Mohegan Sun, one of New England’s top destinations, has purchased a number of Clay Paky GlowUp portable, battery-powered luminaries.

Located in Uncasville, Connecticut, Mohegan Sun offers gaming in three casinos, fine dining, luxury accommodations, retail shopping, live entertainment and sporting events. Attractions include an indoor 55-foot waterfall, electrifying water wall and the world’s largest indoor planetarium dome. Entertainment venues are a 10,000-seat Arena, 350-seat Cabaret Theatre and 300-seat Wolf Den.

“We chose Clay Paky GlowUps because we do a lot of events on the fly in various locations,� says Brian Horne, Lead Lighting Technician for Sports and Entertainment at Mohegan Sun. “We were looking for a wireless LED that we could connect to a console. One challenge is that since we’re a casino, WiFi can interfere with some of our equipment. The GlowUps’ frequency-hopping feature from Wireless Solutions was able to work within our system.�

Clay Paky’s GlowUp is a portable solution based on durable, high-power LEDs. Its light source is four 10W LEDs (with options for RGBW, Cool White, Dynamic White) with nominal power of 50W and a total output of 1200 lm.

By eliminating the logistical headache of running cables at events, the battery-operated luminaire dramatically reduces set up time, saves money and improves safety. With its rechargeable lithium battery, GlowUp provides years of energy-efficient service. The fixture, which weights just 16.5 lbs., is fully programmable allowing users to select scenes from a library of dozens of suggested colors and a number of pre-programmed, color-changing sequences.

“Our first application for the GlowUps was for the conversion of our buffet into a bourbon tasting lounge for our annual Sun Winefest event,� says Horne. “There was limited power and we needed something with a small profile to fit into little corners. Since the room was shoulder to shoulder, we were asked not to use cable ramps due to the Fire Marshal’s concerns.�

Horne notes that the GlowUps have been called into service for “other similar events,� typically with “a very short time to load in and out since the lights are very easy to use. You literally power them up, they see the transmitter and set the address. Their easy operation allows us to sneak in accent lighting as needed.�

In addition, he reports that A.C.T Lighting, Clay Paky’s exclusive distributor in North America, “has been great helping us get the GlowUps up and running.�

Francesco Romagnoli, Clay Paky Area Manager for North and Latin America, adds, “We’re excited about our new GlowUps and feel the Mohegan Sun applications are perfect for the fixtures.�

Washington, D.C.’s National Building Museum is hosting a major new exhibition, “House & Home,” with galleries featuring equipment supplied and installed by Electrosonic. Running through spring 2017, “House & Home” presents an array of photos, objects, models and films that show visitors the remarkable changes in domestic life over the centuries and what it means to be at home in America.

Located just four blocks from the National Mall, the National Building Museum is housed in its own landmark structure, the former US Pension Bureau headquarters, whose Italianate Great Hall features soaring 75-foot tall Corinthian columns and a magnificent terra cotta frieze. “House & Home,” designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates, occupies seven second-floor galleries in the museum’s northwest corner.

“The big challenge for us was working in a landmark building,” notes Electrosonic engineering project manager, Randy Sherwood. “The museum is such a cool space, and we had to work with the existing fabric of the building. We used existing lighting tracks to hang speakers in Galleries 5 and 7 because they wanted to avoid new penetrations in the red brick structure that was completed in 1887. In order to avoid acoustic issues, it was imperative to keep the audio localized and at low levels because all the ceilings are domed.”

Electrosonic designed, fabricated, programmed and installed equipment for selected galleries and trained the museum staff to operate and troubleshoot the installation.

The company provided a total of six continuous-play video kiosks to three of the Living at Home galleries. These galleries display hundreds of household goods used over the past several centuries from a butter churn and hand-painted screen door to a must-have fondue set and Farrah Fawcett poster. Each kiosk features a portrait-mounted 32-inch, open-frame i-Tech LCD monitor. The video interface, video player and an Ethernet-controlled power bar are mounted under the floor at the base of the kiosk and are accessible via a security cover. An Ethernet cable leads from the floor to the equipment rack located behind the screens in Gallery 5.

