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Eric Church The Double Down Tour

ALSO: The Who’s Moving On! Tour Canada’s National Arts Centre Twilight for the PAR Chauvet Professional Maverick Storm 1 Wash Lightwright 6

July 2019

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34

contents July 2019

Volume 16, Issue 7 Photo: Todd Kaplan

40 This Month…

Cover: Eric Church Photo: Todd Kaplan

News…

10

Industry News

28

New Technology

Regulars…

94

Video Matters

98

Audio File Photo: doublespace photography

Features…

34

On the Move

40

The Rejuvenation

58

Double or Nothing

66

Twilight for the PAR

66

The Who’s new tour combines classic design ideas with an onstage orchestra

Canada’s National Arts Centre is made new again

Eric Church’s design team takes new chances on the Double Down Tour

A look back at its many contributions

Technical Focus...

74

Chauvet Professional Maverick Storm 1 Wash

80

Lightwright 6

82

Under the Stage: The Orchestra Pit at Frozen

8

Letters

86

Marketplace

97

Ad Index

For BONUS editorial, go to www.lightingandsoundamerica.com/LSADigitalEdition Lighting&Sound America—published monthly by the Professional Lighting and Sound Association © Copyright Professional Lighting and Sound Association. The views expressed in Lighting&Sound America are not necessarily those of the Editor or PLASA Media, Inc.

74

LETTERS The man of mystery on the cover is Eric Church, the country music star, and the intriguing lighting is courtesy of Butch Allen. The Double Down Tour has one of the more compelling designs we’ve covered this year, thanks to the lighting and also the creative use of ROE Visual video panels manipulated by a TAIT Navigator system. Sharon Stancavage tells you all about it. For the more traditional-minded, Sharon reports on The Who’s Moving On! Tour, which makes interesting use of an Atomic Design contour drape plus Astera Titan Tubes—a piece of gear that may be new to you—and as well as a substantial component of Robe gear. An Adamson loudspeaker rig also helps deliver a sound mix that combines The Who with a 50-piece orchestra.

The architectural rejuvenation of Canada’s National Arts Centre is a most unusual architecture project. Working almost surgically, the team at Diamond Schmitt Architects transformed a rather forbidding brutalist slab into a place of air and light, making room for new performance spaces and improving the old ones. It’s a complicated story, and Alan Hardiman explains it elegantly. Also, as the announcement comes that Altman lighting is discontinuing its PAR fixtures, Michael Callahan looks back at it and the many contributions it made to the industry. It’s a fascinating story, filled with images that will take you back.

Also, Mike Wood weighs in with typical expertise on Chauvet Professional’s Maverick Storm 1 Wash unit, Richard Cadena reports on Lightwright 6 and the endurance of coaxial cable, we look at the layout of the orchestra pit at the Broadway musical Frozen, and Phil Ward laments the current corporate trend of attaching monetary value to industry friendships. Summer is here; find a new place to relax and catch up on your reading.

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Welcome to the LSA July issue! We had fun bringing you this great mix of entertainment technology at its best, with stories across the busy spectrum that is uniquely our industry. They range from concert touring—with our cover feature on Eric Church and a feature on The Who’s Moving On! Tour—to theatre—including the isolation booths in the orchestra pit at Broadway’s Frozen and the new musical Bat Out of Hell, coming to City Center—to architecture, with the beautiful National Arts Centre’s major renovation up north. You’ll also want to check out the latest tools in this month’s popular New Technology section and LSA’s products in-depth: Chauvet Professional’s new Maverick Storm 1 Wash and City Theatrical’s Lightwright 6. And enjoy a fascinating look back as Altman Lighting discontinues the PAR 64. (See LSA’s review of Altman’s new AP-150-RGBW PAR in the LSA May issue, page 74.)

Our thanks and congratulations to the InfoComm and AVIXA teams for their hospitality and well-done trade show and conference last month in Orlando; save the date for next year, when InfoComm will take place June 17—19 in Las Vegas (www.infocommshow.com). I want to also take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank all of the tireless PR and marketing heroines and heroes who work so hard throughout the year but especially 24/7 before and during trade shows. What a job and assignment you all have in the hurry-up-and-wait department, prepping materials, press releases, USB sticks, speeches, price sheets, and swag, in addition to making press appointments etc., etc. Very impressive and always appreciated.

Enjoy and see you soon next month.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

In Memoriam: Robert R. Scales Lighting&Sound America has learned of the passing of Robert R. Scales the noted theatre consultant, designer, and educator, of multiple myeloma. He was 83.

Robert Ray Scales was born on November 22, 1935 in Lindsay, Oklahoma to Robert Sylvesta Scales and Inez Griffith. He earned a BS degree in education and speech from Oklahoma Baptist University, followed by an MA in theatre from UCLA in 1961, and a Ph.D. from University of Minnesota in 1968. (His dissertation was titled Stage Lighting Theory, Equipment and Practice in the United States, 1900 – 1935.) Early in his career, he worked as a high school drama teacher in Colorado, followed by collegelevel positions at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, and University of Minnesota. In 1968, he became technical production director/lighting designer at the Guthrie Theatre in Minnesota. He subsequently held technical production positions at Annenberg Center of Performing at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia; Stratford Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario; and Missouri Repertory Theatre and University of Missouri, Kansas City.

His experience in the first half of the 1970s included

stints as technical director on national and international tours of several Stratford Festival productions, including As You Like It, King Lear, The Imaginary Invalid, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Hamlet. In 1977, he organized and directed Missouri Repertory’s move to a Jewish community center facility in Kansas City when the company’s playhouse was condemned following a storm. He also served as technical director on tours for Missouri Repertory and Seattle Repertory Theatres. Other positions included transition production coordinator for the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival in Cleveland, assisting the company’s move into the renovated Ohio Theatre (1982), and, in 1988, technical coordinator for the construction and opening of the McCallum Theatre, Palm Desert, California.

As a theatre consultant, working both for Theatre Projects and independently, his projects included Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago; Addison Center Theater, Addison, Texas; Head Theatre, Center Stage, Baltimore; Dallas Theatre Center; Minneapolis Children’s Theatre

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Company; Escondido Performing Arts Center; Bagley Wright Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre; Walker Art Institute, Minneapolis; Walt Disney Concert Hall; American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco; Actors Theatre of Louisville; and San Jose Repertory Theatre.

Scales was dean of the USC School of Dramatic Arts and a professor from 1993-2003. “Bob laid the foundation for the current scope and success of the school, and in his warmth, kindness, and unwavering devotion to USC, he modeled qualities of leadership that continue to resonate today,” Dean David Bridel said in a statement.

Scales published a number of articles in Theatre Design and Technology, Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, and Theatre Crafts. He was part of many studies and reviews of theatre buildings, and designed lighting at Minnesota Opera, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Intiman Theatre, and UCLA. A member of United Scenic Artists, he was affiliated with USITT, CITT, ATHE, ESTA, and PLASA. Scales married Peggy Lynn Scales in 1957; the couple divorced in 1989. He married Marie Carolyn Suzanne Grossman-Scales in 1997; a writer and actress, her credits include the original Broadway production of The Lion in Winter; The Show-Off, starring Helen Hayes; and Private Lives, with Tammy Grimes and Brian Bedford. She also adapted a number of Feydeau farces for Broadway. She died of emphysema in 2010.

Scales’ survivors include his son Robert (Debbie JenkinsScales), daughter Amanda Kathleen, brother John Jay Scales, sister Freda Suellen Scales, grandson Sebastian, and a niece and nephew.

His daughter, Amanda, said, “When he smiled or laughed, he always had a twinkle that shone, filling the room. If something needed to be done, he was your guy. He loved working on ‘things’ and getting projects done! He loved attending the theatre for shows, plays, musicals, etc.

He enjoyed walking through museums or art galleries and seeing things that made him ‘think.’ He was athletic and loved sport. He loved the great outdoors. He believed in other people and their abilities to do great things and helped them discover this and achieve great things through their own efforts. He was confident but not arrogant and talented but not boastful. He was humble. He was a legend in the theatrical world/profession. He was adventurous!”

A memorial service will be held on August 10. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Scales’ name to The Bob Scales and Suzanne GrossmanScales Scholarship Fund at University of Southern California School of Theatre/Drama, The Suzanne Grossman Fund at National Theatre School of Canada, the Robert Scales Scholarship Fund at Oklahoma Baptist University, or The 24th Street Theatre in Los Angeles.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Registration Opens for 2019 Event Safety Summit With a slate of more than 30 presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities on the schedule, the entertainment industry insurance solutions provider Take1 Insurance and Event Safety Alliance announce that registration is now open for the 2019 Event Safety Summit. F The three-day event, presented by Take1 Insurance, will take place November 20 – 22 at Rock Lititz in Lititz, Pennsylvania, with pre-summit training courses also being offered on November 18 – 19 for those interested in delving deeper into specific subject areas. “‘Looking Deeper’ is the theme of the 2019 Event Safety Summit because, in light of continuing tragedies within our industry, it’s important that we address safety concerns at the positional as well as cultural level,” Event Safety Alliance chairman and president Jim Digby says. “The Event Safety Summit audience is diverse, and the issues faced by a promoter are not necessarily the same as those faced by a rigger, tour manager, or security professional.

We’ve expanded this year’s program to allow for deeper

dives into specific areas of concern while maintaining the summit’s focus on the cultural issues that affect us all.”

According to Digby, a sampling of the topics that will be addressed at the 2019 Event Safety Summit include: • Improving Safety Compliance • Holding Ourselves Accountable Through Policy and Influence • Electrocution — Causes and Prevention • Sexual Violence — Recognize it and Prevent It • Safely Constructing an LED Screen • Building the Foundation of Situational Awareness • Decisions and Consequences: When the Right Things Go Wrong • Scaffolding Design, Installation, and Management • Control Room Design and Operations • Inspection Procedures • Event Security for Nervous Times • CPR/AED/First Aid Training • Best Practices in Corporate Safety

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&Sound America 12 • July 2019 • Lighting&

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• SWOT Analysis for Live Events • Professional Self Defense for Dummies • Rigging Hardware Inspection for Safe Use • Interaction of Pyrotechnics and SFX on Rigging Systems • The Fundamentals of Performer Flying Safety • On Trial: Your Career and Your Reputation “And, of course, there will be a complete and informative presentation and discussion on the topic of insurance,â€? Take1 executive vice president and program director Scott Carroll says. “No live event is ever complete without having the right kind of insurance coverage in place—coverage that anticipates and understands the majority of risks that are present at live events. In fact, insurance is one of the most important tools in the toolbox of live event professionals.â€?

The cost to attend the Event Safety Summit is $950 for ESA members, $1,150 for non-members, and $900 for ESAT credential holders. The Event Safety Alliance and Bigger Hammer Production Services are offering a 50% discount for students currently enrolled in college, university, or trade programs. Specially priced hotel rooms are available at the Hotel Rock Lititz. For hotel information, visit https://book.webrez.com/v31/#/property/2565/location/0/search?package_id=182999.

The Event Safety Alliance (ESA) is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to promotion and support of a “life safety first� attitude during all phases of live event production. The ESA will achieve this through the dissemination of safety preparedness information and the creation and development of safety planning, training, and other resources. Further, the ESA strives to improve the safety culture that currently exists in the live event production industry to reduce or eliminate unsafe conditions and behaviors.

U.S. Risk’s Take1 division has been servicing the insurance needs of the film and television production industry and has expanded significantly to meet the needs of audio-video and communications industry clients as well.

The company’s experience includes underwriting film and television production companies, DICE (documentary, infomercial, commercial, educational) producers, touring entertainers, concert/playhouse venues, concert promoters, video game developers, and specialty rental operations focused on audio, visual, lighting, sound, grip, and production.

For more information and to register for the summit, visit www.eventsafetyalliance.org/esaess.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

PLASA Show Returns with New Brands and Features Registration is now open for the PLASA Show 2019, which returns to Olympia London September 15 – 17.

Building on the 2018 show’s success, this year offers a host of fresh brands, more immersive features, and a brandnew look. Anyone with a stake in the entertainment technology industry is invited to register for free via the show’s website.

Visitors can expect 200-plus brands, representing the best of lighting, audio, AV, rigging, and staging.

Mirroring the growth of the AV sector, this year’s show will present an array of next-generation LED screen technology from major players such as Canon and Midwich. Furthermore, tech giants Netgear will be sharing innovative networking and integration solutions.

The audio presence at the show has been growing rapidly over the last few years and 2019 is no exception, welcoming Void Acoustics, whose loudspeakers are as good-looking as they sound and CUK Audio, who provide top audio for installations and events. They will appear on the bustling show floor among audio giants such as Bose, d&b audiotechnik, Yamaha, and Adam Hall.

Live audio demonstrations will double at this year’s show. For the first time, L-Acoustics has a dedicated

“Now the orchestra has everything it needs to blossom and bloom.”

Alexander Shelley National Arts Centre Music Director Ottawa, Ontario

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&Sound America 14 • July 2019 • Lighting&

demonstration space, and KV2 Audio will demonstrate its products which feature across the West End. Also, there will be back-to-back loudspeaker demonstrations from Adam Hall, Shermann Audio, OHM, Aura Audio, RCF, and Void Acoustics—with more audio demonstrations to be announced over the coming months.

New for 2019 is Stage to Studio, in association with Sound On Sound and Headliner magazines, which will see a band being recorded live and mixed by a professional engineer.

These dynamic sessions will reveal techniques for capturing high-quality sound from the stage. Following the show, a competition will launch, inviting people to submit their own mix of the band performance with the best mix receiving a professional audio prize.

For the lighting industry, global leaders ETC, Robe, Claypaky, and Elation Professional will return. Joining them are SGM, known for architectural and stage LED lighting, and Follow-Me, from the Netherlands, who offer innovative tracking hardware and software.

The latest staging technologies will also be on show from leading brands such as Area Four Industries, Doughty,

UK Rigging, Triple E, Swisson, Steeldeck Industries, and Ten 47.

The market-leading seminar program will welcome experts across three dedicated theatres for lighting, rigging, audio, and AV as well as hands-on product training. From ambitious creative projects in iconic venues to up-todate technical guidance, the program is guaranteed to inspire and inform.

Always a show highlight, the PLASA Awards for Innovation, in association with LSi magazine, will reward game-changing technologies and the people behind them, with all entries on view throughout the show at the Innovation Gallery.

PLASA’s head of events, Sophie Atkinson, comments, “We are thrilled to return the PLASA Show with a focus on interactive and immersive experiences as well as an increased audio and AV presence.

“Featuring new audio sessions, awe-inspiring technologies, and several new faces, we’re confident that this year’s show will continue to impress visitors from around the world and contribute to the upward trajectory of the entire industry.”

To find out more about the show and to register for your free entry badge, visit www.plasashow.com.

INDUSTRY NEWS

A Becoming Solution: Design Ideas for Michelle Obama’s Book Tour This allowed the creation of some unique lighting effects, giving the presentation space more depth and threedimensionality across the stage.

Dierson initially worked closely with the tour’s production manager, Tim Parsaca, and executive producer, Carly Vaknin, in suggesting some aesthetic goals.

