<<

April 2009 entertainment, presentation, communication www.lsionline.co.uk The Public The West Bromwich venue that’s divided opinion

On Tour: L&SI with World Magnetic

Mary Poppins L&SI visits the UK tour

PLUS: All set for PLASA Focus, Leeds; ISCEx 2009 in Review Lost & Found Orchestra; Clay Paky’s Spectacular Classic Technical Focus Studio Festi at Galeries Lafayette; Audio File; Wilkes Iris City Theatrical’s SHoW DMX

L&SI has gone digital! Register online FREE at www.lsionline.co.uk/digital Metallica v1:On tour.qxd 30/03/2009 16:13 Page 48 tour on online.co.uk www.lsi

48 Lighting&Sound - April 2009 Meta lli av ca adjust.” “When youhavearelationshipwhichlaststhatlongittakestimeto months later, satchattinginabusbackstageatSheffieldArena. voice cracksslightlyattherecollection.Thewoundisstillfreshtwo him infrontof30,00people.We allhadatearinoureyes.”Hughes was veryemotional.Thenbandpulledhimuponstageandthanked a time.HedidfinalshowforMetallicainDetroitjustrecently, andit company, couldaffordforhimtobeawayontheroadmonthsat responsibilities theregrewtothepointwhereneitherhe,nor what’s madeThunderanevenbettercompany, butinevitablyhis became partofthecompany. Hisattentiontodetailisacute,that’s Paul’s attention,and itwasn’tlongbeforehewasfullyengagedand years ago.Therewassomethingaboutthem,thatgot “We cameacross Thunder AudioinDetroitIdon’tknow, somefew longer, some25years,sohe’swellplacedtoobservetheimpact. Mick Hughes,whohassatatthehousedeskforthisbandeven years, somemightcallcareless.“It’saveryhumanstory,” explained So topartcompanywithPaul Owen,monitormanforthepast22 adjustments totheiraudioworld. eyes oftheperformer, andtranslatethemintopositiveproper fully interpretthosestrangesignalsandfleetinglooksofpanicinthe such isthemysteriousargotofrockstarthatonlyaveryfewcan their liferaftofcontinuity:goodmonitormenarehardtofindfor monitor man,thenyou’llunderstand.Theiranchorinstormyseas, major crutchwhenupontheconcertstage,andthatis January. Ifyousubscribetotheviewthatallperformershaveone In lesstraumaticfashion,thebandsufferedanotherlossthis early agemusthavebeentrulydevastating. immortal. For Metallicatoloseoneoftheirnumberatsuchan in theirowndrugsoiledpuke,rockstarsdidn’tdie,theywere Metallica’s bassistCliffBurtonwaskilled.Apartfromdrowning felt tolearnofthebuscrashupinScandinaviawhich recall thebandIwaswith,butdoremembershockweall I wastouringEuropeatthetimenewscamein:don’t words &picturesbySteveMoles -andwithLDJohnBroderickpost-show. out acrossEurope.L&SIcaughtupwiththeproductionteamat Metallica areontheroadagain,withtheirWorld MagneticTour selling 1 O tour.qx :On 10/0908 31/03/2009 d : 37 Page 49 fairly straightforward:“MidasXL4withabunchofKTDN370graphic Hardware-wise, Cowanhastakenoverwhatatfirstglancelooks to kickthehabit. monitor manthat‘grab’isinstinctive,soitmustbetoughforCowan something forKirkIhavetothinkwhichknobI’mgrabbing.”For a that doesn’treallychangeanythingbut,forexample,ifIwanttodo things, Paul would doRightbeforeLeft,Ialwaystheopposite, any profoundwaytosomeoneelse’smethods?“Onlyonthelittle Every monitormanhastheirownchops:Cowanhadtoadjustin until IgettheconfidenceofbandhavetodowhatPaul did.” intimate withmuchofthematerial.“Ihadtogetinunnoticedand (see hisHighSchoolgraduationphoto),sointhatrespecthewas Cowan, infairness,hadbeenanardentteenagefanoftheband Paul hadtheentire repertoireinhishead.” jumping intoafireassuch,butitwasintimidating.After22years about thelatterbetter. “Butthiswaswaydifferent,Inot men ontoursbySpringsteenandMegadeth-thoughthelesssaid Cowan wasnotwithoutpedigree,havingbaledoutfailingmonitor no surprisethere,“butuntilthistourwe’dneverworkedtogether.” Cowan hadbeenpersonallyselectedforthemonitorrolebyOwen, had tofill. considers everyaspectofthejob,notleastbigshoesCowan 2007’s LedZep’gigfornothing.Heisn’tjustafineengineer;he a moment,Hughesisconsummateprofessional;hedidn’tget thejollyHagridimageoutofyourmindfor Hughes withasmile.Put monitors isafurtherburden?Iproffered.“Ifeltforhim,”said exchanged glances.Buttherelationshipbetweenhouseand years andalwayswantedtoworkwithhim,but..”Thetwomen reputation aswell,”saidCowan.“I’dbeenhearingabouthimfor when heslidintoOwens’seat.“And ofcourse,IknewMick’s burden ofresponsibilitythatfellupontheshouldersBobCowan Bearing allthatinmind,wecanimmediatelyvisualisetheenormous Sound Lighting & Sound - April 2009 ontour