Gallery 5 showcases Experience the Dwelling, a mini-theater with bench seating, where visitors watch “Welcome Home,” a film projected onto two 16×9-foot screens configured in a V-shape. Electrosonic furnished two Christie DHD670-E single-chip DLP projectors mounted from the ceiling at a height and angle designed to clear the seated audience. Audio is delivered by four overhead-mounted JBL loudspeakers and controlled by a programmable DSP, which feeds a 4-channel amplifier that connects to the speakers. Video playback is from an Extron JMP 9600 2K, which connects to the projectors via UTP interfaces. Source equipment is rack mounted and housed behind the screens through an access-controlled door. It also houses a computer with a purpose programmed control screen from which changes to the playback routines can be effected.

The last gallery focuses on House and Community with developers, contractors, residents and real-estate agents giving visitors a look at six different communities. Electrosonic supplied three 42-inch i-Tech LCD monitors and overhead-mounted Panphonics speakers, which present two video programs on a continuous loop. A BrightSign media player, the PSU for the speakers and an Ethernet-controlled power bar are mounted within the wall at the monitoring room and accessible via a security cover. A line level signal cable and PSU cable connect the overhead loudspeaker to the equipment within the wall. The focused Panphonics speaker includes a built-in amplifier. An Ethernet cable leads from within the wall to the equipment rack located behind the screens in Gallery 5.

About Electrosonic

Electrosonic is an international audio-visual company that creates tailored, state-of-the-art solutions for a wide range of markets including theme parks, museums, control rooms, and corporate meeting rooms. Since its founding in 1964, Electrosonic has built a strong reputation for working on complex projects, both large and small, and has developed lasting partnerships with customers and suppliers. Beyond complete integrated systems, Electrosonic provides a comprehensive scope of services including technical design, projector lamp sales, maintenance and operational support.

Learn more about Electrosonic. Visit http://www.electrosonic.com

It may have been a Redferno but things stayed cool on the media front with High Resolution Systems’ UDC (Universal Device Controller) on the scene. Redferno 2013, the annual national meeting of full-service real estate brokerage Redfin, was held in Palm Springs, California where UDC was a powerful and flexible solution for the gathering’s multimedia needs.

Production company Function Inc. hired Daniel Barry as head video engineer for the event. Barry wore multiple hats for the occasion acting as engineer, projectionist, tape operator, shader and screen switcher. With so many roles to fill, “I wouldn’t even have considered the show if I didn’t have UDC,” he declares. “It was a simple show, but I still would have crashed if I was trying to do rolls and take screen switches from their native control surfaces.”

Barry was faced with juggling myriad sources: three playback machines, four Ki Pros, two Image Pros, four Encore VPs, eight projectors, several downstage monitors and a live camera. “In that typical situation I would pile a bunch of tables around myself, sit on a spinning chair and try to control everything at once from their own control surfaces,” he explains. “But with UDC I could build a custom controller on my iPad and run everything on that at the same time. With the whole control system on my iPad, I was able to perform all the video positions with a single control surface.”

A fan of UDC, Barry uses it for every show he does. “I can build a custom interface with the client’s logo and colors – the executives can see that and think it’s very cool! But more importantly, I wouldn’t be able to do shows like Redferno without it.”

About High Resolution Systems
High Resolution Systems, a member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers is a company with a strong systems engineering and applications background. Its founders have decades of experience in the audiovisual rental and staging industry, broadcast applications, A/V installations and system design. This combined experience allows them to provide the highest possible quality solutions to its customers in the most efficient manner. For more information, visit www.hrscontrol.com.

Country singer Luke Bryan’s 20-city “Dirt Road Diaries Tour” may have a down-home name, but its lighting inventory includes some pretty cutting-edge equipment, including Clay Paky’s new A.LEDA Wash K10 and K5 LED moving heads provided by Elite Multimedia Productions.