After these were established, discussions began with Michelle Obama’s creative team, including the touring art director Laura Paganucci about the “understated, but perceptible, shifts” theory that they wanted to establish the ambiance of the space. This atmospheric engineering also had to complement the production’s existing Glow Motion LED battens, which were flown on kinetic winches.

It was the first full-on book tour as such that The Activity has designed, although Dierson has been involved in one-off events launching books and has also lit authored readings and similar events.

The original lighting for the tour had

been “well-thought-out and required little attention,” he explains; however, the Obama team was very clear about the desired creative changes and was open to additional input from The Activity.

Most of this communication happened via web conference calls and exchanges in creative imagery, followed by an intensive—and extensive—process of photo-realistic renderings produced by The Activity.

Dierson admits that, though precise about the results wanted, finding the exact abstract look and feel was challenging to tie down at first. “Creating a presentation environment for one of the most influential women in the world I felt required an infinite balance of strength yet something that embodied the distinctive influence of being female,” he explains.

Both of these highly subjective entities needed to be delivered in exactly the right context and it took a lot of brain teasing, psychology, and Dierson’s experience in lighting to

Photo: Chris J Ratcliffe

The star power of former First Lady Michelle Obama has resonated as she promotes her best-selling memoir Becoming, in key cities, delighting fans with her natural charisma, intelligence, and humanity in an inspirational live presentation hosted by several different moderators.

To ensure that her already electric presence was reinforced subtly and appropriately, lighting and visuals designer Patrick Dierson of, The Activity, was approached by Diversified Production Services (DPS) in the US to assist with updating an already substantial production design from the first leg of the tour.

Known for his imagination and fresh approaches to lighting shows and environments, Dierson hit on the idea of achieving the desired result using a “forest” of 26 Astera AX1 battery-powered wireless Pixel Tubes on custom stands, working in conjunction with a pewter Tergalet crushed lightweight polyester silk drape with fullness from Rose Brand.

&Sound America 16 • July 2019 • Lighting&

&Sound America 18 • July 2019 • Lighting&

“As our goal was to create the desired stage environment in the cleanest possible way,” Dierson says, “a wireless solution was the only way to minimize cabling detritus and other messy elements that would need dealing with daily on the road.”

The AX1s brought wireless control, light weight, and easy deployment to the mix, making their specification “simply a no brainer. They achieved exactly what we wanted to and made life easier for the touring crew.”

4Wall Entertainment was the lighting and video vendor for the US sections of the tour, and account handler Bob Suchocki helped create custom stands for the double-stacked pairs of Asteras.

“We could not have been happier with the outcome,” says Dierson.

In the UK and Europe, lighting was supplied by Christie Lites UK and video by Creative Technology.

Dierson was on-site to personally oversee the first build and rehearsals in Tacoma, Washington, where he was assisted by Herrick Goldman, of Evoke Collaborative, who has a strong theatrical background and “a great eye for the nuances of what we wanted to be altered.”

Overseeing the day-to-day operation on the road and tour to maintain the integrity of these design updates was LD Lois Gordon, also of Evoke Collaborative. “It’s been a wonderful fusion of ideas, experiences, and invaluable support during an incredibly busy time in The Activity’s production

pipeline,” Dierson says.

Gordon and Goldman supported the tour through its European run and back for the final performances in the US. Dierson has been a “huge fan” of the Astera tube products since their release; however, this was the first proper opportunity to use a substantial number of them in a precise and measured way. Before this, he’d used them primarily for close-up camera work on video shoots and to uplight in DJ booths at EDM festivals.

Dierson is also the production designer for Ultra EDM events worldwide, among other high-profile dance music clients. The Activity also works extensively on designing corporate, industrial, and experiential events.

Astera is one of the relative newcomers to a crowded scene of LED manufacturers, and their recent releases, robust quality, and flexible control have helped create a distinctive buzz for the German designed products, which are manufactured in Astera’s own factory in China.

“Astera is a truly refreshing company,” Dierson. “Their products are among the few bringing true excitement over the past two years in a somewhat stagnant ‘we make one of those, too’ time. There are some very inventive products and we just keep finding new ways for them to provide solutions in areas that were previously impossible or massively more difficult and impractical to light!.”

Photo: Mike Marsland

imagine that look.

“We wanted a large production look on one hand but needed to keep things intimate and personal on the other,” he adds—a tall order in 10,000plus arena venues.

Recommended changes included the extension of certain trusses to create improved lighting angles as well as more stringent color balancing to complement Mrs. Obama and the constantly changing roster of guest moderators.

The lighting layout was relatively straightforward with keys, backlights, and fills focused on two chair positions—one for Mrs. Obama and one for the evening’s moderator.

These were augmented with up and down lighting on the drapes and finished with the Astera tubes on the floor and Glow Motion tubes flown above, with both sets of tubes on either side of the 31' wide x 17' deep center screen made up of 5mm ROE Visual LED surface. This showed mainly playback video content and graphics.

In addition to providing a richer and more sumptuous base look for the presentation, the AX1s were used for pixel and movement effects and for ramping up the excitement and anticipation for the walk on/offs.

The drape and Astera Tubes also provided a greater and more meaningful depth of field for the IMAG cameras, which captured images beamed up onto two 24' wide x 13' deep rearprojected side screens.

Dead Ringer: Designing Bat Out of Hell: The Musical Bat Out of Hell, a rock musical employing the songs of Jim Steinman—most of them taken from three similarly titled Meat Loaf albums—arrives in New York in August, having played runs in the UK and Toronto. The musical combines a “loose retelling” of the Peter Pan legend with elements of Romeo and Juliet. It is set in a post-apocalyptic Manhattan, renamed Obsidian. Strat is the forever 18-year-old leader of The Lost, who were permanently frozen as teenagers after a chemical war. They live in abandoned tunnels and sub-

ways opposite Falco Tower, the headquarters of Falco Industries and home to the Falco family, whose patriarch rules Obsidian. Falco wants to “make the city great again” in Trumpian fashion, a project that involves the demolition of The Lost’s underground homes.

Strat and his gang rebel, joined by Raven, Falcon’s daughter.

Speaking of his multi-level set, designer Jon Bausor, says, “As a classically trained musician, I often draw on my musical education in creating designs that have a kinetic quality. I could immediately see how Bat Out of

Hell needed to continually shift with the writing whilst trying to match the sheer scale of the music. My designs are very instinctive, and I quickly came up with the idea of the crumbling tower façade amongst a wasteland of destruction, where nature fights with the man-made. Falco Tower took on an image not unlike Trump Tower in my imagination, presiding over the anarchy below. I was keen that we not stop for scene changes, more that [the set] unpeeled and revealed filmically, allowing the audience to peer in voyeuristically.”

The set is a smaller version of the original, but Bausor’s UK design team worked closely with Edward Pierce and Jen Price in New York to capture the original’s essence. The US set was built and automated by PRG Scenic.

Bausor’s Falco Tower is in the shape of a trapezium, a massively forced perspective façade that soars into the sky, inspired by Renzo Piano’s Shard Building in London. It’s an aluminum skeleton clad in polycarbonate, with a two-way mirrored film on the second floor that allows for the illumination of the interior and the ability to see through it, much like scenic scrim.

The second-floor window is automated and flies vertically to allow entrances into the bedroom inside.

The bedroom wall slides, manually operated, behind the upstage of Falco Towers to join a redressed version of

All photos: Specular

INDUSTRY NEWS

the living room sliders. Sliding doors at the show deck reveal a secondary set of sliders that make up the living room wall and mask the bar upstage.

The bar resembles a disused subway station and is a routered MDF and plywood construction with internal LED fixtures. The subway car is ply flattage and the upstage brick wall is carved and scrimmed polystyrene with fiberglass parts, to allow for the wall to be smashed through.

“The subway wall entrance was originally flown in on two 5-ton motors rigged diagonally across the grid,” Bausor says. “A winch system on the hostage of the piece allows the concentric pieces to concertina out much like an old box camera’s bellows.”

Bausor says lighting designer Patrick Woodroffe and video designer Finn Ross “both immediately understood the designs’ intentions. Finn and I worked hard to keep the set as a constantly shifting projection surface

that allow for interesting presentation of the live, filmed sequences. I saw the live video like a graphic novel, allowing us to frame close-ups with the architecture. The set was deliberately designed for the camera, including offstage areas, and many scenic items incorporate lighting, the largest being the main show deck and upper bedroom floors that operate as low-res LED walls through which we run video content from [a disguise media server] to marry color temperatures and textures to the video content projected on Falco Tower or a billboard. Every item of moving scenery that is projected upon has tracking video using [CAST Software] BlackTrax.”

Woodroffe says the musical “is a great piece to work with as it allows for subtle theatrical moments of big spectacle and color. The challenge, as ever, is to get the balance between these two just right. There are some great moments—a motorcycle ride

during the end of Act 1 is a lovely mix of video and light art.” Ross says, “We worked hard to keep the lighting and video together rhythmically and in terms of color and tone so you could believe whatever was being projected on and around the space was actually there. For instance, the water on the Falco Tower is projection but we worked with lighting to tone all the colors into one look.”

Rob Casey, Woodroffe’s associate on his theatrical assignments, is relied on for his technical knowledge and creative judgment. Craig Stelzenmuller is Woodroffe’s US associate, steering the programming process and dealing with details. Tom Young programmed the grandMA2 console, and Imogen Wilson, from Toronto, built the followspot plan.

The rig is mainly made up of GLP impression X4Ls and Martin by Harman MAC Viper Performances.

“We have a handful of GLP impression

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • July 2019 • 21

INDUSTRY NEWS

X4 Bar 20 battens to handle the crosslight, to allow the whole rig to tour more efficiently and have less of a generic focus,” says Rob Casey, Woodroffe’s associate designer. “We have seven different lighting positions—two onstage towers and five overhead positions—that incorporate everything. We worked hard to ensure that these positions accommodate and replicate their existing shots. We use over 30 strobes, a mixture of Martin Atomic 3000s, High End Dataflashes, and GLP JDC1s. We also have two MDG ATMe hazers, four [Look Solutions] Viper smoke machines, and three [Look Solutions] CryoFog low smoke machines. The haze runs throughout, and the smoke and low smoke machines are used for spot effects.”

Ross says his video has two goals.

“One is to act as a storytelling device for Raven’s world, where everything is seen through the haze of the sleeping drugs her parents keep giving her. Jay [Scheib, the director] wanted to use cameras to tell this story, so we used a lot of Notch [the real-time workflow for producing video content] grading on the live video feeds in [the disguise media server] to break down the image into a dreamlike state. The second thing we wanted the video to do was to animate and transform the space. The show happens over so many locations that video takes us 22 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

around the city of Obsidian, on Strat’s crazy motorcycle ride, and to the Vaults of Punishment,” the located in the prison basement of Falco Towers.

The video content, created by a mixture of Cinema 4D and After Effects, is omnipresent in visuals on walls and cityscapes, and extends to a romantic duet racing across the stage.

Panasonic projectors deliver the imagery. A videographer frequently appears in scenes—for example, in Raven’s bedroom—filming the action, which is then projected onto a rear screen, using a standard HD video camera and wireless transmitter. The lighting and video gear is supplied by PRG. Sound designer Gareth Owen says, “I approached the [project] by digging into my subconscious. Meat Loaf played an integral part in my childhood and I think I got at least two speeding tickets while driving to “Bat Out of Hell.” If I had any concerns about the design, they were living up to the challenge.”

After its opening in Manchester, Bat Out of Hell: The Musical moved in London, then to Toronto, Canada twice before returning to London again. It has also had an extended run in Oberhausen, Germany. The fixed show is quite different from a touring version in that it uses the d&b audiotechnik SoundScape system; the touring version is slick and as stream-

lined as possible, with main left and right arrays mounted in roll-in, roll-out owers.

“My job is to create the sound design for the show, working with my team,” Owen says. “The sound operators then maintain that show design night to night, making whatever adjustments are necessary to keep the show sounding exactly like it did on opening night. Matt Peploe, the associate sound designer, has a major role in both the creation and the maintenance processes, and also plays a key role in mounting later versions of the show in different parts of the world.”

The audio gear is supplied by PRG. Owen says, “The PA is all d&b audiotechnik; the front-of-house desk is the Avid S6L; the monitor desk is the Allen & Heath DM64 with ME-1 personal mixers; band mics are a mixture of Audix, DPA, Sennheiser, and Shure; radio mics are Sennheiser with DPA cast mics. The QLab system provides sound effects and click track playback for the production and also provides time code and MIDI show control to the other departments. With the exception of delay speakers where available, we tour all our own gear. The equipment is set up in each venue by our head of sound, Chris Powell.”

Bat Out of Hell: The Musical, will run at the New York City Center from August 1 – September 8.

On the Wire:

Notorious daredevils and high-wire artists Nik and Lijana Wallenda defied odds on Sunday, June 23, by simultaneously traversing a tightrope suspended 25 stories (over 250') off the ground in Times Square. To ensure the stunt’s success, full-service firm McLaren Engineering Group offered its entertainment expertise, providing structural engineering services for the Dick Clark Productions (DCP) event.

McLaren Engineering Group worked closely with Nik Wallenda, design engineer Scott Lewis, and his team of rig-

McLaren observed proof load testing of the 2 Times Square davits to confirm that they were suitable for anchoring the tightrope and safety lines.

“To make this spectacular performance happen, McLaren Engineering Group worked closely with Nik Wallenda and a great team of technicians and production people,” said Bill Gorlin, vice president, entertainment division, McLaren Engineering Group. “With proper design, engineering, construction, inspection, and execution, this thrilling stunt made history for the city, the Wallendas, and all the people involved.”

The Wallenda siblings, seventh-generation additions to The Flying Wallendas circus troupe, worked with a robust production crew prior to the event, which saw them crossing paths with crowds watching below (photo, above left).

Both performers wore safety harnesses attached to safety cables, a precaution required by both New York City and

gers to engineer the steel wire tightrope, which was just ¾" wide. The rope spanned north—south for five blocks and was anchored to a roof beam of 1 Times Square and to existing maintenance davits on 2 Times Square. McLaren also worked with iDEKO and specialty contractors to engineer a number of platforms and camera mounts at various locations on buildings throughout Times Square.

The Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey-based firm worked with a tightrope pretensioned to over 20,000lb. The assembly for the event also included overhead safety cables and lateral stabilizer cables spaced along the tightrope at roughly 30' intervals to keep it from swaying during the walk. These stabilizers were tied off to building and sign structures on the series of buildings lining Times Square.

McLaren also conducted inspections and signed off on the integrity of all the rigging, platforms, and camera mounts prior to the performance. Several weeks before the event,

ABC, which broadcast the breathtaking pursuit.

According to the New York Times, the siblings “slowly inched toward the center of the wire, where they met and embarked on the delicate process of passing each other.

Ms. Wallenda lowered herself and sat carefully on the wire as her brother skillfully stepped over her. Ms. Wallenda said she struggled briefly when standing back up, but added, ‘I was calm about it—I was like, ‘I got this’.” Then they both proceeded on their separate ways to complete the stunt.

“Maybe the biggest surprise was that the wire was as stable as it was,” Mr. Wallenda said afterward.

Nik Wallenda holds nine Guinness World Records for acrobatic feats. In 2012, he became the first person to walk a tightrope spanning Niagara Falls. Lijana,suffered serious injuries after a 2017 rehearsal incident that also injured four other acrobats. The June 23 performance, which aired live, marked her first stunt since the setback.