49 www.lsionline.co.uk Metallica v1:On tour.qxd 30/03/2009 16:14 Page 50

Below: Coffins in the lighting rig.

tour “It’s all shipped over from Thunder Audio,” began Hughes when we sojourned from the bus to the FOH position. This is the first time on I’ve heard Hughes at the helm of a Meyer system: why the switch from Nexo?

“I tried it for the first time maybe a couple of years ago now, we were in Reykjavik and took a locally supplied PA. I suppose I like the fact it’s 12”s more than anything, for the guitars and vocals. It just makes perfect sense for me. And this system has a very smooth high end. Every time we put one of these shows together we talk to Meyer and they give us massive support.”

I had been tipped off that Thomas Mundorf EQs. There’s no effects in the monitors at board. Mix outs 22 in total, 16 stereo; I’ve from Meyer had come up with a neat Subs all. Sennheiser 3000 for in-ear system. For got two spare in the matrix but when we get solution for Metallica. “We just got sick and limiters I have Aphex Dominators in front. to stadiums and fly side-fills it’ll all be full.” tired of lobe’ing so we asked them to have a The use Westone UE7 ear moulds, look at it afresh for this tour. We’d looked at except Hetfield who prefers UE5s. Then And how have the band been in these first placing them under the stage but it’s too there are 24 Meyer MJF 212 (2 x 12”) two months? “They’ve been really receptive much energy for the band so we knew the wedges all round the stage perimeter.” to me, James has been especially nice. We only place was overhead. Thomas talk and right now it’s just been things like developed the idea of four hangs on centre, The stage is a big rectangle in the middle of tightening up a really close cue.” The sort of tightly back to back, ten cabinets deep. With the arena and there’s a lot of territory to thing that you’d expect? “Yeah, and not too delay adjustments the sound can be neatly cover, but Cowan is fortunate in that the many of them. I graduated High School in steered to just clip the edge of stage, giving band love their audience, want the contact, ’88 and I still hear most of those songs in the audience the best of it without disturbing and limit the stage height to just three feet, my head so it’s really just the newer the musicians.” so from his perch at one of the narrow ends, material.” no band member is ever out of eye shot, The subs are the 700-HP units, at 259lb except very briefly behind the drummer Out in the house, Hughes is presented with apiece (including rigging) that’s a fair bit of centre stage. “There are things that are an altogether different dilemma, though for weight to concentrate right on centre above active all the time, vocals and bass him at least it’s a familiar one. “This band a large in-the-round light rig. Fortunately, especially; there are also some very specific play in the round more than most. I’ve lost there’s no LED video, so generally they get cues I bring in. Thing is, it’s never really the count of the number of tours we’ve done in away with it, “though not here.” same twice: James kinda goes to the same this format.” The large rectangle of stage is places, Kirk and Rob just run up to the mic surrounded by hangs of Meyer Milo. Keith Jex is Hughes’ system tech. He did a that’s the nearest at the time.” Looking from a narrow end there’s a single good job here at Sheffield, even if the Subs line array on centre, with another on each weren’t where they wanted. I must confess, Hughes, Cowan and I had a brief discussion corner with a line of subs alongside. Then if Metallica’s music leaves me cold, so I spent about pressure pads, proximity switches you look to the long sides you see more time than usual walking the room this and personalised IR identifiers - these something similar, though the centre hang night and found it loud yet comfortable things have been considered as an has Mica for the bottom four cabinets (all everywhere. Transitions between stacks the automated response to the random columns of Milo have a single 120° box at combing was almost indiscernible, and one wandering of musicians and their vocal the bottom, for obvious reasons). Excepting of the best snare sounds I’ve heard in a demands. “But there’s nothing yet we’re Subs, that’s eight hangs in total, all in mono. long time (more on that later). really confident about,” said Hughes. So what’s the answer?