The tour is using 12 K10 and 36 K5 fixtures as part of its “big, powerful rock ‘n roll rig,” says Lighting Designer Justin Kitchenman of FadeUp Design Group. He was introduced to the A.LEDA Series at LDI 2012 where he was “looking for the next generation LED moving light.” After seeing the A.LEDA fixtures, “We feel we found the best the industry has to offer,” he says.

The A.LEDA Series is the first professional Clay Paky product line to use LEDs as light sources. An alternative to discharge lamp wash lights, it offers all the benefits of LED technology: low energy consumption, long light-source life, small size, light weight and a robust build. The K10 is the mid-range model in the Series and the K5 the smallest. Both are fitted with multicolor RGBW LEDs that produce a full range of vivid colors as well as excellent shades of white. The K10 equipped with a motorized and fully-controllable 14º-70º beam angle. Each color of each LED may be controlled separately to produce an endless range of color variations and to use each LED of the array as a pixel to draw graphic images that change dynamically in shape and color. The lights come with a library of customizable pre-programmed graphic effects.

Kitchenman is deploying the K10s as floor fixtures on the corners of the thrust as well as around the center of the thrust, which serves as Bryan’s B stage. “The K10s work as a fantastic floor wash fixture,” he says. “When zoomed all the way out they provide great coverage, but they are also soft enough that it doesn’t hurt to have them shining directly in your eyes. This is important since the thrust is surrounded by the audience and the K10s are essentially at audience head height. They give us the ability to cross- wash the stage without blinding the people closest to the action.”

He also uses the fixtures in a narrow zoom to create powerful aerial beam patterns. “With their positions out in front of the stage it almost appears that beams are coming out of the crowd,” he notes.

The K5s occupy two positions. Four groups of four fixtures are mounted above the stage as part of the main lighting rig. “Their purpose is pretty basic: They act as fast-moving ACL-type beams. This placement also gives me another option to wash specific band positions during the show,” Kitchenman explains.

The second location is surrounding the side-hung IMAG screens. “We wanted to have the ability to expand our lighting looks as widely as possible. We were able to achieve this by modifying an already existing, but usually pretty bland, element of the show,” he points out. Kitchenman is flying two 24-foot long sections of 12-inch truss with the IMAG screens hung between them. “By adding 10 K5s to each side – four on the top truss and six on the bottom – we now have an element that adds plenty of eye candy and tons of audience light, gives us the width we desired and looks great on camera.”

Kitchenman admits that one of his biggest concerns with any type of LED fixture is its source. “I can’t stand seeing the ‘gum-ball dish’ look where you can see all the RGB LEDs at the source,” he says. “For the most part LEDs are faster, have nice beams and are energy and heat efficient – all of those things are a plus. But as soon as I look at a monitor and see the source I want to shut them off. It almost becomes a distraction at that point. But the A.LEDA fixtures don’t have that problem; they are a beautiful source. If you are outputting amber the source is amber not red and green.”

Perhaps the most important factor in selecting the A.LEDAs was the ability to pixel map the fixtures’ cells. “This allows us to not only use it as a moving light but also to incorporate it into the video content of the show,” he explains. “To be honest, this feature is new to us, and we are still working it into the show. But by having all the fixtures patched in extended mode we consider it a work in progress: As the show evolves we will be using the fixtures more and more to their fullest extent.”

Kitchenman is also a “big fan” of the fixtures’ color correction channel. “It enables me to closely match my color temps with the rest of the lighting rig so my LEDs don’t look so LEDish,” he says.

Tom Wilson, vice president of event productions at Elite, notes that Clay Paky’s new A.LEDA Series is viewed as an extension of the manufacturer’s offerings at “the high end of the business. We’ve had some experience with the Sharpys over the last year and have been thrilled with them. With Clay Paky it’s all about the quality of the build. The equipment is fully engineered and ready to go out of the box. We haven’t had any failures at all. As a company owner that’s a huge thing to me.”