McLaren Engineering Group Lends Expert Services to Times Square Tightrope Walk

&Sound America 24 • July 2019 • Lighting&

Credit: Shutterstock

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Night in San Juan: Lighting the Hyatt Place Hotel At night, The Hyatt Place San Juan/City Center is as vibrant as the capital city of Puerto Rico; with its unique colored lighting schemes and innovative digital art installation along the hotel’s façade.

The hotel features the distinctive Hyatt Place brand’s intuitive design, casual atmosphere, and a myriad of practical amenities. Its daytime appeal, however, pales in comparison to its appearance at night, thanks to its custom color lighting scheme from Acclaim Lighting, which complements a digital artwork display on the exterior created by a local artist. The innovative digital art installation along the hotel’s façade is the fourth of its kind by PRISA Group.

To balance the attention on the digital art installation and the Hyatt’s intuitive design, PRISA Group sought ultimate color intensity with precise control to frequently change lighting schemes.

According to Manuel Torres, who collaborated with PRISA Group on the installation, the hotel had two main lighting specifications. “First, grazing luminaires had to be IP65 rated or better, with the ability to adjust the degrees of light dispersion through DMX controls. Second, the hotel wanted complementary luminaries to create animation with lighting on the facade of the building.”

After reviewing several IP65-rated lumanaires, Torres and his team chose the Dyna Graze HO Exterior DMX, a highoutput LED fixture. IP66-rated for wet locations, it features an onboard DMX driver with RDM addressing for simple setup and control. The linear unit is available in color changing options and single color white versions. Beam angles can be set at 10º x 60º, 30º x 60º, 10º x 10º, 60º x 60º, and asymmetric wall wash. A 30º swivel mount is included with the unit; a 90º mount is optional.

Available in 1' and 4' sections with a linkable cable system for multiple configurations, Dyna Graze HO Exterior DMX consumes 20W per linear foot while operating at 100277VAC. The fixture maintains 70% lumens at 150,000 hours and provides approximately 693 lumens per feet (RGBW, 10º x 60º) for intense light. This high-output fixture operates at temperatures of -40°F — 122°F. Twenty-three Dyna Graze HO Exterior DMX RGBW fixtures were placed at the height of 12' from the floor with a 3' separation from the wall. Torres says, “This configuration enables us to achieve lighting uniformity on the façade with precise color separation between the walls of the same building.

“To complement the capabilities of the Dyna Graze, we took a different approach to create animation with lighting on the building façade. We used pixel mapping so we could place the lights in the window bars for an aesthetically pleasing appearance during the day while providing a beautiful, colorful spotlight of the building’s architecture at night.”

The team specified 250 AL Dot nodes, from Acclaim Lighting, based on three factors. First, Al Dot’s size allowed the right fit to integrate the lights into the hotel windows.

Second, it provided the necessary lumens needed to achieve precise color schemes. Third, AL Dot can be controlled by DMX and RDM to change color schemes and light patterns efficiently.

AL Dot is a direct-view, IP66-rated RDM/DMX node designed for low-resolution dots of color and dynamic visual effects. It features an internal DMX driver with RGB color changing and a 120° beam angle. AL Dot operates in temperatures between -10°F — 123°F and maintains 70% of its lumens at 150,000 hours.

“The programming was essential to be able to create the visual lighting effects that we wanted to achieve,” says Torres. “The combination of the AL Graze fixtures and AL Dot nodes with precise lighting control has created spectacular color schemes to the delight of hotel guests, visitors, and residents.” To see a video of the installation, and the digital artwork, go to https://vimeo.com/154625124.

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • July 2019 • 27

NEW TECHNOLOGY: AUDIO

Avante Audio â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Achromic AS8 Portable Column PA Offering output from a compact system, the Achromic AS8 portable column PA is for anyone looking for a versatile, portable PA setup. It features six precisionaligned 2.75" neodymium drivers for the highs/mids alongside an 8" neodymium subwoofer with 1.5" voice coil and 28oz magnet. With an integrated 800W ClassD amplifier module with built-in limiter, it delivers a maximum SPL of 116dB while offering a dynamic frequency response of 55Hz â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 20kHz. Designed with speed and ease of setup in mind, the AS8 comprises of three separate components: a sub unit, mid/top array, and array spacer. The compact floor-standing vented sub unit integrates both the amplifier module and onboard mixer. It connects to the mid/top array column using the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new SAM (Secure Array Mount) system, which allows the array column and spacer to lock securely to the sub and to one another without risk of being toppled over. The

SAM connection passes the audio signal from the sub up to the array column through the spacer, removing the need for speaker cables and speeding up setup time.

The three-channel mixer built into the sub unit features a two-band EQ, a power/clip LED signal indicator, and an XLR output for connecting a second AS8 or any other powered speaker. It offers XLR/TRS combo jack connections on the first two channels (switchable between mic and line level) and a choice of 1/4" or 1/8" jack inputs on the third channel. This allows direct connection of line level audio sources as well as microphones and even a guitar. A Bluetooth audio connection allows wireless streaming of music from a smartphone, tablet, or laptop.

d&b audiotechnik â&#x20AC;&#x201D; R90 Touchscreen Remote Control

Professional Wireless Systems â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Alpha Quad4/Alpha Quad-8 Distro Units The Alpha Quad-4 and Quad-8 are designed for use with multiple Shure Axient AD4Q receivers in Quadversity mode. The units provide four individual unity-gain signals (A, B, C, D) to up to four or eight quad receivers (depending on unit), with RF filtering at 470MHz â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 616MHz. Power is supplied to the units with either the main or aux inputs. Redundant power is provided by utilizing both main and aux inputs.

&Sound America 28 â&#x20AC;˘ July 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ Lighting&

The R90 Touchscreen remote control expands the d&b workflow in dedicated permanently installed applications where adjustments to a d&b audio system must be performed by staff with limited technical knowledge, the company says. Simplifying the general operation of a d&b system, the 7" panel PC grants any user one-touch control of predefined functionsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; power, mute, level, grouping, and recall of up to nine AmpPresets. All control functions in R90 work inde-

pendently of the d&b R1 Remote control software, eliminating the possibility of accidentally altering any of the carefully balanced system settings. Setup and configuration of R90 project settings can be accomplished quickly and easily, after which everyday activities can be managed without a technician present. Running AES70/OCA, the product can be easily integrated into any d&b system (using up to 15 amplifiers) without additional programming. The hardware consists of a 7" touch screen (800 x 480 pixel) industrial PC (IPC) device. It incorporates a 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor and provides a steel housing with aluminum front. All connectors are accessible from the lower rear panel. A low installation depth and pull-out clamping levers facilitate easy mounting, without any loose parts.

Lectrosonics â&#x20AC;&#x201D; M2C Active Antenna Combiner The M2C is designed as a matching component to Lectrosonics digital

NEW TECHNOLOGY: AUDIO

transmitters, including the DCHT portable stereo unit and Duet M2T dual stereo unit. Up to eight transmitter sources can feed a single antenna, to minimize cabling in multi-channel systems. The M2C inputs are well-isolated to minimize crosstalk and intermodulation between RF channels. The overall architecture is billed as providing excellent RF performance with low

power consumption and heat buildup.

Front panel LED indicators display active status of RF inputs, and a USB port is provided for firmware updates.

The M2C is a 1RU, AC mains-powered, fan-cooled unit with eight 50ohm BNC input ports and a single 50ohm BNC output port. The frequency range for the M2C is 470MHz â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 614MHz, and the unit accepts input sources up to 100mW, while RF gain through the system is at unity.

Bose Professional â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ArenaMatch Utility Loudspeakers for Outdoor Applications These loudspeakers offer a turnkey solution for outdoor sound installations and include both array and utility loudspeaker options. Designed and built for zone-fill coverage or high-SPL foreground music, ArenaMatch Utility

loudspeakers (AMU208, AMU206, AMU108, and AMU105) feature similar tonal balance to ArenaMatch DeltaQ array modules but in compact designs. They have the same EMB2S compression driver as ArenaMatch arrays, ensuring consistent sound, and the same IP55 weather rating. They provide wide, even coverage via a constant-directivity high-frequency horn, which can be rotated for horizontal or vertical installation. ArenaMatch Utility modules can perform in the most demanding applications, with the largest model (AMU208) featuring 70Hz â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 18kHz frequency range and 126dB maximum peak SPL, and with all models supporting the lowest vocal range. ArenaMatch Utility modules can mount easily with included stainlesssteel U-brackets.

frequencies (20kHz â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3dB). Driven by the Sentinel amplified loudspeaker controller, Signal Integrity Sensing prewiring ensures dynamic cable/connector compensation between the CRS8 and ALC; this offers a 1:1, undistorted natural sound reproduction, regardless of cable length and amplifier impedance load. The CRS8/9090 is available in two impedance choices: eight ohms, for efficient parallel connection in 5.1/7.1 configurations, and four ohms, for maximum efficiency in individually amplified immersive surround systems.

Alcons Audio â&#x20AC;&#x201D; CRS8/9090 Immersive Monitor The CRS8 is a two-way passive-filtered full range loudspeaker for immersive surround sound formats. The CRS8/9090 system consists of the RBN401 pro-ribbon driver for HF and a vented 8" mid-bass for LF reproduction. The CRS8 HF section has an 800W peak power input, enabling a 1:16 dynamic range with up to 90% less distortion from 1kHz to beyond 20.000Hz. Due to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;compression-lessâ&#x20AC;? principle of pro-ribbon transducer technology, the system has a fully linear response, with the same tonal balance at all SPLs for an intuitive 1:1 performance.

The patented (90°) horizontal and patent-pending (90°) vertical dispersion of the waveguide offers wide and consistent coverage up to the highest

Martin Audio â&#x20AC;&#x201D; BlacklineX Powered Portable Loudspeaker Range Comprising the 12" XP12 and 15" XP15 full range enclosures plus the 18" XP118 subwoofer, the BlacklineX range integrates acoustic, DSP, and amplifier technologies for clarity, precision, and richness of tone. It follows the passive BlacklineX Series of portable enclosures. It offers optional Bluetooth control, streaming, and a built-in three-channel mixer, placing increased flexibility and features within easy reach of every userâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from live venues, DJs, and corporate events to permanent installs, particularly houses of worship. Users will also recognize the road-ready construction, quick setup and adaptability.

Demo video: https://youtu.be/Qw9pXqHHPg4

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com â&#x20AC;˘ July 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ 29

NEW TECHNOLOGY: LIGHTING

Vari-Lite â&#x20AC;&#x201D; VL6500 WASH Sharing the big-picture format of the VL6000 BEAM, this is a fully featured wash fixture with the same form factor and color-matched presets as its award-winning sibling. It also adds Vari-Liteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dichro*fusion blades, which offer diffusion with variable beam width and harken back to the vintage stylings of the Emmy Award-winning VL5.

The unit features Vari-Liteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full CYM+CTO color system and its extended color range mode offers the ability to

move the color mixing wheels beyond full saturation back to open. This allows designers to use split-color effects that can be seen both in air and on the Dichro*fusion blades. To simplify programming when moving between color presets, the VL6500 offers the same Cloak Transition Generator (CTG) first seen on the VL6000. This allows the fixture to automatically dip to dark when moving between color presets without additional programming.

cations. Its proprietary 13-lens optical system features a zoom ratio in excess of 9:1 and a 6.3° â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 58° zoom range.

Features include a barndoor module that allows shutters to be positioned freely across 100% of the surface area, a CMY color mixing system, variable CTO, and a wheel with seven complementary colors. A 15-blade iris diaphragm and a wheel with seven indexable rotating gobos are supplied as standard.

ADJ â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Encore Burst 200 Audience Blinder/Strobe

Ayrton â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Levante Wash Light This unit completes Ayrtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trio of 300W LED fixtures, alongside the Mistral spot and Diablo profile luminaires. Weighing 22kg, it is a miniaturized version of the Bora washlight. The company says the unit can sculpture light; it has a high-transmission diffusion filter to the zoom lens group to erase the edge of the beam without changing its angle. A variable linear frost system allows the user to adjust the desired diffusion level with precision. Delivering an output in excess of 20,000 lumens (Levante-S) through its 138mm frontal lens, the optical system is developed for optimum wash appli-

&Sound America 30 â&#x20AC;˘ July 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ Lighting&

This dual-lens unit is powered by two 110W warm white (2,700K) CREE COB LEDs with a 50,000-hour average lifespan; it also offers a wide 50° beam angle. It is fitted with a tungsten mode that reduces the color temperature to 1,200K at low dimmer settings, emulating the warm glow of filament-based light sources. An output of 12,249 lux (measured at 1m) makes the fixture ideal for use on large stages and pro-

ductions, the company says. It has a CRI of 81 and offers an adjustable LED refresh rate (900Hz â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 25,000Hz) and gamma brightness (2.0 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2.8). The unitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LEDs can also be used to generate a variable-speed strobe effect. A rugged metal housing makes it suitable for use in touring and rental situations, as well as permanent installations. The case features an IPX4 rating, meaning it is protected from splashes of water. The lens array also offers manual tilt adjustment, and each of the two LEDs can be controlled independently to allow for pixel-mapping effects.

Littlite â&#x20AC;&#x201D; LED-3 Series LED Task Lights

NEW TECHNOLOGY: LIGHTING

The LED-3 series comes in two different configurations, each with three selectable, discrete white light outputs: 6,500K (cool), 5,000K (daylight), and 3,000K (warm). The LED-3-UV is selectable between white, red, and UV (365 nm) light outputs. Both models are available in several lamp set configurations with a 12" or 18" gooseneck and include a power supply.

Artistic Licence â&#x20AC;&#x201D; DMXtoDALI quad Conversion Unit The product retains the core functionality of its predecessor, Rail-DMXDALI. It converts DMX512 to four circuits of DALI, allowing up to 256 devices to be connected. However, the feature set and user interface have been significantly enhanced, the company says. The operation is also much

faster, implementing interleaved DALI transmission. Most significantly, the product features DT8 color support for color temperature and RGBWAF. This is in addition to conventional DT0 (intensity) control. DMX512-to-DALI provides simultaneous control via all four addressing modes (broadcast, group, device, and scene). Converting DMX to DALI involves some complex mapping between DMX channels and DALI addresses. The product presents the user with a choice of nine predefined personalities to cover commonly encountered scenarios. The personalities are selected using RDM. The Artistic Licence free software

package, DMX-Workshop, is ideally suited for this purpose, the company says.

AC Lighting/Luminex â&#x20AC;&#x201D; LumiNode Networking Device The LumiNode has a new interface, which effectively handles all current protocols, anticipates future protocols, and can adapt easily to any network infrastructure, the company says. With it, users have up to 16 processing engines and up to 12 DMX ports. They can merge up to four input sources permanent installations, the company says, because its total power consumption is less than 100W per unit, and it is designed to run off 110V230V power.

and the product easily adapts to future protocols. LumiNode consists of three main models: LumiNode 2 has four processing engines and two DMX outputs, LumiNode 4 has six processing engines and four DMX outputs, and LumiNode 12 has 16 processing engines and 12 DMX outputs. The LumiNode 1 is the smallest device intended to accompany network technicians like a multi-tool, the company says. It has two processing engines and one DMX output.