“Paul came up with the idea of putting the backing vocals in eight channels at the end of the console; Jonathan Winkler, who was Paul’s tech for those 22 years, is still with us, he rides those mutes and faders for me, so it’s a two-handed operation. The only thing that worries me is DTV [digital TV emissions] but that hasn’t been a problem so far.”

Cowan is enjoying the XL4: “I used a real

online.co.uk old board for Phil Lesh & Friends [the barely alive remnants of the Grateful ] a few years ago - a Gamble EX56, then for Tokyo Hotel and I had PM5Ds. They’re www.lsi good because you can pick them up anywhere, but they don’t sound like this

50 Lighting&Sound - April 2009 Metallica v1:On tour.qxd 31/03/2009 08:37 Page 51

Top: Hughes with the Midas XL8 console. Above, left: Destiny - Cowan in the 9th Grade! Above, right: System tech Keith Jex with Hughes.

Hughes is very good at building a powerful sound without deafening us all. That smoothness at the top end he mentioned is, I feel, a problem for a band like this. Meyer has always had that about it; the processing is so controlled you can never make it sound dirty. It’s great on the ears in that high SPLs don’t translate into whistling ears three hours later - it’s that clean. But the compromise is a lack of awareness of level: you don’t realise just how loud it is till you try and talk to someone. The subs were very effective, even if not in their ideal configuration here. Considering the reach of the HP-700s (down to 28Hz) my bowels were still intact when I left and more to the point, they never once muddied the image of all that sweeter information going on above.

The rectangle stage forces multiple mixes upon Hughes. “If you consider the narrow ends as north and south, then what back line we have on stage all faces east-west. So I have to build guitars into the north-south mix, while on the east-west sides I use the Mica on centre to provide an extra vocal fill to compensate for the back-line. So I’m presenting two mixes.”

You’ll recognise immediately that even with the 120° boxes at the bottom of the Milo the flown system can’t quite cover everyone, so despite the band wanting the stage as clear as possible that they might reach out and touch their audience, there are a few M1D cabinets around the stage perimeter for front-fill.

To transport signal up onto the rig, Thunder Audio has chosen a LightViper fibre optic system, converting D/A and A/D through Apogee AD-16X converters - “splendid stuff,” said Hughes. Jex has

48 lines of control from Galileo to address all the discrete parts of the online.co.uk total system he needs to define system zone delays and EQs.

On stage there’s a couple of interesting mic choices readers may not have tried. “I’m using an Audix D6 fitted to a Kellyshoe on the Kick, plus www.lsi a Sennheiser 901 flat plate. I experiment between the flat plates; I used

Lighting&Sound - April 2009 51 Metallica v1:On tour.qxd 30/03/2009 16:15 Page 52 tour on

to use the Shure 91, but didn’t like the broadcast: “There’s a small SSL desk in Beta91, so went to the 901. Now I’m one of the dressing rooms,” says thinking about giving the Beta another try. Hughes. There’s not really the space to I’ve also got a few Earthworks mics - go there, but he made a very valid point: SR25s on the snare bottom and hi-hat. “Because the Midas allows you to patch They’re very crisp and open, especially anything anywhere, sending to the SSL is through the XL8, it just adds to it all. Top just so simple. I can grab anything off the snare is [Audio-Technica] AT-M23 with an network and patch it through. That was AT Sidefire on the side,” (meaning the the sort of thing you really had to think AT3035 Side Address microphone). “That about in the [analogue] past. Thank fuck condenser crispness really complements I don’t have to run all those cables what I get from the mid-weight dynamics anymore!” of the 23.” Hughes closes with a cautionary note. “It The onstage backline is devoid of is easy to disappear up your own arse microphones. “I have cabinets in with this stuff. In fact I would say you isolation chambers below stage, the have to pay attention more, because guitars all have AT E2500s, the dual there’s just much more you can do, and capsule condenser/dynamic from are doing. I’m still learning and I’m still Audio-Technica - phase corrected - you excited. Don’t forget to listen.” don’t have to dick around at all.” Lighting And then there’s the Midas XL8: “The This is a John Broderick design being positives are endless. Here’s a good run by Rob Koenig. Understandably, example; I use triggers to open the gates Koenig was a reluctant speaker on on the Toms. I can bring the triggers into Broderick’s behalf, so I later contacted the channels to key input off the Tom the man himself in the US (see panel on itself so it only on/offs with the trigger page 54). However, Koenig did provide signal. Then I slow the audio by putting a useful overview of what was up there a touch of delay on it, which means the on the rig, if not the reasons behind Gate is now ‘look ahead’ opening in those technology choices. anticipation of the Tom sound. It’s only a millisecond so you don’t hear it, but “The rig is like the PA, all shipped over the openness of the attack is way better. from the US. Premier Global Productions Same on the Kick. I had to research (PGP) are based in Nashville. I’ve done where the delay is on the desk; Midas work with PGP before and they’re a good confirmed it’s applied before the gate. company - excellent gear, all in tip-top I also like the fact I can have 31-band on condition and great crews. But as it all outputs and sub-groups, great for happens, this is my first time working for applying a bit of global EQ to Guitars; John. I’ve been here since the start but with four guitar mics in two isolation Troy Eckerman programmed up the boxes it would be too time-consuming to show for John, I just run it.” knock say, a bit of 2.5kHz off each - just call up the Sub-group. Then I use the Does that mean you’re heavily confined?