The A.LEDAs on the tour are controlled by grandMA2 consoles. MDG the One digital fog/haze atmospheric generators and MDG Ice fog generators showcase A.LEDAs’ beams from the powerful lighting rig.

A.C.T Lighting is the exclusive North American distributor for Clay Paky.

Francesco Romagnoli, Clay Paky Area Manager for North and Latin America, adds, “We’re very proud of the A.LEDA and pleased to have such a superior LED in the market. It sounds like Justin is really getting the most our of them.”

About Clay Paky
Headquartered in Seriate (Bergamo), Italy, Clay Paky SPA has a history of designing and manufacturing innovative professional show lighting. The company was founded in 1976 by entrepreneur Pasquale Quadri who anticipated the enormous impact the evolution of technology would have on the show and entertainment worlds.

For more information on Clay Paky products, please contact:
Francesco Romagnoli francesco@claypaky.it
Davide Barbetta webmaster@claypaky.it

Clay Paky Alpha Beam 700 luminaries and a grandMA2 console are racking up frequent flier miles accompanying American alternative metal band Stone Sour and rockers Papa Roach on their world tour, which continues in 2013. A.C.T Lighting is the exclusive distributor of Clay Paky lighting and the grandMA in North America.

Stone Sour released its fourth album, “House of Gold & Bones – Part 1,” last fall and Papa Roach is hot off its eighth studio record, “The Connection.” The co-headliners began their world tour in Europe and will wrap up in Denver Colorado, with Stone Sour continuing on in Australia; they’re currently playing dates across the United States.

Lighting designer/programmer/operator Michael Smalley was tasked with bridging the Metal and Rock worlds with his more electronic-based style for the show. “We have a really clean stage with no backline – It’s basically a big white canvas to work on with colors and gobos.” he says.

Christie Lites is supplying a dozen Clay Paky Alpha Beam 700s along with a full grandMA2 console and a grandMA2 onPC command wing for the tour. The Alpha Beam 700 is the first and original 700W beam moving light on the market.

“The Alpha Beam 700s are great. They have a tight, narrow beam, a nice soft frost filter , and a great prism. Add on the color mixing and it’s an extremely flexible fixture” Smalley says. “They give us an upstage washy look one song, and a new school techno approach the next song. Truly a full range fixture that is the glue of the show.”

Smalley deploys the 12 Alpha Beam 700s on six towers, making up the tallest points of the ground rig. “I used them on the last tour I did with Bassnectar and fell in love with them. They’re a really punchy light, especially on a large stage. I like to build dynamic, geometric looks and the Alphas proved highly capable at defining and finishing those lines. They provide the sharp lines of the look, while my washes provide the body and my spots the frosting and texture.”

He runs a full grandMA2 desk with a grandMA2 onPC command wing and computer for backup, all going into NPU. “I’ve been using the grandMA2 for about two years,” says Smalley. “It’s the only console that has the flexibility I need, especially for shows where the house fixtures are changing day to day. It’s loaded with useful features that make it a must have for me. I use worlds, filters and macros for most gigs, making sure that when cloning or storing information that it’s clean, direct, and exactly what I want to be doing. These features make programming fast, easy, and precise. I was able to build my entire show file as well as cuestack 75% of the songs in the show in the short week of pre-programming at my home studio. I then finished the work for the show in the 2 days of on-site preproduction. A task I would have not been able to achieve without this desk.”

“You used to be able to tell a designer or artist something wasn’t possible with a desk, but that’s not the case any more,” he reports “The grandMA2 can do it all if you can think outside the box”. “In addition to how effective it is on this tour, the grandMA2 is great for my gigs with Jambands and Electronic acts who require the kind of flexibility in programming and improvisation. The grandMA2 operates and runs so smoothly from programming to show operation. I feel completely comfortable and at home behind it. In the best possible situation a console is an extension of you as an artist. It’s a tool and an instrument. I’ve yet to find anything that feels so right for me.