Portman Lights â&#x20AC;&#x201D; P1 Mini LED The latest in Portman Lightsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; specialized range of products exhibits a tungsten look and retro style to match Portmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existing product line, but this time with full LED. Arranged in the same configuration and housing as the original P1 Retro Lamp, P1 Mini LED combines two layers of light sources: a special 1,800K linear filament and an RGBW glow that adds color and enhances the creative possibilities of the fixture. It is a perfect product for

Elation Professional â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Proteus Smarty Hybrid Housing the same feature set and using the same Philips MSD Platinum 200 Flex 280W lamp (6,000 hours) as the Smarty Hybris, this product is IP65-rated for dust and water protection. It can be used as a beam, spot, or wash unit with an output of 11,000 lumens.

Outfitted with a motorized zoom with auto-focus, its beam angle range differs in beam and spot mode, with gobo projection focus realized from 1.0° â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 18° under beam mode and 3.0° â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 27° in spot mode. No hotspot is visible in spot mode. The unit also includes a frost filter for a PC lens-type concentrated wash, zoomable from 5° â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 33°.

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com â&#x20AC;˘ July 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ 31

NEW TECHNOLOGY: IMAGING / STAGING / EFFECTS

Roland â&#x20AC;&#x201D; VR-50HD MK II Multi-Format AV Mixer Eliminating the need for peripheral devices, the unit combines a 12-input/four-channel multi-format video switcher, 12-input digital audio mixer, multi-viewer touch screen, and AV streaming output via USB 3.0. Its assignable inputs allow the use of any combination of four SDI and HDMI sources. The input assignment buttons make easy the use of all inputs on the switcher, with on-the-fly assignment of inputs to crosspoints on the switcher. The I/O capability includes RGB/component and composite inputs, and accommodates professional cameras, computers, presentersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mobile devices, microphones, and more.

The unit has a dedicated aux output available for sending alternate content without affecting the main PGM output. The source for the aux output can be switched by means of dedicated aux delegation buttons; any VR-50HD MK II input can be fed to the aux output independent of the main PGM output. The mixer output feeding the PGM output can be fed synchronously to the aux output to serve as a built-in distribution amp out. The aux output is available in HDMI, SDI, and RGB/component formats.

The built-in touch-screen multi-view monitor allows concurrent viewing of preview and program of the four inputs assigned to crosspoints, and of four still images.

(Up to four still images can be loaded from USB to internal storage for immediate access) Dedicated broadcast-style buttons give instant access to various functions. Each audio path now has its own solo and

TEKVOX â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 79084S HDBaseT 2.0 TransmitterReceiver Pair This product is capable of sending full HD video with high fidelity a distance of up to 325' in a single Cat6a cable run. With a maximum power consumption of 18W and a compact form factor, it makes simple the connection of distant digital video sources to a display with no video distortion or

mute buttons.

Professional-quality audio mixes for events, including without a dedicated audio engineer, are facilitated by the intuitive interface with on-the-fly auto mixing of levels and built-in anti-feedback. Settings allow certain audio inputs to take priority. The unit provides a variety of standard audio inputs, including XLR/TRS combo jacks with 48VDC phantom power, an RCA stereo pair, or de-embedded audio from 3G/HD/SD-SDI and HDMI inputs.

The product can directly control select JVC and Panasonic PTZ LAN cameras without a dedicated PTZ camera controller or operator. Up to six compatible PTZ cameras can be controlled via a single LAN port.

Keyed video can be placed on picture-in-picture compositions. A still image can be placed on top of the four layers available for composition and effects can be switched on and off.

The unit uses the same USB connection technology as webcams. Web-based streaming requires connecting the USB 3.0 I/O to a computer or hardware streaming interface; there are no software to download, drivers to install, updates to manage, or restart required.

Rolandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free companion VR capture software, available for Mac or Windows OS, accommodates recording to â&#x20AC;&#x153;web-readyâ&#x20AC;? full HD AV files.

need for armored cable. All of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s systems are assembled, programmed, and tested in the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s central Texas facility and are pre-integrated with required cables; ready to install. Programming and cabling is customized for each room solution and new installations are easily added to the customers A/V management system with no programming or data entry.

Penn Elcom â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Vulcan Shockmount Chassis This product is designed for the secure housing and transportation of a variety of sound, lighting, AV, and IT equipment. A basic Vulcan rack can be assembled in six minutes; due to &Sound America 32 â&#x20AC;˘ July 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ Lighting&

the pragmatic design, the units are available in an easy-to-assemble flat-pack format.

The patented design utilizes hollow triangular sections of highly tensile tempered-aluminum alloy, bringing an amazing strength-to-weight ratio to any size of chassis, the company says.

A 6U rack, for example, weighs just 3kg, and 2U to 18U kit sizes are available with no loss of strength. Delicate and sensitive devices, including servers, processors, and other networking elements, can be added to Vulcan rack enclosures without having to upgrade to heavier and more

NEW TECHNOLOGY: IMAGING / STAGING / EFFECTS

expensive steel chassis. The rack components are precisely machined to slide and lock into place perfectly each time with no forcing, banging, swearing, or frustration necessary.

Strategically located cage nuts enable the swift lineup of fixing screws, and the rails are accurately machined to effortlessly clamp the 19" panels safely in place.

Broadweigh â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Broadweigh Bluetooth Wireless Load-Monitoring System This system makes wireless load monitoring accessible to smaller-scale rigging applications. The 3.25-ton load shackle, with integrated Bluetooth LE 4.0, provides high-precision, multichannel wireless load monitoring and sends data straight to the Broadweigh app for easy viewing on an iOS or Android device. It requires no other accessoriesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;simply download the free app. The shackles are supplied pre-calibrated, ready to be viewed on the app, and available in a robust case holding up to four shackles. The app is capable of handling multiple groups of transmitters.

A built-in maths editor can compute more complex calculations for groups of load cells. Preformatted projects can be shared with others by importing and exporting to other devices without any hassle.

Additional features include automatic unit conversion as well as visual alarms and history graphs.

Eiki â&#x20AC;&#x201C; EK-355U WUXGA LCD HLD LED Portable Projector This product is billed as a solution for

medium-sized spaces where internal lighting or sunlight from outside compromise the environment. ColorSpark HLD (High Lumen Density) LED projection technology lets users see everything on the screen in vivid color with brighter imagery, the company says.

The unitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s technology combines multiple LEDs through a light tunnel into a very narrow beam. This results in an extremely focused and bright point source that loses no light whatsoever, the company says. The unitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RJ45 connector serves as an HDBaseT input in addition to the dual HDMI ports, one of which supports MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link). Also featured are two 15-pin D-Sub VGA connectors, a YPbPr (component) input that is shared with VGA Input 2, an RCA composite video input, and a 15pin D-Sub S-Video input (shared with VGA Input 2). Further, there are USB Type A and Micro USB ports plus a VGA monitor output. Additional features include quiet operation and an integrated 10W, dual loudspeaker audio playback.

Middle Atlantic â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Premium+ PDU with RackLink Power Distribution/Management This next-generation power distribution and management solution builds on the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premium and Select Series PDUs. The RackLink remote management system allows integrators control locally or virtually through third-party AV control systems, cloud platforms, RESTful API, and SNMP. It is developed around Raritanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s XERUS platform. Available in horizontal rackmount and compact models, the product provides under/over voltage, filtering, and surge protection with Middle

Atlanticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s patented Series Protection. It also provides accurate power monitoring and logging for current, voltage, watts, and power factor at the outlet level. It features enhanced environmental monitoring capabilities with up to 32 individual sensors that can connect to a single unit to keep tabs on temperature and humidity. It enables integrators to solve simple problems through comprehensive, flexible control options for proactive system management and restoration if equipment issues occur, including IP, RESTful API, SNMP v3/MIB, CLI, RS-232, and dry contact.

Eilon Engineering â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ron StageMaster 8000 Hoist Load Cell This patent-pending product is billed as allowing for greater motion control, safer handling of complex loads, advanced data acquisition, increased productivity, and reduced downtime. It can fit any hoist. It easily retrofits to existing hoists and includes a chain compensation mechanism, adjusting for hoist imbalance as the chain accumulates in the bag. Two new load-monitoring solutions are available: a donut hoist load cell with high load cell accuracy of 0.25% and zero headroom loss, and a hook hoist load cell with high load cell accuracy of 0.1% and minimal headroom loss. High load cell accuracy is crucial for early detection of overloads the moment they start to develop and allows for quick, preventive action like rebalancing the loads while minimal headroom loss is critical for indoor use.

Video demo: www.eilonengineering.com/?section=111

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com â&#x20AC;˘ July 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ 33

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On the Move The Who’s new tour combines classic design ideas with an onstage orchestra By: Sharon Stancavage

The band members “said, ‘We want theatrical Broadway minimal’,” Kenny says. Thus the show doesn’t focus on elaborate bells and whistles.

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All photos: Todd Kaplan

“It’s

a very different-looking show for The Who; its more art-school-opera/experimental theatre,” notes the band’s longtime production and lighting designer Tom Kenny. It’s also the smallest production for the band in a long while; everything fits into seven trucks.

The design for the Moving On! Tour is based on the band’s wishes and history. “The production had built up from 2006 to 2016, and we had wonderful video content, starting in 2006,” Kenny says. “During the last tour, which had a very big screen, we tested the boundaries with The Who and had great fun.”

For this tour, the band—specifically Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend—had definite ideas. “They’re one of the first innovators of lasers, lighting, flown audio, and the inventors of stage monitors,” Kenny says. “Pete comes from an art school background. Roger, having been a successful actor, is very much into the aesthetics of camera and space, and Bill Curbishley [the band’s manager] is a successful movie producer. With those influences, we returned to the place where it all began: a band, musical instruments, and the audience.

“Roger was getting a bit fed up with the fact that every

time he goes to a show everyone is looking at screens and their phones,” Kenny says. “They [Daltrey, Townshend, and Curbishley] understand this is the way the world is at the moment, but they want people to sit there and relax.“ Therefore, the designer says, “I got rid of the screens. I don’t use any smoke, because Roger is allergic to it. They basically said, ‘We want theatrical Broadway minimal,’ which is cool, because most of the people I work with have always been in that camp. You’re not distracted by the massive video screens that we’ve all used. It’s all about listening to the show, which is a bit unusual these days.”

The band is appearing on each date backed up by a full orchestra. Kenny says, “Roger and Pete wanted to share their music, using as many local musicians as possible.

Every day, we give 50 people a day of extra work.” These individuals play another role as well: “The orchestra is a set in itself.”

Also, says Kenny, “We talked to Roger and decided to go the theatrical route with drapes. I love them and without any video, you need a surface. Roger said, ‘I love that contour curtain in Radio City. Can we look at that?’ I looked at the Atomic [Design] rental catalog, picked some-

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Above and opposite: At each performance, The Who appears with a fifty-piece orchestra. The upstage contour drape, supplied by Atomic Design, runs on a TAIT Navigator system using winches.

thing out, and asked them to make it into a contour drape, which we had seen in Radio City.” The drape, located at midstage, comes in and out during the show; it runs on a TAIT Navigator system using winches. Also, says Kenny, “I used some beautiful Atomic laser drapes for the backdrop and truss borders.”

The lighting rig is based on five straight trusses covered in the scenic border. “We have mainly Robe products on this show,” reports Kenny. The lighting rig, provided by PRG, includes 64 Robe Robin LED Wash 1200s. “I just love the Robe 1200s," the designer adds. "A lot of my favorites are old, and a lot of instruments we’ve used as workhorses in the past we can’t use anymore. In this day and age, we need a bright profile, because we’re not using smoke, and we need to light an orchestra, so we used the BMFL for the brightness and the sharpness of it. Basically, Robe and Claypaky have come forward and are helping us replace that old workhorse. We’re using the Robe RoboSpot system for Roger and Pete, and we’re also using venue house spots for them.” The rig includes 64 Robe Robin BMFL Blades and three Robe BMFL

36 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

FollowSpots; Kenny is using the latter with the RoboSpot system.

Fifty-four Astera Titan Tubes, a new brand of LED tube, are scattered on the stage floor. “They’re used in movies a lot, and my friends at Showcat—Noel Duncan, Gary Mass, and Nick Freed—showed me the product,” Kenny says.

“I’ve used them on fashion shows and car launches. This was a great way to use them and go into my Bowie world that I worked in the past and do proper artful lighting.”

(Kenny was lighting designer for the late David Bowie.) As soon as the Titan Tubes appeared in rehearsals, Kenny says, “We hadn’t turned them on yet, and Pete said, ‘What are those things over there?’ They were a great distraction for a day. Pete said, ‘My God, I love those.’ And Roger added, ‘Those are really cool’.”

For audience light, Kenny is using 25 Altman 18" scoops, six Mole-Richardson Nooklite 2911s, and 12 TMB Solaris Flares. The rig also includes 24 GLP impression X4s, 46 impression X4S units, and 10 Showtec Sunstrips.

During rehearsals, Kenny says, “I stayed in the background and lit it as we went along, with Fuji [David

Convertino, the lighting programmer] and Jim [Mustapha, the lighting director]. The band would play a song and Bill, the band, and I would huddle and tweak—and a wonderful and inspiring new show appeared. The band has over 200 songs to play with, so Roger and Pete added some older, underplayed songs.”

Convertino programmed the show on an MA Lighting grandMA2 console, which Mustapha uses to run the show.

“I’ve given my heart to the MA2,” Convertino says. “It is the console I feel most comfortable on. I’ve yet to find something it can’t do, and it is always doing something new with new updates. For this tour, we needed it for networking with the Tait Navigator and RoboSpot systems.”

Kenny adds, “We don’t have anything that is flash, trash, or in your face, even though we have flash in the rock parts.” There are no big sweeps in the audience or rotating gobos, outside of the pixel-mapping of the lighting fixtures onstage. “In rehearsal, we let the rig sit there, and it worked. You don’t have to have a lighting cue, even though it’s written in. You want to do it, and your natural thing is to change the lighting, but you don’t and it’s worth it.”

The most intense cueing happens during the overture from Tommy, which opens the production. “The whole Tommy section has a lot in stack and buttons,” Convertino says. “It has drape moves, lots of orchestra pickups, and plenty of flash—having the drape winches on the MA put a lot more in the cueing.”

The white contour drape was also part of the lighting

equation, notes Convertino. “Tom had this idea of using it all the way down with X4s and Nooklights doing shadows on it. It took a fair bit of back and forth to get that right, but the outcome was exactly as Tom envisioned.”

He adds, “Some songs are just a few looks, with the drapes lit and key lights only. Those songs are great, as the music tells the story and the look makes the feeling. Other songs are what you would expect from The Who: big rock looks with punch. Jim Mustapha helped a lot with the buttons to make those moments.”

Since this is an arena production that ventures into sheds and stadiums, one IMAG and two side screens are featured, with imagery delivered using two Barco HDX-W20 projectors, provided by Expertease. The live production is directed by Mathieu Coutu.

Although the production isn’t massive, it is still challenging from a production standpoint. “It’s a very long day for everyone, because they start soundchecking at 1pm,” Kenny notes.