online.co.uk 6-band Parametric for the overheads - I don’t see Metallica as a tightly-scripted a more sweeping musical response to show in say, the way a boy band would the sound.” be? “Not at all, I’m adapting cues on the road as the band add new songs, but it www.lsi The show is also being recorded each is all referenced back to John. He does night, and mixed to Internet give me notes, and comes out from time

52 Lighting&Sound - April 2009 Meta lli av ca a considerableamountoflightdown despite thebrushedsurface,theyreflect four provideaveryinterestingeffectas, extremes ofthehockeydasher. These audience -inSheffieldalmosttothe more coffins,hangingwelloutintothe Beyond therealmofstagearefour and largelyfeaturelessstage. some visualrelieftotheotherwiseopen These flyinandout,tilttip,providing lamps pokingthroughtheunderside. a brushedmetalfinish,withvarietyof three metreswide,cladin approximately eightmetreslongand the crosshangsacoffin,boxstructure a Maltesecross.Betweeneacharmof triangles, pointtocentre,forming comprises fourequilateraltruss really; amainrigdirectlyabovetheband The lightingsystemfallsintotwoparts to do.” and thestuffI’veworkedinhasbeenfun have thereviewsbeen?“All verypositive; very favourabletowardstheband:how Pre-tour publicityinEuropehasbeen what’s beingsaid.” and readsthereviewsinPresstosee looks atonlineblogsforfancomment, to time.Helikeskeepintouch,he 1 VarioLift motorsfromChainmaster, suppliedbyShowDistribution. • Eachofthecoffinsis24ft(7.3m)long,10ft(3m)wide,andsuspendedvia are virtuallysmoke-free created bycompanypresidentDougAdams.Propaneoralcohol-based,they • ThepyrotechnicsareprovidedbyPyrotekSpecialEffectsofLasVegas, and provide therequisiteatmosphericthickening. Lasershow Designer2000software.LeMaitre’sStageFogger DMXunits • ThelasershowwasprogrammedbyJasonMcEachernusingPangolin Eventually oneofthebacklineguyssaid,‘Arewegonnadothisornot?’ just satthere,Bobwaitingforacuefromme,mehimtostart. something onstageI’dcallhim.ThefirstdayBobwasinthechairweboth grabbing thechanceasPaul ranthroughthings.IfIneededadjustmenton the linecheckinafternoon,I’dgothabitofjustsittingoutfrontand • BigMick:“It’shadaknock-on effectforme,”saidHughes.“Paul usedtodo Encyclopedia Metallica O tour.qx :On 00/0916 30/03/2009 d : Stage Bars,anRGBandWhiteLEDunit significant lightingitemsaretheMartin with scrollersonthemtoo.Theonlyother audience, andthereareAtomic[strobes] pair eachonthoseoutabovethe oneeachfortheinnerset,a [SXB-5], “The coffinsalsohave5kWSyncrolites simply toaugmentawashonstage. edge; atothertimesthey’rebroughtin providing alineoflightstodefinetruss perform ademarcationrole,fixedfocus provide adifferentvibe.”Oftenthey types beingrelativelylarge,the700s on thestage:withothertwowash Martin MAC700washlightsintheairor instruments anywhere.Ihaveanother30 show -therearenohardedge them. Johnwantedwashonlyforthis Coemar InfinityXLWashes, again56of confined tothetrusses.Thecoffinshave VL3500 Wash lamps specifically camps,” continuedKoenig. “We have56 “The hardwareuptherefallsintotwo it wasareliefnottoseethemthere. nothing fortheabsenceofvideo-infact here, intermsofspectacleitlacked without videoscreens.Andletmesay mistake, thisisabigproduction,even scales upthewholeshow:makeno onto theaudience.Theirpresencealso 15 Page 53 Lighting & Sound - April 2009 ontour