When Caltrans District 7 began the first phase of a multi-phase AV system upgrade at its Los Angeles facility, it contracted with Electrosonic to create a brighter, more reliable video wall for traffic monitoring that takes advantage of the latest in projection technology.

“Caltrans District 7 has more than 400 cameras on the highways of Los Angeles and Ventura counties,” says Electrosonic project manager Guy Fronte. “They can review camera feeds 24/7 in the facility and when there’s a traffic event – road damage or an accident – they can magnify that feed on the videowall. The videowall is integral to 24-hour traffic management.”

The existing videowall comprises a 12-screen center unit in a 4×3 configuration flanked by a pair of 6-screen 3×2 units. The giant wall features 80-inch diagonal screens in the center and 52-inch screens on the sides.

The standard format of the wall has single-camera feeds on the side screens and 2×2 graphic traffic patterns on the center screen with single-camera feeds surrounding them. “They monitor heavy traffic volume locations and can bring any one of those feeds up on the larger central display as needed,” Fronte explains.

The wear and tear of more than five years of constant operation had taken their toll on the existing rear-projection engines and begun to degrade the facility’s ability to monitor traffic, so Electrosonic replaced the videowall engines with Christie one-chip SXGA displays to take advantage of improved projector quality. Christie RPMSP-D132U displays were selected for the center screen and RPMX-D132U displays for the side screens.

The side projectors were installed in existing cabinets behind the videowall; the center projectors were placed in a huge metal framework previously built by Electrosonic. “Caltrans District 7 has the most spacious rear-projection room I’ve ever worked in,” says Fronte. “It’s very well thought out, so replacing the engines was quite simple.”

The primary challenge for the installation was working in conjunction with the 24/7 hours of the facility. “We couldn’t take down the wall during rush hours, so we swapped out one projector at a time to allow for continuous operation,” Fronte notes.

Videowall control is achieved using a Quantum processor previously installed by Electrosonic. The Crestron touchscreen control system that operates the wall, turns the system on and off and monitors lamp life, was modified to accommodate the new projector engines.

Electrosonic also furnished 48 spare lamps and is providing an extensive two-year service contract, which includes complete parts and labor, unlimited telephone support, proactive preventive maintenance visits and eight-hour response time on weekdays.

“The Caltrans people were so pleasant to work with,” recalls Fronte. “We have a great working relationship in bringing them the best videowall we can!”

About Electrosonic
Electrosonic is an international audio-visual company that creates tailored, state-of-the-art solutions for a wide range of markets including theme parks, museums, control rooms, and corporate meeting rooms. Since its founding in 1964, Electrosonic has built a strong reputation for working on complex projects, both large and small, and has developed lasting partnerships with customers and suppliers. Beyond complete integrated systems, Electrosonic provides a comprehensive scope of services including technical design, projector lamp sales, maintenance and operational support.

Learn more about Electrosonic. Visit http://www.electrosonic.com

Multi Grammy Award-winner Barry Manilow returns to the Great White Way for the first time in more than two decades and this time he’s accompanied by grandMA2 consoles. Bandit Lites supplied the consoles to the St. James Theatre for the entertainer’s limited-run Broadway engagement featuring a huge catalog of his hits. A.C.T Lighting is the exclusive distributor of the grandMA in North America.

Production designer Seth Jackson began using grandMA2 products during the programming process. “We did a lot of the programming while the band was on the road, then we had a lot of stuff to re-program and no window to do it all at once,� he recalls. “So we did most of the programming with grandMA2 onPC command wing in California during rehearsals. Then we took the onPC command wint to New York to do a lot of ESP programming. It was a massive amount of work, and with the command wing, it was like having the real consoles.�

Once settled into the St. James Theatre Jackson began to use a pair of grandMA2 ultra light consoles to control more than 70 lights, most of them moving heads. The desks also control a front of house truss with conventional fixtures.

