour, but coming out of COVID budgets had gotten even tighter,” he recalled. “At one point, I was looking at this show being all about the video. I worked hard looking for a way to work video and lights together, and all though that was achievable, the video would have to be all custom content, and the costs were just too high. So, I moved away from video, and put in the biggest lightshow possible for the budget and truck space.”

Toward this end, Horn created a set flanked in pixel LED, using stock pieces and a little bit of fabrication to add a 3D look to the truss ladders. This opened the door to some captivating looks that pull audiences into the show. For example, at some points he runs chase sequences along the outside ladders and the fixtures on the mid-truss to create a pop look with a distinctive wow flair.

At another dramatic moment, he completely flips the look around, switching everything off and just lighting the stage with some broken beams, then breaking up the LEDs to create a simple almost star cloth twinkle. “That change from a structured look to almost a night sky and a bit of clean texture in the air is a very refreshing almost emotional change in the show,” said Horn.

According to Horn, the Group Cue feature of his MQ500M is coming in very handy during the tour’s festival shows. “Knowing we would be doing a summer run of festivals, it was important for me to make future life easy and go full group cue programming,” he said. “Another thing that I like is how tidy the cue data view is No longer do I have to scroll through loads of fixtures to see something.” 

Given the varied types of venues on this tour, Horn is also finding the MQ500M’s Offset Patch Update feature for panning and tilting to be invaluable. “The offset pan/tilt patch helps me calibrate all fixtures easily and quickly so they line up straight, thus requiring minimal work on updating positions. Brilliant!”

Ironically, in light of how his rig was impacted by post pandemic supply and budget issues, Horn’s lighting operator came down with COVID shortly after the tour started. Horn then turned to his tour tech to run the timecoded show.

“Our tech on the tour had some basic understanding of MagicQ and had been playing with the consoles,” said Horn. “His success filling in is a testament to the logical arrangement and user-friendliness of the MQ500M.”

So, although the tour has faced its share of surprises, noted Horn, in the end, the shows have been turning out beautifully. Which goes to show that when one door closes, others do indeed open.

Will Thomas Powers Natural Forces of Bonobo’s Fragments Tour With ChamSys

Written by James Harrison on . Posted in News.

LOS ANGELES – The Bonobo show at Prague’s Forum Karlin was like every other show on the star’s widely acclaimed Fragments tour. In other words, it was unlike any other show by the multi-Grammy nominated electronic musician as he crisscrosses the globe on his groundbreaking tour.

Running two-to-three hours, depending on the flow of the artist’s inspiration, each Bonobo Fragments tour show is a unique creative entity on to itself, immersing audiences in the vast, transcendent world of this British-born and LA-base artist’s imagination.

The one thing that is consistent about each show on the tour is that it will transform audiences to places that lay beyond ordinary expectations. In the words of one Czech critic who wrote about the performance at Forum Karlin, “Bonobo created a dreamy and enlightened environment, where space and time became just a mere convention.”

Contributing to this magical effect as it reflects the beautifully nuanced music of Bonobo, is a colorful and richly textured lightshow designed and run by Will Thomas on his ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium supplied by Colour Sound Experiment with backup from his trusty MagicQ MQ60 console (a rugged desk that has been all over the world with the intrepid LD, and even survived a sandstorm in Africa!)

“In a sense, the Fragments tour grew out of the COVID pandemic when Simon Green (Bonobo) was unable to tour,” said Will. “It was during this period that Simon spent a great deal of time ‘out in the wilderness,’ so to speak. He was there connecting to nature, and decompressing. This experience infuses itself into the music of Fragments, which has this beautiful undertone of nature. Of course, this natural spirit is also very much reflected in the tour’s stage production.”


Thomas celebrates this connective natural spirit through lighting. His distinctive light angles reflect the ebb and flow of nature, along with its infinite vastness, whilst his nuanced color changes, flowing seamlessly through warm and cool palettes, evoke feelings associated with the seasons, the sky and the changing tides.

“There’s a lot of nature in our show,” said Will. “It’s a very live experience, what you see one night you might not see the other. With my ChamSys, it’s easy to get the colors and shapes I want as I busk. The desk is intuitive and logical, which makes everything much easier. I value simplicity. I want to control everything with ten fingers, without giving up programming power. I can do that with ChamSys.”

He had particular praise for what he described as “the musicality in the faders” of his MagicQ MQ500M, noting that the “constant improvements in the feel of the hardware give the lighting operator a real sense of playing with the band.”

“The MQ500M now feels as solid and creative an instrument as the drums and keyboards used by the band,” Will elaborated. “Thanks to the almost infinite configurability of the hardware, I am able to use the dual theatre playback faders as old school flash level masters.

“When all is said and done, the constant improvements from ChamSys in the MagicQ software and open and sharing attitude of the community of desk users results in a constant flow of valuable new features,” said Will. “For example, features like the console’s moving faders provide the LD with quick access to things like Intensity Masters, a great feature and one that I will certainly be using in the future.” 

ChamSys Helps Yannik Klimas Flow with Versengold’s Nacht der Balladen

Written by James Harrison on . Posted in News.


BREMEN – “Through music we may wander where we will in time and find friends in every century,” wrote American Helen Thomson Woolley. Though this groundbreaking author and educator lived almost a century ago, she would have undoubtably appreciated the timeless appeal of a Versengold concert if she were around today.

The chart-topping German band transcends centuries with the ease and grace of a gazelle blending traditional music with more contemporary folk songs, as well as dance and party tunes, all elevated by the artistry of lead singer Malte Hoyer.