53 www.lsionline.co.uk Metallica v1:On tour.qxd 30/03/2009 16:15 Page 54

John Broderick: How to Light Metallica tour

Can you explain the giant coffins on the band are actually double units; our a vulnerable position. We’ve done

on lurking above the stage? crew chief James Vollhofer built them and onstage flame work before and already “Originally there was some video in the managed to use the single yoke that have Nomax suits and goggles so he is set design. It was a management idea but comes with them.” A very neat piece of well protected. Spots are ultra critical, the I felt there was nothing in it that said work by Vollhofer: even seen from the band have to do what they want and be ‘Metallica’ to me. Video is a generic camera pit just three feet away, they where they want to be, so the operators response to concerts - and that’s how it looked manufactured rather than cobbled have to be on their game.” looked. There were coffins on the new together. album’s artwork, so that was the stimulus. Working a light show in-the-round is But I had to be very careful not to look too “With no video it was essential the band never an easy task but you’ve probably Goth’ or too heavy metal. I wanted them be properly lit, we went high up into the had more experience than most: what to be seamless on the underside, to seats to see if the Stage Bars read from goals do you set yourself? resemble the sort of surface you see on the most distant audience position: they “I’m not a big fan of symmetry, but it is Jumbo Jet. They needed to big and bold didn’t, and that’s when James suggested hard to force asymmetry upon an in-the- and eat up a lot of airspace.” he could build a double unit.” round rig. I take lights from long range and then shoot them long, diagonally Show Group in Las Vegas built them across the stage. I get as many looks out for you. Are you happy with the end of it as I can, and you don’t always have result? to have the lights overhead on. There are “One of the things I knew for certain was no dedicated audience lights, so I use all I didn’t want mirror finish; we went to parts of the rig at some time to fill that several places but in the end just brushed role. Typically I might take a first cue and them up in the shop. I’m happy with three then take 50% of those lights and reverse things about them: out in the corners they the position for the second cue. Inversion expand the performance area to include is a useful tool, remember, there’s not everyone; the rig is not confined to the a lot of lights up there, even for an end-on centre, as is so often the case. Secondly, show, so you have to find as many I like the fact they’re not a sledgehammer powerful looks as you can.” - that is I only fly them in a couple of times. Finally, I like the fact that they look Lasers are used in limited fashion, but Not having video made for a refreshing dangerous, in fact at two tons apiece it they are a big presence. change in my opinion, but it must have still scares me when I see them move.” “Management wanted lasers and I was been tempting? committed to making them happen in an “Yes, we weren’t entirely sure, but then the They are very large. effective way. What you often see is 30 band played special album release shows “Yes, I spent some time modelling them in seconds here, 15 seconds there; that’s at The O2 in and in Berlin, and we CAD. I needed to check where they not really worth it, the impact gets worn did that without video. That was three moved between the PA, and the size was out fast. We, myself, Rob [Koenig] and weeks before we went into rehearsals but critical in the way they looked - I think Tory [Eckerman], did some brainstorming it was enough; 20,000 people a night and they’re just on the borderline without and determined that the best way was not it worked. It was that experience that looking naff.” Broderick has comments to fuck around; a seven-minute session allowed me to push the lighting rig from fans on band websites confirming for the opening number with nothing else. beyond the centre of the room. Yes we exactly that. Management said go for it. Yes, we’ve still experienced some doubts in the first teased in a little floor light and some few shows, but we’d go out into the Wash lights only? Congo wash from above, but it’s probably audience each night, and go way up into “I’ve always used wash lights for Metallica a longer laser sequence than what you’d the high seats; and we’d watch the kids shows; with hard-edge lights once you’ve see in total on any other show. This way, up there. That’s when I started reading seen them then the next time you use they’re done.” the blogs. We found that by making it them it’s just the same thing in a different brighter and brighter, and going back to pattern. I like the fact that soft edge Your choices of vendors are relative the seventies look of punchy lights and blends so you have non-identifiable light. unknowns in the European market. Can lots of followspots, that forces the viewer I also like to focus beyond the edge of the you tell us about them? to look at the brightest place on stage - stage, to catch the ringside seats, that’s “LDP supplied the lasers and pyro and and it works” much nicer with a soft edge.” they do an excellent job. Premier Global, the lighting company, do a lot of work for “The band are a steam-roller of energy “I picked the Coemars for their ability to Q Prime management but they still had to right now, the dynamic is immense, yet break the beam into a few columns. The make a competitive tender for the tour. As I might just have one floor light on one VL3500s are just a powerhouse light - ever, it comes down to staff not gear, and band member. There is room for that beam spread, punch and colour - they they’ve got good people.” subtlety, you just better have very good have it all. The SXB-5 Syncrolites in the spot operators. There are lots of cues, coffins have scrollers and that gives me Followspots are a big part of the show: some songs 350-400 cues; Rob is also texture. The MAC 700s, especially those the operators up on the rig look in calling 14 spots as well as running the