Jackson runs a pair of d3 media servers on Art-Net through the consoles as well. “It’s very helpful to have the grandMA2s for that purpose. They run seamlessly.�

When Manilow finishes his New York engagement his show will revert to a touring model, Jackson reports. But for now, “the grandMA2s are rockin’ away� on Broadway, he says. “I hear only positive things about them from the producers.�

Jackson programmed with his two associate designers, Nathan W. Scheuer and Brent Sandrock.  The lighting director for the tour is Jason Workman

About A.C.T Lighting

A leading importer and distributor of lighting products, A.C.T Lighting, Inc. strives to identify future trends and cutting-edge products, and stock, sell and support their inventory. The company provides superior customer service and value for money to all of its clients.

For more information call 818-707-0884.

WorldStage, the new brand for Scharff Weisberg and Video Applications Inc., developed and installed an innovative live, moving LED display system for the new studio design for ESPN’s premier NBA show.

Kia NBA Countdown is the pre-game show for ESPN’s NBA games on Wednesdays and Fridays and NBA Sunday game broadcasts on ABC. The show emanates from the ESPN Los Angeles Production Center at L.A. LIVE – across the street from STAPLES Center, home of the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers. The new set design went live on December 25, 2012 to support five NBA games, which aired over ESPN and ABC on Christmas Day.

At the beginning of the project, scenic designer Michael Hotopp envisioned a display system that would be reconfigurable via motorized armatures: The system would enable the display panels to fly through space and relocate themselves as single displays or different-size combinations. WorldStage president Josh Weisberg collaborated with Hotopp to develop a system with a “tracking” feature that would allow the content fed to the displays to synchronize with the movement of the displays. This feature created a virtual image space within the studio so the displays could move through physical space as well as virtual image space.

The project found WorldStage teaming up once again with ESPN’s Noubar Stone, whom the company had partnered with on ESPN SportsCenter’s HD set in Bristol, Connecticut. After discussions with Stone, LED video tiles were determined to be the right technology for the application. LED tiles provide an extremely bright and punchy image and offer the ability to be housed in a “bezel-free” mount, if desired, making them ideal for this application.

The team contacted Fred Gallo’s team at PRG Scenic to accomplish the task of designing and implementing an automated scenic mechanism capable of handling the weight of the display panels with movement precise enough to create the multiple configurations required without threatening to damage the very fragile tiles.

WorldStage created a custom configuration of Lighthouse Technologies’ 4.44mm LED panel system to fit the desired dimensions of the display. Both WorldStage and ESPN had previous experience with Lighthouse LEDs and felt that they provided the right combination of resolution, brightness and color depth for the requirements.

WorldStage called upon another familiar product, the Coolux Pandora system, to achieve the tracking synchronization. Outfitted with HD-SDI input cards, Pandora could output content resident on the servers in combination with live content fed from the studio’s broadcast switching system.

One more technical piece of the installation remained: a control system that could meet ESPN’s needs for minimal operator interaction during broadcast. Since the system consisted of multiple media servers, broadcast telecast equipment and the moving LED panel scenery controller, the control paradigm posed a major challenge. The solution was a custom-designed user interface created by WorldStage media server programmer Michael Kohler with the Coolux Widget Designer toolset.

Kohler’s custom interface permits the operator to pre-load complex presets into single-button triggers in anticipation of display movement. When the scenery controller is triggered, the Pandora system senses the movement and runs the presets as loaded.

The automated LED panels mark the first application of this type in a live broadcast environment; other studios using moving displays move them manually during commercial breaks. All those involved in the ESPN project expect that the use of the system will grow in complexity as the studio explores the extensive capabilities of the application.

“We were gratified to be part of the team that brought this magical system to life,” says Josh Weisberg. “It creates some of the most dynamic visuals ever seen on a sports studio broadcast and confirms ESPN’s position as the most dominant and innovative sports broadcaster in the world.”

At WorldStage Tj Donohue was project manager, Barry Grossman video system designer and Bryan Dominick display and video installation lead tech. John Gluszak was the ESPN engineer on the job.