Audio The pain of early soundcheck is felt by the audio department, explains audio systems engineer Chris “Chopper” Morrison: “Time is the thing that you fight. We need to have the PA up, tuned, and ready to run by 12; the orchestra starts at 1pm. On a regular tour, 3 or 4pm is line check time; we’re looking at having mics on everything and ready to go by 1pm. The full orchestra at band rehearsals finish

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at about 5pm. Our guys start at 6:30am, and Robert [Collins, front-of-house engineer] and I go in at 7:30. It’s a long day.”

Morrison, a veteran of several tours with the band, notes that, this year, they went in a different direction with the PA: “I was in Australia for six months and had been using an Adamson PA. I suggested to Robert, ‘Let’s look at the Adamson System. I’ve never had a bad show on it the whole time I’ve been using it’.” He adds, “We’ve used Adamson quite a bit before, for festivals in Europe, and we’ve always had a good show. It wasn’t a leap of faith.”

The PA, as well as the rest of the audio package, is being provided by Eighth Day Sound.

The Adamson gear “sounds like an old-school PA,” Morrison says. “It’s still a line array but it has some pretty interesting stuff going on. There is a lot more power available in each box, and the cones are made of Kevlar, which means they don’t warp. The system also sounds superclean.” Collins adds, “We like the PA, and we thought we’d tour it in all its iterations—sheds, arenas, stadiums, and back gardens.”

The Movin’ On! Tour features Adamson’s E Series; the main hang is comprised of fifteen E15 boxes and three E12 boxes per side. “On the side hang we have twelve E15 and three E12s,” Morrison says. “We have a whole bunch of S10 ten-inch line array cabinets for front fill.” There is also a 270° hang, consisting of twelve S10s.

“We have nine flown subs, which are configured cardioid, and, on the ground, we have 12 subs in total, which are across the front in four blocks of three.”

Morrison adds, “To tune the system, I would normally use three mics: front, mid, and rear. I concentrate on midoff to the left-on axis for the main hang. I usually put something that’s about 4' off the ground; I use a road case with a wooden top, push it out and put a mic out, and create a ground plane. I look at what the main and side hangs are doing, as well. Sometimes I don’t put the other two mics out, because we all know from previous gigs what to expect in those positions. If something is really different in the back or the front of the room, we want to get the balance between the two as close as possible.”

For software, he uses Radial Acoustics’ Smaart as well as Adamson’s Blueprint AV, adding, “the most important tool of all is our ears, of course, and we make all our final tweaks using them.”

Collins runs the show on a DiGiCo SD7 console. “For a digital desk, I quite like it because you can do more than one thing at a time,” he says. “With other desks, you press one button and that’s what mode it’s in and that’s the only thing you can do. It’s also quite a musical desk; you can still mix on it, rather than just using a mouse.”

What Collins isn’t doing on the desk is notable. “There’s no automation and no snapshots; I need something to do during the show,” he says, chuckling. As for Waves, “I

38 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

never really tried it. I’m a bit old-fashioned in my ways. I don’t need plug-ins. I hear so many shows with so much going on, it’s ridiculous, I want to believe I add to the band, so I mix the sound. I like to be able to grab a knob and turn it.” Morrison adds, “I think Waves is so overused and so overrated. Some of it makes it sound bad. I’ve heard some shows using Waves that sounded reasonably good, but then I’ve heard some shows using a Waves program that have absolutely ruined the sound.”

Of the SD7, Collins says, “The desk has an expander, so we can control multiple channels at once.” Morrison, noting that only a few expanders are available anywhere, points out that, with it, the SD7 has 190 channels. “We have run out of processing power in the desk; it won’t do any more.”

In terms of outboard gear, Collins has a variety that he relies on selectively. “There are a couple of blue ones, three silver ones, and a black one. There’s also a red thing; I don’t know what it does,” he says, laughing. Morrison translates:

“It is The Who, playing their normal set how they normally play it, with the orchestra trying to fit in,” Morrison says.

“We have a Summit [Audio] TLA-100A [tube leveling amplifier], a Summit DCL-200, which is a dual-channel compressor limiter, and a couple of dbx 160SLs [compressor/limiters].

There’s also a TC Electronic Music 6000 MKII for effects, and a TC M5000 as well, which is for effects and reverb.”

Collins also has a Klark Teknik DN360 EQ and a Sonic Farm Creamliner III, for bass and treble control.

to put them on the instruments.

The horns are on [Shure] KSM32s and all percussion are on AKG C414s.” The timpani are on a Shure 137.

Morrison notes one anomaly: “The harp is on Schertler DYN-B-P48s; we have a high and a low. It is a little disclooking thing that sticks to the instrument.” Also, “We have four Sennheiser MD421s and two Shure KSM44s for Pete; Roger is on a Shure SM58 and has been on one for many, many, many years. They still have the Shure contract; it was back in the ‘60s when they signed that endorsement.”

One big challenge for Collins is “to get an orchestra With nearly 60 performers onstage, the microphone lineup is extensive, with 20 units for to sound as big as The Who; percussion alone. these are big, powerful songs played by a big, powerful band as well as the pretty stuff.” Morrison adds, “It is the Who During the show, Morrison looks after the orchestra on playing their normal set how they normally play it, with an the expander: “It’s just too many channels for one person. orchestra trying to fit in.”

I make sure that each orchestra members knows that [he Although he’s been working with The Who intermittently or she has] a mic on the instrument and that the microsince the early ‘90s, including solo work from both Daltrey phone is in the correct position. Once the show starts, I and Townshend, Collins still finds his job challenging and just have to monitor the orchestra and make sure the levenjoyable. “Every show with the Who, I don’t know what is els are correct, and there is no crackle or scratching. All going to happen. It’s a bit different with the orchestra you need is one violinist to sit on their microphone and get because it’s more structured, but, normally with The Who, a crackle; it’s my job to track down these little things that you get a set list and you just don’t know if Pete’s going to happen. Robert takes the control group and mixes it.” put his guitar on the floor and step through it. This is the Morrison has a piece of outboard gear as well—a only band that I’ve ever worked with that when they’ve finNeutral Audio X-Dre Pro. “The blurb on the website says it ished the song, and 16,000 people go crazy. Roger then takes a deformed waveform and reshapes it back,” he goes up to the mic and says, ‘That was f**king rubbish; says. “I heard it was designed by an electronics guy who we’re going to do that again,’ and they play the song married a cello player. He used to hear her practicing in again. That’s The Who for you.” the room and then would hear her cello on the album; she The production has been a hit with both critics and fans and he thought it didn’t sound the same as the natural across the board. “We have streams of audience members sound. So, he came up with a way of recording string thanking us for a great—and unusual—Who show, which is instruments. They made a dodgy, rackmount version of it, a funny experience,” Kenny says. because it’s a studio piece, and that’s what I use for the Although this is touted as the band’s final tour, it strings. It makes it sound wider and cleaner. Not a lot of doesn’t mean the end of The Who. “They have a new people know about it.” album coming out, and they have new projects coming There are almost 60 people onstage, which means a into the pipeline,” Kenny says. “I’ve also been talking to bevy of microphones; there are 20 alone for just percuspeople about how to keep their brand and the music sion. “The woodwind [musicians] play double instruments, going. There are offers of Japan and Europe and more so they have double microphones as well,” says Morrison.

British dates, France really wants us and so does South Although there are numerous musicians on stage, the America.” variety of microphones is limited. “We’re using the DPA The Who is currently touring North America through late d:vote 4099 for the strings and woodwinds,” Morrison October. says. “We have all the different adapters, clips, and things

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Envisaged as a beacon to artists across Canada with 50'-high LED video displays over the NAC’s new main entrance welcoming the city, the Kipnes Lantern is the largest transparent media facade in North America.

40 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

The Rejuvenation Canada’s National Arts Centre is made new again

Photo: Trevor Lush

S

By: Alan Hardiman

hining like a beacon and with a refreshing immediacy to its sound, Canada’s National Arts Centre has emerged from a comprehensive four-year renovation of its edifice and production infrastructure. Split into two phases—architectural rejuvenation and production renewal—for financial and scheduling reasons, the project was completed within the $225.4 million budget allocated by the Government of Canada, which was apportioned almost equally between the two phases.

Architectural rejuvenation of the Ottawa, Ontario building, was completed in time for the commencement of Canada’s 150th anniversary celebration on July 1, 2017, while the renovation of production facilities and infrastructure was postponed until the summer of 2018, when the building was shut down for three months to facilitate work within its four performance venues.

During the overhaul of the 50-year-old performing arts center, an outdoor terrace that saw little use in winter was enclosed within a new glass envelope and developed into four new interior spaces and an atrium. A new front door was set into the base of a three-story transparent video “lantern” on the major downtown thoroughfare Elgin Street, a simple stroke of genius that effectively turned the building around to face and welcome the city. Under the guidance of project architect Jennifer Mallard, principal at Toronto-based Diamond Schmitt Architects, the overall effect of Donald Schmitt’s design achieves the complete transmutation of a dark, hulking concrete bunker into a lighter, brighter structure offering views of Canada’s Parliament Buildings that were not possible in the original design.

The new spaces have been equipped with full theatrical lighting and performance sound systems; the 2,065-seat Southam Hall has been given a new orchestra shell and seating that improves its acoustics and the engagement of performers with audiences.

Much of the aging electrical and theatrical production equipment has also been replaced in Southam Hall as well as in the 797-seat Babs Asper Theatre and 300-seat black

box Azrieli Studio, while the 150-seat Fourth Stage was completely rebuilt from the ground up.

Architectural rejuvenation The NAC’s five-year strategic plan for 2015-2020 described the shortcomings of the original facility: “People struggle to find the entrance. The lobbies can’t accommodate large crowds, are difficult for those with mobility issues, and the lack of washrooms means that women in the audience often spend most of the intermission in line.

The building is daunting. Its biggest problem, arguably, is that the main entrance faces the Rideau Canal, meaning that the NAC literally turns its back on the city. All this is compounded by low ceilings and few windows, creating a dark, bunker-like atmosphere.”

The canal, a navigable waterway bisecting the city, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that, in winter months, becomes the world’s largest skating rink. “In the 1960s, Ottawa’s Greber urban design plan located some federal institutions, such as museums, on a planned new lagoon and public plaza on the canal side,” Mallard says. “In this ‘town and crown’ arrangement, the federal government was up on the hill and the public institutions, including museums and the arts center, would be built down around this lagoon. However, with the exception of the National Arts Centre, none of it was built, not even the lagoon.

“When we were originally hired in 2012 to conduct a feasibility study, we were given three mandates: one, to make a new front door; two, to increase patron comfort, encompassing accessibility and washrooms; and three, to engage the NAC in the greater community of Ottawa, while respecting the heritage character of the building, which is quite significant.”

When the NAC opened in 1969 (at a cost of $46 million), the building was celebrated for its Brutalist style, for its reflection of the landscape evoking the Canadian Shield, and for the hexagon—a shape repeated in virtually every part of the building. “That hexagonal grid informs everything,” Mallard says. “To work with a building that has

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such a strong original character, you either counter that character or you work with it.

“We dove into that hexagonal grid,” Mallard continues.

“Everything we did originates from that logic, but we reinterpret it in a contemporary way. Whereas the original building was heavy, concrete, and opaque, the new building is glass and steel and warm wood. While that’s a contemporary palette, the geometrical architectural language is akin to the original intent.”

Several new spaces within the glazed addition add some 60,000 sq. ft. to the facility’s original 1.2 million: The Glass Thorsteinson Staircase links the O’Brien Atrium and Peter A. Herrndorf Place at the Elgin Street level to the O’Born Room, Lantern Room, and Rossy Pavilion on the new Terrace level above.

“The foundation line of the former exterior terrace was based on the layout of the hexagonal structural grid, so the new walls emerge from those foundation lines,” Mallard says. “They’re right on the grid. The only foundation work we did was build a new elevator pit, so the footprint of the addition emerges from the former foundation

42 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

line. The wood coffer ceiling structure that we put in is of a heavy timber construction; the wood triangulation visible in the ceiling is the roof structure—prefabricated Douglas fir triangulated glue-lam coffers ganged in linear swaths up to 65' long. They were prefabricated off-site in order to save time, and the whole roof structure was installed in under three weeks.

“Each of the long swaths arrived assembled and prewired and was hoisted on-site by crane. There’s a chase in the construction that accommodates all the AV wiring, electrical wiring, sprinkler lines, roof drain plumbing lines, and rigging where needed for the various De Sisti Spider lifts servicing the lighting and AV systems.

Each lift fits inside one triangular space in the ceiling. All that infrastructure was installed in the shop; it saved us about six months in construction, since it was all finished material hoisted into place. There was no need to pull cables or install plumbing lines. Connectors for coupling the ceiling pieces were pre-installed, so they just had to be plugged into one another to complete the infrastructure in the ceiling.”

Photo: doublespace photography

Constructed over a former outdoor terrace that had seen little use, the 60,000-sq.-ft. glazed addition houses four new performance spaces and an atrium that dramatically enhance the NAC’s engagement with the greater community of Ottawa.

Kipnes Lantern Bridging the original building and addition is the Kipnes Lantern, a three-story glazed hexagon with the Centre’s front door in its base on the ground floor, and the 1,300sq.-ft. high-ceilinged Lantern Room occupying its upper two-thirds. The Lantern, constructed over a single-story hexagonal entrance to the parking garage from the rear of the building, features the largest transparent media façade in North America. An array of LED screens, mounted inside the glazing on four of its six sides, is capable of livestreaming performances from inside the building or anywhere else in Canada, in addition to providing digital signage.

Fabricated as 428 transparent modular LED panels in 13 customized panel types by Vancouver-based ClearLED, the 50'-high, 16mm-pixel-pitch LED displays cover 3,440 sq. ft. at 8,000 nits (about 25,000 lux) with up to 93% transparency—not a single screw is visible. “It is emergent technology that has been used for retail and traveling rock shows,” Mallard says. “This is a different interpretation of that technology, and a vehicle to link the arts across the country in more of a national communication.”

Martin Van Dijk, senior consultant and partner with Engineering Harmonics and the primary audio-visual designer for the project, says, “The types of video walls typically used in large concert tours present too much visibility-reducing structure for this application. We came up with the see-through idea first, developed that into a design, and found a company to fabricate it to our specifications.”

The transparent media façade is linked to 4 two-storyhigh video displays spaced along the sidewalk on the Elgin Street side, such that images can be moved across the front of the building to and from the Lantern. Because they are viewable at closer range, each of these 150-sq.-ft. displays features a tighter 6mm LED pixel pitch.

“You can see through the Lantern into the building, especially at night,” Van Dijk says. “One driving question behind the design was, How to make the Centre more open to the public? It has always been closed off; this used to be the rear entrance to the building. We didn’t want to create a barrier with a giant video wall—hence the transparent façade. You can see into the building and simultaneously have a video image. It’s really spectacular sometimes. You can do tricks, too: One night, they had a rotating cube on the display. From outside, it looked like the cube was just floating in space, because you didn’t see the video wall on account of the interior lighting.”

He adds, “Peter Herrndorf, the Centre’s former president and CEO, believed the National Arts Centre should be more inclusive of the entire country, and he envisioned this as a beacon for the performing arts in Canada. The Lantern has the potential to become a digital canvas that allows the NAC to collaborate with other arts organizations to create digital media artworks for curation and presentation here.

With that in mind, the back end became a big concern, particularly selecting the type of server farm and database, because once you start doing that, the amount of data that must be managed is enormous.”