online.co.uk on the floor, are good because of their danger of being burnt by the pyro gas console, he can’t afford to fall behind, so size - they’re not too uncomfortable when flares: it’s pressured. I hammered him heavily in they’re in the face of the audience, but “I needed spot op’s up there who could rehearsal to get him to that point so punchy enough to light the band. The hit the whole stage, but in fact only the I knew he’d survive. You have to have the www.lsi Martin Stage Bars that I use as up-lighters operator who covers Lars on drums is in best out there.”

54 Lighting&Sound - April 2009 Meta lli av ca other song.TheyaresuppliedbyLaser blast fortheopeningnumber, thenjustone gratuitous: abigseven-minuteinyourface There arelasersintheshow, thoughnot lowered in,leavesomethingtobedesired. surfaces ofthecoffins,exposedwhen of playingintheround,evenifupper effect -potentenoughtooffsettheopenness Las Vegas, thecoffinsareBroderick’sbig Built byShowGroupProductionServicesin them.” Syncrolites, alltheinstrumentsrideinside top ofeachotherinthetruck.Exceptfor has adozenpieces,allbuiltsotheyrideon Koenig. “They’reinlargechunks,andeach “The coffinsweassemble,”continued like allTait’s stuff.” drum riserit’seasy, fastandsmooth,just manager AlanDoyle:“Evenwiththerotating to build.”Thiswasconfirmedbystage we getitup;takesfourcarp’sjustanhour Tait Towers, itjustrollsinundertherigonce a toughrig?“Actually no,thestageisfrom consuming, andit’sabigstage.Isthis The coffinslookprettybulkyandtime- positions.” light ontothebandatmicrophone which Johnpositionedprincipallytoputup 1 O tour.qx :On 00/0916 30/03/2009 d : 16 Page 55 What justhappenedindeed. ‘what justhappened’lookintheireyes.” see themsurprisethecrowdtoo.There’sthat a lotofJohn’scuesthatsurprisedme,andI except whenwedon’twantittobe.Thereare them. It’scomfortablefortheaudience happening onstage.Buthedoesn’tabuse audience togivesomebackgroundwhat’s and yes,Johnhastoputalotoflightintothe just fantastic.Thisisaverycue-heavyshow- about everything,andthetimingfunctionis there’s atleasttwodifferentwaystodojust come fromthey’rerealeasytogetaround, versatility -whateverschoolofdeskyou I havetosayit’stheboardforme.like been usingtheseforaboutfiveyearsand “I’ve Koenig runstheshowoffaGrandMA: them andtheytakeofyou.” and road-worthymachine:youtakecareof the devices.Theyareaverydependable the inspectingauthoritiesarefamiliarwith the ArctoslasersarebuiltinGermany, so - IhaveaGermanlaserlicenceanyway, and regime inEurope?“It’snotaproblemforus laser companyfinddealingwiththesafety in theoutercoffins.”HowdoesaUS-based over stage,twoonandtheotherfour cooled, full-colourlasers,twointhecoffins explained: “Thereareeight10WArctos,air- Design Projects,whoseChrisBlair Lighting & Sound - April 2009 ontour

55 www.lsionline.co.uk