WorldStage Inc., the company created by the merger of Scharff Weisberg Inc and Video Applications Inc, continues a thirty-year legacy of providing clients the widest variety of entertainment technology coupled with conscientious and imaginative engineering services. WorldStage provides audio, video and lighting equipment and services to the event, theatrical, broadcast and brand experience markets nationally and internationally.

Super Bowl XLVII was a memorable game, but the full Super Bowl experience started well before kickoff with a pair of live pre-game concerts broadcast on VH-1 and CMT where Clay Paky Alpha Spot QWO 800s and grandMA2 light consoles played key roles.

VH-1 and the NFL joined forces to celebrate the Super Bowl with Train headlining “The Best Super Bowl Concert Ever” on Friday night. CMT and the NFL partnered the following evening on a “Crossroads” special starring superstar country band Rascal Flatts and iconic rock band Journey. Both concerts were held at The Sugar Mill in New Orleans, which seats 4,000-5,000 fans.

Atomic Lighting of Lititz, Pennsylvania provided 40 Clay Paky Alpha Spot QWO 800s and a pair of grandMA2 light systems with wings for the concert series. PEDG was the production design team collaborating. Bob Pederson was acting lighting designer on the broadcast truck.

“Atomic had suggested using the QWOs. I hadn’t used them before, but Spike [Doug Brant] had just done a shootout and loved them so he was onboard with them,” says Nathan Wilson, an associate designer with PEDG who served as project manager/production designer for the concerts along with Lloyd.

Once Wilson saw the QWO 800s in action he was enthusiastic, too. “I saw them and liked them,” he recalls. “They became my main hard-edged fixture positioned all over the place – out in the crowd, up front, on the floor, as key light for the presenter. Most of the rig was QWOs.”

Clay Paky’s Alpha Spot QWO 800 uses the latest MSR Platinum lamp, an 800W light source that produces an intense sparkling light – brighter even than older 1200W lamps. The Alpha Spot QWO 800 is equipped with optical features placing it at the top of its class, including a very wide zoom range from 7.6º to 55º, a uniform beam distribution at all zoom angles and a unique Stay-Sharp-Zoom feature that locks images in focus while zooming. The fixture is small, lightweight, silent and has low power consumption making it an excellent tool for TV, theater, corporate events and many other demanding lighting applications.

Wilson gives kudos to the fixture’s range of effects, brightness and great-looking beams for keying. “I was very impressed. It was a real workhorse and performed great,” he reports.

The grandMA2 lights were selected by programmers Kevin Lawson and Tyler Roach. “I’ve always liked MA products, but I’ve been designing more lately and programming less,” says Wilson. “Kevin raved about the grandMA2 light, and it’s PEDG’s desk of choice for all the programmers we work with.”

A.C.T Lighting is the exclusive North American distributor for Clay Paky.

Francesco Romagnoli, Clay Paky Area Manager for North and Latin America, adds, “We’re proud to have our lights involved in these high profile events and pleased that so many designers have specified them.”

About Clay Paky
Headquartered in Seriate (Bergamo), Italy, Clay Paky SPA has a history of designing and manufacturing innovative professional show lighting. The company was founded in 1976 by entrepreneur Pasquale Quadri who anticipated the enormous impact the evolution of technology would have on the show and entertainment worlds.

For more information on Clay Paky products, please contact:
Francesco Romagnoli francesco@claypaky.it
Davide Barbetta webmaster@claypaky.it

Clay Paky Alpha Spot HPE 1500s are lighting up The Joint, the concert venue for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas where 16 fixtures were recently acquired and hung above the stage.

The Joint is an intimate 4,000 capacity space known for delivering unforgettable live music experiences. With a commitment to remarkable sound, it has earned a reputation as one of the most authentic venues in Las Vegas.