Given its shape and extensive glazing, Van Dijk initially questioned how well the Lantern might function in its secondary role as a meeting room with a capacity of 72-120, sitting or standing. “It’s a coffee can,” he says. “I thought it was going to be an absolute nightmare from an acoustics point of view, but Threshold Acoustics has done a great job—you can hear the results. This room has got some life, but it’s not the terrible echo chamber that it should be, given its geometry.” He notes that absorptive acoustic panels and angular diffusors line two of the lower walls.

“Visually, that gives a texture to the room—plus it sounds great.”

New spaces Adjacent to the Lantern Room at the top of the grand staircase is the 1,600-sq.-ft. Alan & Roula Rossy Pavilion, a new programming space furnished with theatrical lighting and sound connectivity and an impressive view, through its floor-to-ceiling windows, of the Parliament Buildings a quarter of a mile away. Floor pockets for audio-visual, data and power lines are generously distributed around the room’s perimeter.

Across the Terrace level to the north, the 2,700-sq.-ft.

Janice & Earle O’Born room is fully glazed on all sides and boasts fabulous views of the Rideau Canal, Chateau Laurier Hotel, and Parliament Buildings. Intended primarily for entertaining, rentals, and hospitality purposes, it accommodates 144-250 guests.

Linking the Terrace level with the Gail & David O’Brien Atrium below is the Susan Glass & Arni Thorsteinson Staircase, with a capacity of 60 for daytime concerts, lectures, and morning workout classes. Modeled on the Bradshaw Auditorium in Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, an earlier Diamond Schmitt project, the staircase was included at the client’s request.

“On opening day, when Prince Charles was in attendance,” Mallard says, “a gospel choir performed on the staircase, with the conductor standing on the floor, surrounded by the audience and looking up at the choir. That was fabulous. We’ve had audiences seated on that staircase, with dancers on the ground level. If the mandate is public engagement, then that stair is doing its job.”

To the eye, the staircase is clearly a production space: The Spider lifts resting in the ceiling coffers are visible to anyone looking up; a black pipe rail affixed to the wall around the upper level of stairs is populated with lighting fixtures much of the time; a Renkus-Heinz Iconyx loudspeaker array is mounted on the wall between a pair of atrium windows near the foot of the stairs.

“The Iconyx digitally steerable array, comprised of three

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ARCHITECTURE

IC8 modules, covers this area beautifully,” Van Dijk says.

“We have installed infrastructure for additional loudspeakers, and also for up pop-up screens any time they want to do a presentation. There are a lot of theatrical fixtures on the pipe, as well as moving lights up on De Sisti lifts that [Fisher Dachs Associates, the theatre consulting firm] designed in, and that can come all the way down for service, so we can light this like a true production space.”

Beyond the staircase, the atrium flows seamlessly into Peter A. Herrndorf Place, which lies directly beneath the O’Born Room, sharing its footprint. Herrndorf Place “takes many cues from the city room that we created with Diamond Schmitt at the Four Seasons Centre,” says Peter Rosenbaum, of Fisher Dachs Associates. These include “a public gathering space for the community at the center of the new lobby, and public spaces that become part of what is essentially a campus living room, where people can pull out their laptops, enjoy a cup of coffee, and just watch the world go by along the Rideau Canal.”

Pipes and electrical infrastructure are in place to light free public performances on a removable performance platform. “We have the ability to add sound reinforcement

44 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

to the modest built-in sound system,” Van Dijk says. “It’s a beautiful space for a noon-hour presentation, especially with the great views of the skyline in the background. It was quite a challenge, in view of the architectural infrastructure, where we could run conduit for the production infrastructure and where we could locate our floor boxes.

Some are not as close to the wall as we might like, but it all worked out in the end.”

It was the designers’ intent that there be no walls to contain sound between Herrndorf Place, grand staircase, and atrium. “We were tasked with creating an acoustic dynamic that works for the room acoustics in these situations where there’s a little less sound isolation,” says Robin Glosemeyer Petrone, principal of Threshold Acoustics. “We had different criteria guiding our work, in terms of ‘found performance’ compared with performance that’s isolated in a hall.

“As you’re walking through the atrium with the Glass Thorsteinson Staircase and Herrndorf Place, it may not be immediately apparent that those are individual performance spaces as well,” she says. “The NAC can program any of those spaces at any time. One driving concept

Photos: doublespace photography

Above: With ample seating for daytime concerts and lectures, the Glass Thorsteinson Staircase was modeled on the Bradshaw Auditorium in Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, an earlier Diamond Schmitt project, and was included at the client’s request. Opposite: Lobby space adjacent to the grand staircase is fully equipped with theatrical lighting and performance sound equipment. Between the windows, bronze fins perforated with a triangular pattern extend the hexagonal structural motif to the exterior.

behind the architectural rejuvenation was to remove the idea of a performing arts center as a bunker or castle on the hill. We wanted to pull the building into the city and the city into the building, and we worked with Diamond Schmitt to create spaces that allowed sound to bleed from one into the other, so that you would know that activity was happening.”

Adjacent to Herrndorf Place but in the original building, the new 7,000-sq.-ft. Canada Room has been fully furnished with audio-visual and data connectivity. With a capacity of 650 for a sit-down meal or 1,500 for a reception, it can be split into three rooms for smaller functions.

Retractable projection screens have been mounted in each of the three areas.

“We have installed 36 manually retractable RPV posts in a grid pattern in the ceiling,” Van Dijk says. “When they are lowered below the decorative hexagonal ceiling grid, we can mount a schedule 40 pipe between them to hang lights or projectors, or even lift a truss if we have to, given that each post can support up to 1,000lb. And, of course, we’ve installed audio-visual and data connectivity throughout, along with loudspeakers in the ceiling, all under Crestron control.”

An in-house media production facility was constructed during the renovation. With double-wall isolation between

the studio and control room, the Hexagon Studio is intended for production of podcasts, interviews, features, and other streaming content.

“One massive challenge of the project was that the building stayed open, which meant that construction managers and contractors were constantly shuffling where people entered and exited the building, where the bathrooms were, and where the vertical circulation through the parking garage was,” Rosenbaum says. “It was a game of Tetris, a constant shuffle of circulation, but at no point did they have to shut down operations in the main part of the building. That shuffle involved temporary walls, hoarding, temporary doors, and scaffolding, all of it well-hidden to ensure that the audiences were not impacted by the work going on.”

Southam Hall The production renewal phase of the project required a complete shutdown for about three months in the summer of 2018. Much of the NAC’s decades-old theatrical lighting, sound, and other production equipment was nearing obsolescence, and a good deal of the electrical infrastructure hadn’t been touched since opening day in 1969. In addition, poor acoustics and a lack of sound and light locks had plagued Southam Hall from the beginning; the original

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • July 2019 • 45

orchestra shell had never worked as intended, while the Orchestra shell The shell consists of an upstage wall and overhead seating and interior appointments contributed to less-thanforestage reflector, together with five movable towers on optimum acoustics. In 2000, management made a lasteach side of the stage, four of which are visible in the ditch effort to circumvent a complete acoustical overhaul orchestra configuration. Finished on one side in white oak, by installing an ACS artificial reverberation system. the panels can be manually flipped and rearranged with “This room is truly an iconic venue,” says the NAC’s their opposite dark sides toward the stage and audience president and CEO Christopher Deacon. “It’s a place for other types of performances. where Canadian artists dream of performing, but it was not “The panels are made out of a honeycomb system actually designed for orchestra concerts. This is essentially laminated with Masonite on either side and finished with an opera and ballet hall. This new shell will fundamentally a wood veneer,” says Glosemeyer Petrone. “The honeychange that. It was designed over the course of 18 months comb system provides a structural stability through its by the brilliant Canadian architecture firm Diamond stiffness, which allows the shell to reflect the sound of Schmitt Associates in partnership with Fisher Dachs the orchestra Associates, across a broad Threshold range of frequenAcoustics, and Engineering cies, down to the low frequencies Harmonics, and for the basses sitit was built by ting in front of it the renowned on stage left. The theatre firm benefit of the Wenger and JR honeycomb mateClancy.” rial lies in its rela“Threshold tively low weight: Acoustics was It allows us to brought in to do achieve increased an analysis of stiffness without the room at the having to work beginning of this with something so project,” Rosenbaum heavy it can’t move. These are says. “It became tall systems, over very clear that 40'-high in front the original shell, of the proscenidesigned into um. The ones just the building 50 behind the years ago, was not supporting proscenium are a A motif embedded in the original construction, the hexagon shape is repeated in virtuthe orchestra or bit lower—39'- or ally every part of the building. Here, the wood triangulation visible in the ceiling is the the room in a 40'-high— roof structure. Prefabricated Douglas fir triangulated glue-lam coffers ganged in linear swaths up to 65' long were prefabricated off-site to save time. because they way that it needed to for the size have to be able to tuck away under the side stage. of the orchestra. Musicians were not hearing each other.

“The towers in the forestage zone are in a much differThe sound coming out of the shell was not reflecting properent position now than before the renovation. They are sevly out to the audience. The walls didn’t have the right mass eral feet farther in, making the room in the forestage zone or the right diffusion and reflection properties, and they were narrower than before, when those panels flanked the pit lift too far apart. The ceiling didn’t have the appropriate shapand audience seating. Because the old panels couldn’t ing. Together with the architects, we had to come up with a track in or be set to an optimum angle, they gave the way to create a shell that was flexible enough to support not musicians very late reflections that weren’t useful and sent only the orchestra, but also all the events that happen inside sound into places that it didn’t need to go.

Southam Hall. It is the home of the National Arts Centre “The new shell corrects that. We’ve pulled the panels in Orchestra, to be sure, but it is also the home of an extensive and made the stage aperture smaller for orchestral perBroadway series, a dance program, a theatre program, and formances. Now that the orchestra sits closer to the audiquite a few other events.”

46 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

Photos: doublespace photography

ARCHITECTURE

A multipurpose venue accommodating up to 250 guests, the 2,700-sq.-ft. Janice & Earle O’Born Room boasts fabulous views of the Rideau Canal, Château Laurier Hotel, and Parliament Buildings.

ence, with the bulk of the pit lift up and the panels tracked in, the acoustic volume of the room is engaged together with the acoustic volume of the stage; for the audience, it feels more like a one-room setting rather than peering through a picture box into a remote jewel on the stage.

“However, the aperture isn’t necessarily required to be that size for other performance uses, so the panels have to track back out, to retain the sightlines and the right lighting angles. The first of the towers on each side of the stage tracks back out. The second also tracks out, flips around, and rotates to show its black side, and another panel, with a darker wood color matching the ceiling panels, flips out and tracks in to make the appropriately sized proscenium

opening. The large forestage ceiling reflector tips from nearly horizontal to vertical and is flown to a position where its bottom edge completes the frame. The maximum proscenium opening is now on the order of 65’ or 67'-wide, which is as big as we would ever want for an orchestra, but much bigger than you would want for Broadway or dance.”

The upstage sidewall towers can also pivot to create lighting positions. “They rotate and track on a trolley beam and sit on tricasters on the floor,” Rosenbaum says. “They incorporate folding panels that open up to reveal lighting torm positions in one configuration, and then rotate to create a reflective surface for the orchestra in a different configuration.

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • July 2019 • 47

ARCHITECTURE

Southam Hall’s new orchestra shell consists of an upstage wall, overhead forestage reflector, and five movable towers on each side of the stage, four of which are visible in the orchestra configuration. Finished on one side in white oak, the panels can be manually flipped and rearranged with their opposite dark sides toward the stage and audience for other types of performances.

48 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

Ceiling reflector The ceiling reflector is constructed in four sections, not all of which are deployed for every orchestral performance; the rearmost section is used only “when there’s the largest orchestra onstage plus a choral loft,” Mallard says. The large downstage section of the reflector has a cove built into it to incorporate concert lighting. Rosenbaum says, “We also added an inventory of flexible apertures in the reflector to allow for chain motor rigging to pass through it to fly, for example, an entire lighting truss full of moving lights for a big pops concert.”

Bomb bay doors in the center of the forestage section of the ceiling reflector allow for the center loudspeaker cluster to pass through for pops concerts and vocal reinforcement. Two pairs of upstage loudspeakers—one for voice lift and one for sound reinforcement—are tightly coordinated with the reflector, ensuring that they can be deployed independently or in concert with each other.

Small apertures at the edges of the reflector accommodate lift lines for the main left and right loudspeaker line arrays,

Photos: doublespace photography

Downstage towers also incorporate doors for orchestra entry and exit, and apertures for moving pianos onto the stage.”

The honeycomb in the interior of the panels is made of a cardboard material. “It’s about 2" thick at the top part of the shell, and lower down, say 12' from the deck, it’s about 4" thick,” Glosemeyer Petrone says. “The thicker it is, the stiffer it is, and, of course, there’s a little bit more weight, but even with all the air space, it’s the stiffness of the honeycomb that gets us the acoustic reflection patterns that we need.”

Mallard adds, “While the texture of the shell is derived heavily from input from the acousticians in order to get diffusion and sound reflection, it’s also architecturally designed to continue the line of the cascading loges that hug the sides of the room. Large horizontal bands in the face of the shell are directly aligned to pick up that cascading geometry. We wanted to repeat that and extend that hug around the stage; when you’re sitting as a patron, you feel like you’re in one unified room instead of the two rooms that there used to be.”

Large horizontal bands in the face of the orchestra shell are directly aligned to pick up the cascading geometry of the loges that hug the sides of the auditorium. Beyond the glazed walls, a new lobby with light and sound locks on all four audience levels permits scheduling simultaneous performances in adjacent spaces for the first time.

which are lowered to the deck for removal. “They come and go much more frequently than the center cluster, which is permanently rigged,” Rosenbaum says, “Additional offstage left and right loudspeaker pairs bypass the reflector entirely.

“The original ceiling consisted of a series of horseshoeshaped catwalks and a central chandelier,” he continues.

“Under the catwalks, a series of architectural battens and flags are part of the historic fabric of the room. As we were designing the forestage reflector, there was a lot of push and pull between the need for getting the reflector as deep into the room as it could possibly go, at the same time avoiding contact with the overhead existing catwalk and chandelier system. We all came to the conclusion that we had to do some minor surgery. In some places, we trimmed back as little as a foot or two off the ceiling; at 60' in the air, we had to trim the catwalks to install the forestage reflector so that, as it tipped into its vertical orientation to go up and down, it could bypass the catwalks without scraping them.”

“That aspect of the work was coordinated down to the millimeter,” Mallard adds. “The original ceiling sculpture is archived as an artwork. We wanted to put a crisper, contemporary edge on the room without feeling like that ceiling sculpture is a foreign object in the room.”

“A great deal of coordination was required because as you go vertically above the reflector, you hit a variety of pieces of the building that can’t move,” Rosenbaum says.

“You first hit the catwalk that held up the previous loudspeaker clusters. That steel bridge is still there and some of the lifting lines have to pass through that. We had to coordinate all the holes that go through the plaster ceiling 65' — 70' up in the air. Then you pass through the ductwork zone, so we had to trim back a number of ducts that fed the forestage area, clearing out the diffusors and ductwork to provide adequate clearance for the lifting lines.