The transcendent magic of Versengold is there for all to savor on the band’s current Nacht der Balladen (Night of Ballads) tour, which began on March 18th and runs all spring/summer, ending on November 4th at Barclays Arean in Hamburg. Focusing on the more lyrical and mellow songs in their catalog, the band is putting on a show that, in the words of one music critic “goes straight to your heart.”

Supporting this evocative music on its journey to the heart, is a richly textured and immersive lighting design by Yannik Klimas. Running his six-universe lightshow on his ChamSys MagicQ MQ250 Stadium, he is engaging audiences while reflecting the music with his deep colors, mellow effects, and crisp key lighting. For songs like the band’s hit “Das Bier ich in der Rechten trug,” when Hoyer connects directly to the audience, Klimas creates engaging crowd lighting. While with other songs, such as “Küstenkind,” which relate to the North Sea, Klimas relies on his lighting to create a more nautical mood.

The flexibility of his console’s MagicQ software has made Klimas’ life much easier on the busy tour,” he said. “I can program an entire show on a laptop at home without a console, which is very convenient, as is, the app that allows me to control the MQ250M from my cell phone.”

Another thing he appreciates about the console is its compact size. Weighing in at only 13kg and measuring 680mm wide by 416 mm deep, the console is easy for Klimas to take from show to show by plane.

Most importantly though, is the console’s power and flexibility. The bands give Klimas a great deal of leeway lighting the show. He notes that the 10 motorized faders, and 10 playback encoders open a wide range of creative options for him. The console is also making it easy for him to adjust to the needs of different venues. For example, thanks to the Cue Stack feature tracks very easy to navigate. The ease at which position pallets can be adjusted to fit specific venue configurations is also a great help.

Such flexibility is invaluable when you are lighting a band that not only crosses musical genres, but also travels through centuries.

Happy Anniversary, ChamSys!

Written by James Harrison on . Posted in News.

 

Since 2003, ChamSys has harnessed the talents of lighting designers, software engineers and hardware developers to innovate and disrupt the field of lighting control’. and 20 year’s later ChamSys is still doing just that.

 

To celebrate 20 years ChamSys hosted a two days of celebrations. Coming together at HQ in Southampton UK, and gathering together the ChamSys family from all over the world. It was a great opportunity for the development and supports teams to interact with users and to discuss the next generation of software and hardware development. O yes and plenty of CAKE was consumed too! 

 

Jo Martin Reflects Power of Seasons At Z Event With ChamSys

Written by James Harrison on . Posted in News.

MONTPELLIER, FRANCE – Seasons set the cadence that the beautiful flow of nature moves through as it sustains life and nourishes our planet. It is only fitting then that Z Event, chose a seasonal theme for its most recent Twitch TV streamed event, which raised funds for charities dedicated to protecting the environment.

During the three-day charity marathon, the wide stage at the14,000 capacity Sud de France Arena, went through a series of smooth transitions, as it assumed the personalities of winter, spring, summer, and autumn, plus a fifth season called “The Hell.” The latter being marked by foreboding pyro effects.

The fiery atmospherics for The Hell, along with the evocative looks that set the tone for the other seasons were all part of a dynamic and versatile lightshow created by Jo Martin and powered by a ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M and MagicQ 250M.

Working with lighting operator Andreas Monshauer, and video director Ivan Lasgoute, as well as technical directors Pierre Marinier, and William Lecomt , Martin helped to transform the stage with a series images that evoked the power of nature, all while supporting the performances of the artists on stage.

A striking feature of the design was a large tree in a traditional Japanese that dominated the video wall. Like trees in nature, this one was in flux, changing like the seasons to present different images to the audience, residing quietly in the garden one moment, and then being set against glittering sky the next — always matching the music and colorimetry of the show.

“We had a video wall and video floor,” said Martin. “Every video effect was done to coordinate with the season. Our colors and ambient light symbolized the natural imagery.”


The video content was control by Resolume Arena, with the graphic design being created before the show by the ZQSD Production team. The ChamSys console was used to trigger specific cues like the introduction VDO, as well as different strobe effects, and match them precisely with lighting looks and swaps.

Martin and the design team also relied on their ChamSys consoles to control the atmospherics that were so important to the production. These included the two haze machines and four smoke machines that were used to simulate a burning effect for the Hell season, as well as the four smoke machines that evoked a sense of a frigid lake in winter.

“We accomplished the lighting and effects as well as the video trigger with the ChamSys MQ500M and MQ250M on networking sessions,” said Martin. “Andrea ran the lightshow, and I took care of lighting the faces for the camera, as well as the colorized smoke, the sparkler machines, and the pyros machines. ChamSys was great at helping us match and level between light, VDO and SFX for the final capitation.

“The show was created in the Montpellier Zenith, preprogrammed with Stadium Connect and Capture Visualisation,” continued Martin. “We worked with ArtNet nodes. All the lights, including the follow spots, were in ArtNet control.”

Aside from the precise level of control it afforded him, Martin valued his consoles’ efficiency. “Being able to use the Pixel Mapper for the entire rig, the Timeline function, and having the ability to create Cuestack via importing CVS, saved us a great deal of time,” he said. “So too did being able to slide between different faders functions, while always remaining on the same page.”

Time saved with the console, allowed the design team to focus more on intricate creative issues. “It was challenging to balance between a traditional Japanese garden atmosphere and the modern look we had with all of our video walls and VDO floor,” said Martin “However we did this with by using wooden boards that captured a lot of light. This helped us to create some backdrops that reflected each season in all its beauty. “

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