“We used to rent lights then decided to buy them. When we started looking at fixtures we had three lights in mind, including the HPE 1500,” says Christopher Lose, lighting designer for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. “We’re a rock ‘n roll venue and need all the bells and whistles and versatility we can get. We have 10 lighting designers a month who come in wanting different things. So the more tricks our lights have the better.”

Lose reports that the HPE 1500s “destroyed everything else” when he explored potential fixtures to add to his inventory. “We chose the light based on its autofocus, beam macros and intensity. The autofocus and beam macos were features only Clay Paky offers. And in terms of intensity, the HPE 1500s were much better than the competition.”

Another deciding factor was the support forthcoming from A.C.T Lighting, the exclusive distributor of Clay Paky fixtures in North America. “A.C.T has always treated us well for everything we’ve bought from them,” says Lose. “They offer great service and 24/7 availability. All these factors combined meant Clay Paky blew the others out of the water.”

The Alpha Spot HPE 1500, a 1500W moving head, is the most impressive graphic effects spotlight available with an incredible array of color and imagery devices, including 20 gobos on three wheels, animation disc, rotating prism and the exclusive Automated-Star-Gobo (patent pending). All devices are fully combinable with limitless rotation and morphing possibilities. The zoom has an extreme aperture range from 7° to 57° (1:8 ratio) with an amazing 120 bpm speed. An auto-focusing function combined with the Dyna-Cue-Creator make programming and operation easy and creative. A special high definition iris, the advanced Zoom-Tracking-Diffuser and silent operation position the Alpha Spot HPE 1500 at the edge of show lighting technology.

Lose reports that the HPE 1500s are “working wonderfully” in their workhorse capacity at The Joint. “We had a demo unit here for six months, and it’s still working perfectly.”

A.C.T Lighting is the exclusive North American distributor for Clay Paky.

Francesco Romagnoli, Clay Paky Area Manager for North and Latin America, adds, “The Joint is a great concert venue and I know the HPE’s will be perfect for location. We’re proud that they were selected.”

About Clay Paky
Headquartered in Seriate (Bergamo), Italy, Clay Paky SPA has a history of designing and manufacturing innovative professional show lighting. The company was founded in 1976 by entrepreneur Pasquale Quadri who anticipated the enormous impact the evolution of technology would have on the show and entertainment worlds.

For more information on Clay Paky products, please contact:
Francesco Romagnoli francesco@claypaky.it
Davide Barbetta webmaster@claypaky.it

# # #

About A.C.T Lighting

A leading importer and distributor of lighting products, A.C.T Lighting, Inc. strives to identify future trends and cutting-edge products, and stock, sell and support their inventory. The company provides superior customer service and value for money to all of its clients.

For more information call 818-707-0884.

The Joint is a 4,000-person capacity venue that serves as a sophisticated, intimate and unparalleled entertainment destination. The Joint features seven Luxury Suites, a VIP Studio Level, state-of-the-art sound system, superior video system and a production package tailor-made for artist comfort. It has received numerous accolades including “Best Concert Venue” in Las Vegas Review – Journal’s “Best of Las Vegas” awards 2010 – 2012, “Best Music Venue” in 2012 Las Vegas Weekly Awards, “No. 1 Hottest Club in America” award by Billboard Magazine in 2011, “Best Live Music Venue in Las Vegas” by MetroWize.com in 2011, “Best New Major Concert Venue” at the 2010 Pollstar Awards, and “Best Live Music Venue” in AOL City’s Best 2010 awards. The Joint delivers unforgettable live music experiences with performances by both legendary and ground-breaking artists including Paul McCartney, The Killers, Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney, Arcade Fire, Avenged Sevenfold, Rise Against, Paramore, Muse, Drake and No Doubt. The venue created the successful concept of rock ‘n’ roll residencies with Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits, Mötley Crüe in Sin City, Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Democracy and Def Leppard VIVA Hysteria! (spring 2013) as well as Tiësto In Concert, featuring the world’s No. 1 electronic DJ and producer Tiësto. For additional information, visit www.thejointlasvegas.com or call 702.693.5583 or 702.693.5000.