The mini-grid—a forestage rigging zone—had to be penetrated to get to the building’s roof steel, to which all of the cable reels and lifting line winches are mounted. It was a seven-layered cake of steel, concrete, and plaster, and we had to carefully coordinate the work to thread the needle for the pass-throughs in each layer.”

The audience chamber of Southam Hall is wrapped in glass interrupted only by 24 floor-to-ceiling concrete pillars flanking the room. “Southam Hall doesn’t have much reverberation because of the shape of the room and architectural vernacular,” Glosemeyer Petrone says. “In plan

Stiffened internally with a lightweight cardboard honeycomb between layers of Masonite finished with wood veneer, the orchestra shell was designed to increase both diffusion and reflection of sound.

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • July 2019 • 49

have as much impact on the room surfaces as it might in a standard theatre or concert hall, Southam Hall works very well for amplified events.â&#x20AC;?

Seating

Bottom image: Courtesy of Brandon Coons, Optocore North America

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Two summers ago, we designed a seating replacement strategy for Southam Hall, which up to then had featured entirely continental seating,â&#x20AC;? Rosenbaum says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Part of the problem was that people had to cross in front of 50 others to get to their seats if they came in the wrong side. Even though the rows were extremely deep, it was awkward, and wheelchair accessibility was limited. Our brief was to improve comfort, circulation, sightlines in the orchestra, and improve accessibility. We divided the orchestra level into three sections by adding additional mid-aisles and we reraked the rear of the room to create a rear parterre section behind a new cross-aisle with a new sound mix position. Reraking the rear of the room was a delicate operation, in that we were always balancing head height under the balcony versus sightlines.â&#x20AC;? The new cross-aisle also provides space for patrons in wheelchairs and their companions.

Montrealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ducharme Seating provided new seats in three different widths for the orchestra, parterre, three balcony levels, and loges, allowing for fully staggered seating to optimize sightlines. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All-new aisle lights were installed as well,â&#x20AC;? Rosenbaum says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We also rebuilt the balcony rail at the front of the mezzanine to create permanent lighting positions and incorporated permanent AV and theatri-

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cal power and data infrastructure into the balcony rail for lighting, audio, and projection.â&#x20AC;?

The carpet was replaced in order to improve acoustics. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The floor and chairs were incredibly absorptive,â&#x20AC;?

Glosemeyer Petrone says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We took the opportunity to improve the immediate acoustic environment around the audience member. If the surfaces immediately around you are very dead, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a sense of other people in the audience; all of their sound is absorbed. In theatre spaces, especially a concert hall, you want a bit of reflection around you. By replacing the flooring material and changing the seat to one with a wood back and wooden seat pan, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve provided not only some early reflections that arrive very soon after the immediate sound to the audience member, but also reflections between the audience members. When one person starts clapping, everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hearing it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Improving the immediate acoustic environment for the audience member also improved the acoustic response of the room overall,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The orchestra noticed a marked difference in the room response that they were receiving back up on the stage, similar to what we were doing with the ACS system. They started to feel a response from the room and audience.â&#x20AC;?

The choice of wood for the seat backs and pans satisfied an architectural objective, too. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We incorporated a touch of the contemporary wood from the atrium coming into the hall,â&#x20AC;? Mallard says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all white oak. We knew we wanted to make the orchestra shell white oak, for its warmth and for the continuity of the contemporary palette.

We knew were dealing with an oak veneer and determining the stain color on that was a long discussion that had to satisfy varied artistic needs.â&#x20AC;?

For additional acoustical isolation, sound and light locks were constructed on all audience levels of Southam Hall. Formerly, the only doors separating the hall from the lobby had been the glazed doors to the hall itself. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was contentious,â&#x20AC;? Mallard says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;because the lobbies flowed really nicely into those flanking, glazed, not-soundand-light locks. The architecture changed a bit with us adding the sound and light locks, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a performance hall, so priority should be for performance.â&#x20AC;? Now, activity in the lobbies, such as reloading ice trays before intermission, causes no disturbance; during orchestral rehearsals, the Glass Thorsteinson Staircase space can be used for a full-on performance without either interrupting the other.

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Southam Hall, like the Asper Theatre and Azrieli Studio, has its own dedicated Optocore digital audio network that serves as a routing matrix for the sound reinforcement, monitor, and interconnected signal feeds.

Southam Hall also benefited from a full renovation of its entire theatrical infrastructure. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We designed brand-new theatrical lighting power and data distribution throughout the venue,â&#x20AC;? Rosenbaum says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are multiple dimmer and electrical rooms, each one feeding different zones of the hall; finding the right topology for distributing power

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com â&#x20AC;˘ July 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ 51

ARCHITECTURE

and data throughout the hall became a big challenge, along with housing the new dimmer racks, transformers, and other equipment in the existing rooms.”

In addition, a new facility-wide resiliency was provided for the electrical systems. “Crossey Engineering found ways to replace decades-old transformers and power distribution all the way from the main electrical system into the various substations and the various dimmer rooms throughout the facility,” Rosenbaum says. “This not only guarantees high-quality power at the appropriate voltages without any voltage loss through the system, but also redundancy in the back end of the main electrical room, providing resiliency against power loss throughout the building, especially in the theatrical venues. Over the years, some tight spaces had been systematically augmented with other infrastructure that had to be cleared out to make room for the new systems and we had to coordinate our schedules tightly. As those spaces were being demolished, we were back-filling them with dimmer racks while Crossey Engineering was simultaneously installing new transformers and switch gear.”

While the facility had smaller upgrades, only some of them were documented. “The electrical engineers had a full-time surveyor on-site for several months, going through and redocumenting many cable pathways in order for us to understand where some of the work had been routed, so that we could surgically remove and replace it as needed,” Rosenbaum says. “We replaced all the ETC AVAB dimming with ETC Sensor racks with ThruPower modules, so the NAC can incorporate more LED sources by switching the modules from dimming to relays. At present, there’s not a significant number of LED fixtures in the house. We have completed the theatrical lighting upgrades in Southam Hall and the Babs Asper Theatre, and the data distribution upgrades throughout the entire building. The lighting renovation in the Azrieli Studio Theatre has been deferred; we’re going to be coming back in the summer of 2019 to replace the dimmers.”

He adds, “Many challenges that the team faced in this project arose from dealing with a building made of concrete. Everything is surface-mounted; every hole that you cut has to be acoustically sealed back up. We tried as much as possible to surface-mount conduit, routing it clear of the other systems such that it would be accessible for future cable pulls and cable replacement as needed.”

Theatrical lighting “The dimmers and control are ETC, and all in the Eos family,” says Alex Gazalé, director of the production renewal project. “Because we are both a presenting and a producing facility, we’re constantly moving equipment around the venues based on show needs.”

Newly specified instruments for the three primary venues include four Robert Juliat Cyrano followspots, two

52 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

Robert Juliat Victor followspots, 60 ETC Source Four LED Series 2 Lustr arrays with shutter barrels, 30 ETC Source Four Zooms, 56 Chroma-Q Color Force II 72s, 20 ChromaQ Color Force II 12s, 40 ETC D60 Lustr+ luminaires, 20 Elation Professional Fuze PAR Z60 IPs, 36 Arri ST Series Fresnels, 48 Martin by Harman MAC Aura XB washlights, 20 Martin MAC Encore Performance CLDs, 12 Martin MAC Encore Wash CLDs, and six Martin MAC Viper Performances, together with a host of lenses, tubes, mounting accessories, and spares, as well as 36 Osram KREIOS FLx90 worklights.

The control console inventory now includes a new ETC Gio @5 and two new ETC Ion XE 20s, each furnished with a pair of external touch-screen displays. A pair of ETC RPUs and three ETC Universal Fader Wings are also available for larger productions. “All of this is in addition to the hundreds of ETC Source Four, Arri, and other fixtures that were retained from our existing inventory,” Gazalé says.

The cue light system consists of one portable ETC CueSystem eight-channel desk, one portable CueSystem 12-channel desk, two portable playback units, and 36 CueSpider outstations connected over the data network.

Performance sound Two line array sound reinforcement loudspeaker systems are available in Southam Hall: a voice-lift system, which is also appropriate for some types of music performance, and a larger concert-level system. All performance sound loudspeakers and amplifiers are from d&b audiotechnik.

“I’m always trying to design for two scenarios: voice lift and music,” Van Dijk says. “Some loudspeakers are part of the voice lift system that helps to project intelligible spoken word out into the room—not at enormous levels, but with quality and articulation, without having a lot of the big speakers in place. For a music show requiring more power, we can deploy deck carts with line-array elements and larger subs in place of the smaller corner fills used for voice lift. With the larger loudspeakers in place, certain components get turned off and others then act as fills.”

The voice-lift system consists of left and right arrays each comprising eight V-Series elements. The lower units in each array are 120°-horizontal dispersion V12 boxes, while 80°-horizontal dispersion V8 elements are arrayed above them for a longer throw. Seven V-series elements comprise the center array. Six additional V-series elements are available for deck mounting as required. The voice-lift system also includes four V-SUB subwoofers.

Four V10P point-source loudspeakers were specified for deck-fills, and eight V10Ps for proscenium fills. Eight Y7P point-source loudspeakers do duty as front fills, the pit rail is populated with twelve E4 two-way coaxial units, and eighteen E4s service the loges. Over-balcony reinforcement is provided by four V10Ps and the under-balcony by eight E6 point-source loudspeakers. Four-channel

Photo: doublespace photography

D20 and D80 amplifiers power the systems.

“For voice lift, we can use any of three modes,” Van Dijk says.

“The center and fill speakers, together with some small deck speakers, form a really basic system. From there, we can add the two modest left and right line arrays to give it more power.

Beyond that, the deck systems can be added to provide a small music system. For full power and impact, however, we augment the center array with larger left and right line arrays and even more loudspeakers on carts on the deck.”

Eleven J-Series line array elements comprise each of the leftA casual, intimate venue with a self-contained bar, the Fourth Stage lends itself to cabaret and right arrays in this concertseating for 150 with a program featuring emerging Canadian artists. level system, with 120°-horizontal dispersion J12s occupying the lower positions in each array, and 80°-horizontal disperhouse network provides 176 audio inputs with an unlimitsion J8 elements mounted above them. Four J-Series eleed number of outputs. ments are available for deck mounting, and the bottom “At the heart of each network is a Route66 Autorouter, end is handled by four J-SUB subwoofers. which is configurable with a mix of Multimode and “To localize performers accurately, we have proSinglemode transceivers to support any infrastructure, with grammed various timings into the different components of fiber ports for up to 20 different network access points,” the system,” Van Dijk says, “which allows for reinforcesays Brandon Coons, Optocore North America product ment of the first arriving wavefronts emanating directly specialist. “The Autorouter functions like a smart fiber from performers themselves.” patch bay: When equipment at remote connection points All consoles in the NAC are from the DiGiCo SD series, is turned on and starts streaming data into the fiber, the including the SD7, SD9, and SD10. “The NAC is a DiGiCo Route66 detects this data and automatically repatches its house. It’s essentially the same interface, so that ensures fiber ports to accommodate this new location. When interchangeability of hardware and personnel,” Van Dijk remote racks are powered down or disconnected, the says. Floor monitors include the d&b audiotechnik M4 and Route66 adjusts its patching to maintain a closed and M6 two-way wedges for all venues, except the Fourth redundant network, bypassing the now-unused fibers. This Stage, which is equipped with self-powered Meyer Sound saves having to send a tech to the equipment room to monitors due to the lack of space backstage to accommorepatch the fiber every time you move a rack around. date amplifiers.

“The Route66 is format-agnostic, so it not only functions to create redundant star topologies for Optocore or DiGiCo SD equipment that uses Optocore as their onboard Audio networking network transport protocol, but it can also be used with Each of the three primary venues has its own dedicated Yamaha TwinLane and Avid AVB networks in stand-alone network that acts as a routing matrix for the sound reinapplications,” Coon says. “This is due to the Route66’s forcement, monitor, and interconnected signal feeds. In ability to detect correctly any incoming data format and addition to the permanently installed network devices, a output it accordingly. Within each venue, there is a mix of number of racks can be moved freely between connecDD32R-FX, X6R-FX, and X6R-TP units configured for AES tion points in a venue or from one venue to another. and analog audio, with additional DD4MR-FX units for According to Optocore, the networks are set to run at a MADI distribution. Preprogrammed macros in the 2GB speed at a 96kHz sample rate to optimize audio Optocore control software allow users to quickly change quality and channel count. The network in Southam Hall the network’s routing to feed AES or analog audio from provides 376 audio inputs, while the Asper Theatre netany location to the front-of-house system, monitor ampliwork offers 208 inputs and the Azrieli Studio/back-of-

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • July 2019 • 53

ARCHITECTURE

fiers for wedges onstage, or to installed monitor loudspeakers. This setup allows users to quickly set up the main and monitor feeds with any analog or digital console regardless of whether there is a dedicated monitor console available, and with whatever audio signal format they might wish to use.”

Optocore X6R-FX-16AE network converter units populate the console interface racks, each offering 16 AES digital audio inputs and outputs. Onboard sample rate converters automatically reclock incoming AES signals to the network’s 96kHz sample rate, permitting visiting equipment operating at 48kHz to integrate seamlessly into the network without risk of wordclock errors.

X6R-TP-8LI/8LO devices permit interfacing analog signals with the digital network, each unit providing eight analog inputs that can serve as patches to other locations, feeds for loudspeaker processors and amplifiers, or splits for the local inputs.

“Optocore DD32R-FX network 64-channel AES3 I/O devices serve as the master interfaces for each network, routing outputs from the front of house and monitor consoles to Meyer Galileos for processing and distributing wordclock from the master Nanosync wordclock generator in each venue to all network devices,” Coons says. “The post-Galileo signal is fed back into Optocore and sent to DD32Rs in the central equipment rooms, where signals are routed to amplifiers for the main sound reinforcement system, surround speakers, stage fill speakers, and monitor systems. The high AES channel count of the DD32R gives each venue lots of additional ports for future needs and distribution. The X6R-TP-8LI/8LOs that are attached via SANE [Synchronous Audio and Ethernet protocol] to the DD32Rs give additional 16/16 analog I/O for local inputs and outputs which tie into other systems, such as QSC’s Q-SYS. “MADI distribution is also available within each system through multiple DD4MR-FXs located in control rooms, at front-of-house locations and in the mobile monitor rack, giving operators the ability to feed the sound reinforcement system via MADI, output the shows for multitrack recording, transport MADI between the stage and front of house for guest consoles that would otherwise need a separate MADI snake, or tie into any production mobiles that might be hired for the performance.”

Asper Theatre Like Southam Hall, the Babs Asper Theatre benefited from increased isolation from the rest of the facility. “We added new sound and light locks and upgraded the doors right at the entrance to the theatre,” Glosemeyer Petrone says.

“This will allow for increased activity out in the Canal Lobby and Fountain Lobby so that those spaces can be rented out or programmed more regularly without fear of interrupting whatever is going on in the theatre. There’s

54 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

also a path from the kitchen where carts are rolled right through the theatre sound lock, so we worked on quieting that path.

“When the NAC was originally designed, performing arts centers were spaces that you performed in: the theatre and the concert hall. Now, they want to be active all day. That means spaces that would have been quiet before are now being used for some sort of production; increasing the sound isolation has been a large part of the work, to allow them to be used simultaneously.”

Also, Glosemeyer-Petrone says, “In the theatre, as in Southam Hall, all of the mechanical rooms housing the dimmers, the electrical, the racks for the sound system, and so on are located inside the stage box. Most of the work we did in the theatre was directed at containing sounds emanating from those rooms. There were large holes and other penetrations drilled into the concrete over 50 years to pass cables through. We did a lot to plug up holes in the theatre, and we replaced doors that were flimsy and lightweight, in order to reduce the background noise level in the theatre.”

The Asper Theatre thrust stage is removable; in proscenium mode, 87 additional seats occupy the front orchestra space vacated by the thrust stage. Because the proscenium opening can be widened or narrowed to accommodate various production designs, the left and right loudspeaker line arrays are designed to travel 8' laterally on customdesigned rigging that also lowers them for servicing and removal. “When you’re working with lav mics on a thrust stage, you don’t want the loudspeakers way offstage and aimed inward, because that poses a gain-before-feedback problem,” Van Dijk says, adding that the theatre features fixed acoustics. “We can bring in each array to the edge of the tormentor. Because the rigging is motorized, we can remotely rotate the arrays via a panning mechanism at the top of the bumper to pull our focus.” A new rigging position for the center cluster required cutting a hole in the existing plaster ceiling and tightly coordinating new rigging over the ceiling to raise and lower the cluster. Rigging was provided by Wenger and JR Clancy.

Five V-Series line-array elements comprise each of the left and right flown arrays, with three additional V-Series elements in each of the left and right deck-mounted systems. Eight Y-Series elements make up the center array. In addition to four ground-level V-SUB subwoofers, the system also includes 14 point-source Y10Ps (deck, proscenium, and over-balcony fills), six Y7P front-fills, eight E6 under-balcony fills, and eight 8S two-way compact coaxial loudspeakers hidden behind the slatted wall at various heights for effects and surround sound.

Azrieli Studio “In the Azrieli Studio, we have been working on the same sorts of improvements for sound isolation, and while much

Photo: Alan Hardiman

The 797-seat Babs Asper Theatre is convertible from a thrust to a proscenium stage. Because the proscenium opening can be widened or narrowed to accommodate various production designs, the left and right loudspeaker line arrays are designed to travel 8' laterally on custom-designed rigging.

of that work has been completed, there will be more of it with the next phase of the project due for completion in the summer of 2019,” Glosemeyer Petrone says. “We have added a double layer of doors to improve the sound lock, because the restaurant, Le Café, has space right in front of the studio that they occasionally use for additional seating.

The Fountain Lobby is right there as well, so work was done on upgrading the sound isolation—plugging up holes for ducts that were never run, crawling around above the ceilings and finding holes that we didn’t know were there, and remediating structural isolation joints in which material had degraded over the years. It took a lot of digging to determine that part of the problem was, in fact, that the material had degraded.”

Performance sound and lighting are easily reconfigurable in Azrieli Studio. Two modest loudspeaker arrays,

each consisting of a pair of d&b audiotechnik V10P threeway passive point-source loudspeakers, are permanently mounted in hanging frames fabricated in the NAC’s shop, facilitating installation and removal. “They’ve got quite a good fabrication facility here, and they did a great job,” Van Dijk says. An inventory of d&b audiotechnik Y7P twoway passive loudspeakers is available to supplement the main system, along with four ground-stacked Y10P loudspeakers and two B6 subwoofers, and six E4 two-way compact coaxial loudspeakers for sound effects replay.

The Fourth Stage The Fourth Stage is a unique room, much more casual than a black-box studio. Its self-contained bar lends it to cabaret seating for about 150 patrons, or 200 in a theatre configuration. Created in 2000 and operated as a general

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ARCHITECTURE

admission venue, the Fourth Stage typically features emerging Canadian artists; the acclaimed jazz pianist Diana Krall performed there as a rising star long before she was capable of selling out a two-night stand in Southam Hall, a feat she accomplished in 2017.

“The Fourth Stage started life as a bookstore, then it became a catered function room; however, without a proper kitchen it didn’t get used that way very much,” says Peter Kealey, the room’s technical director. “Peter Herrndorf wanted a space for more community-based programming, and we started in that direction by hosting the Ottawa Writers’ Festival. We converted it into a small bar, scrounged equipment from all over the building—including some very old stuff—and created a small cabaret.”

“The intimacy of the Fourth Stage was there when it was just the bookshop renovation, the $100,000 paint-itblack-and-just-bring-in-some-plywood-tables,” Mallard says. “We wanted to maintain that kind of intimacy. We discussed moving it somewhere else because it’s a long, odd-shaped room; to get any kind of focal energy on a stage in a room that’s really long like that, it’s not ideal.

But its location on Elgin Street is important, and Peter Herrndorf said it had to stay right there. He was absolutely right.

“We tore it down to grade and rebuilt it during the architectural rejuvenation. As a bookstore, the ceiling height was adequate, but with the addition of a theatrical grid we made the room about 1m higher. There is a mechanical room above, so we built a floating slab there, with all the mechanical equipment on spring isolators.”

“Here’s the challenge,” Van Dijk says. “You want a nice nightclub, a quiet room, but you’re sticking tractor-trailersized air-handling units directly above. We have the slab of this ceiling, and then another floating slab above it that’s the floor of the mechanical room.” He notes that the slabs are isolated by neoprene pucks rather than sand.

“Air is best,” he adds. “In other words, with no conductivity, pucks are best when you’re talking about super-low frequencies, because at certain frequencies sand eventually becomes liquid and transfers energy. Frequencies around 5Hz shake a building and create a harmonic at something like 20Hz or 25Hz that we can hear. The air is not sealed; it’s an air gap.”

Adding to the venue’s isolation is a new sound and light lock from the lobby, and an STC-rated loading door to the street. Given that the Fourth Stage is very close to Southam Hall, the acousticians took care to ensure the integrity of the walls, adding an additional isolating wall on isolated studs on the Fourth Stage side to mitigate any sound bleed between the venues. Interior acoustic treatment includes several wall-mounted absorptive acoustic

56 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

panels and angular diffusors, similar to those in the Kipnes Lantern, and drapes that can be deployed manually to reduce reverberation time and the liveness of the room.

A Meyer Sound reinforcement system consists of three UPJ-1P self-powered loudspeakers per side, with four UP Junior outer fills, six UPM-1P fills, four USW-1P subs, and Galileo loudspeaker processor. Six MJF-208 floor monitors are also available.

The lighting grid covers almost the entire ceiling of the room and is populated exclusively with LED fixtures. The lighting inventory includes six Chroma-Q Color Force II 72s and five Color Force II 48s, 52 Martin RUSH Par2 RGBW Zooms, 24 Martin MAC Aura XBs, 68 ETC Source Four LED Series 2 Lustrs, 15 ETC Desire D22 Studio HDs, eight Martin MAC Quantum Profiles, and 14 Robe DL4S Profiles.

The control console in the Fourth Stage is an ETC Gio @5.

“The lighting is great in here,” says the lighting director Jeremy Winnick. “I have a 96-bank ThruPower distro system and a 40-bank ETC Eos lighting console with two touch screens. Initially, I wanted to go with a [MA Lighting] grandMA, but all the other spaces are equipped with Eos, so it wouldn’t make sense to have one room that’s different. Because this is a more static rig with high changeover, I have to make a lot of magic sheets, so I repurposed an X-keys [computer input device] and made a macro matrix out of it.”

A similar console is available for use in the Atrium and Herrndorf Place, while the Canal Lobby is equipped with an ETC Nomad Puck dedicated microcomputer with 1,024 outputs. Wireless handheld remotes are available for inconspicuous real-time lighting control.

Summing up The authors of the NAC’s five-year strategic plan suggested that the renovation “has the potential to transform everything we do. Like the refreshed Lincoln Center in New York, or the revamped Southbank Centre in London, UK, the reimagined NAC will fundamentally change our relationship with the public, inviting people from all walks of life to enjoy its attractive and transparent public spaces and allowing us to engage with our patrons in a more meaningful and contemporary way.”

As Mallard says, “We wanted to provide increased connection with the National Arts Centre across the country, improve public accessibility and improve the ‘street-toseat’ experience for patrons.” In the opinion of this writer—and of others chronicling the performing arts in Canada—they have more than ably succeeded, and in the process have wrought perhaps the most luminous and welcoming facility for artists and audiences in the country.

CONCERTS

Double or nothing Eric Church’s design team takes new chances on the Double Down Tour By: Sharon Stancavage

58 • June 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

“This time, we added a substantial video and automation element,” Allen says, noting the presence of three angled chevrons, used for IMAG, over the stage.

All photos: Todd Kaplan

T

hings are different on the road with Eric Church’s Double Down Tour. “It’s a big show, but the vibe is really calm and quiet; you never hear a raised voice on a load-in or out. From the head of the snake to the tail, they are a hands-down competent, calm, and committed team, who are a pleasure to be around. These folks have passion.” So says production designer Butch Allen, of MODE Studios, who has designed the last four Eric Church tours. “I met them when they were finishing up in clubs,” Allen notes. “They never had a challenge thrown at them they could not conquer. They went from two trucks, in small arenas, to 16.

Now they’re doing stadiums.”

The routing of the current Double Down Tour is unconventional. “They’re in every city for two days, Friday and Saturday,” Allen says, adding that this schedule is “way harder than five days a week. You are home Sunday through Thursday, which is a million times more stressful

than being on the road. You have to change your gears, which is really hard to do.”

Church’s custom stage, fabricated by TAIT “is 60' 6" wide and 41' deep,” Allen says. “The overall depth, from front to back, is 82', and that includes the U-shaped thrust and ramps.” The area inside the thrust is filled with fans.

“The number of people changes on a day-to-day basis, depending on the fire marshal in every city,” he comments.

In general, approximately 300 fans can get up close and personal with Church.

“This time, we added a substantial video and automation element,” Allen says, noting the presence of three angled chevrons, used for IMAG, over the stage. “Each side [of the chevrons] is about 30’ wide by 10’ high; they can travel almost the full 80’ of stage depth in the arena and they can get right down to stage level. There are three massive automation tracks with trollies that contain [Tait] Nav Hoists.” The chevrons consist of ROE Carbon CB8 LED tiles, provided by NEP Screenworks.

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CONCERTS

Allen says that the chevrons were inspired by the image of a hawk on the cover of Church’s latest album.

“This concept was born from Eric’s album art, which has a hawk on the cover,” Allen says. “This image has a lot of meaning to Eric. We went through 28 different versions of this show; we saw this artwork, and that’s how the chevrons were born. They loosely represent the birds.”

The video system is a departure from what Church has done in the past. “This is the first Eric Church tour I’ve been a part of that has utilized a media server,” notes lighting director and programmer Gavin Lake. “Eric’s standard is black-and-white IMAG for the whole show. It’s never been about video content; it’s always been about seeing Eric and the band. We didn’t want to depart from that, but we wanted more options for video effects and processing, so we utilized a disguise [formerly d3 Technologies] system with three gx 2 servers running with [the real-time graphics workflow] Notch; all video is routed through them to two side screens and three giant automated overhead screens.”

The video and lighting programmer, Scott Chmielewski says, “While the number and size of the screens on this tour may be a little less than other tours of this size, the

60 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

technical elements and the complexity of Butch’s concept on this are where the power is. The LED chevrons have two planes of movement as well as rotation. The show is built on the use of cameras, all using Notch for IMAG effects. Each song has a different treatment and use of IMAG, routing, and use of cameras. The first bit of programming was focused on the 24 cameras, but the need to keep it interesting and unique for up to four hours each night was a major creative and technical undertaking. There is a fine line between making a show like this interesting with Notch effects while allowing the audience to see Eric and the band.” Florian Mosleh provided disguise support in addition to designing the show’s Notch elements.

The chevrons are controlled via a Tait Navigator automation system and MA Lighting grandMA2 console.

“Eric’s fluid set list presents a unique challenge on this tour,” Lake says. “The overhead screens are automated, with control provided by Tait and motion events triggered by the MA2. Each of the chevrons being close to 3,500lb, moving them is not trivial, and they don’t move fast; given

“Given that we are using different lights on different performers song-to-song,” Lake says, “the relationship of screen positions to lighting fixtures is delicate.”

that we are using different lights on different performers song-to-song, the relationship of screen positions to the lighting fixtures is delicate. For example, moving them from Position 1 to Position 5 isn’t always easy to do on the fly.

Mike Rock, our automation operator, and I quickly learned how each song looked in all of the screen positions. As soon as the proposed set list for the evening comes out, we figure out how to keep the show lit! It’s pretty exciting actually.” Allen adds, “It’s a complicated process that Gavin and Mike go through and they do it elegantly. Some songs have specific [video] looks, but other parts are really open.

Depending on the screen positions, certain songs can be blocked, so it gets really complicated.”

The team spent considerable time in previz. “We built the previz file and integrated the automation, motion tracking, and consoles to create a system where all elements know and react to each other,” Chmielewski says. “This included the [AC Lighting] Folllow-Me system; working with lighting designers/programmers Rob Koenig, Gavin Lake, and Andrew Giffin, we were able to use just about any fixture as tracking spotlights while the lighting rig moves

and/or reacts to video elements.”

The IMAG screens, also Roe CB8, for the upper bowl seating, “are located upstage right and left, in the middle of the PA clusters that get audio to those people,” Allen says. “Everyone else in the arena gets a great view of the video chevrons, and that’s primarily where the IMAG is; we don’t need to put [Church’s] picture up in a lot of places. Our director and camera operators have to look at what we programmed in Notch and the media server, so all their framing has to be specific to the needs of what we’re doing in the chevrons. At the same time, they have one eye looking at the bigger picture to make sure they are sending a framed IMAG shot for the side screens.

This is a super-hard show from an engineering, direction, and camera-operating viewpoint. It’s never the same show twice; there are always a ton of songs you’ve never heard Eric do before.”

Speaking of the programming by Mark Butts, Koenig, Giffin, Chmielewski, and Lake, Allen says, “It’s a disservice to simply call them programmers because they really are designers. Programmers have this special gift; they help

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CONCERTS

you produce segments or entire shows. They work on TV as well, so they are super-fast; they know what they’re doing and have unbelievable eyes. I never would have managed to have survived this without being surrounded by so much talent.” Each of them has added his own touch to the production, he notes. “The coolest thing about this show is how varied the visual elements became because of our constantly changing cast of characters. As an example: Rob Koenig and Andrew Giffin are talented designers, but they have completely different viewpoints and life experiences. When you’re putting a song that Rob worked on next to a song that Andrew did, they’re completely different and it’s so refreshing.”

Speaking of the rig, Allen says, “Lights are physically attached to the grid and video wings and there is a minimal floor package. Then we have a big trussing structure [The Krab] at the front of house for audience lighting.” Ten upstage pods “were manufactured by DAS Design Works, a scenic company in Santa Fe Springs. They are squares; ten pods turn into five columns that are rectangular.” The pods contain a considerable number of Elation Professional ACL 360i units. “There so many of them in such a little space, it’s just such a massive look,” notes Allen. The pods appear during the number “That’s Damn Rock and Roll.”

Allen has several workhorses, including 27 Robe Robin BMFL Wash Beams, 154 Martin by Harman MAC Axiom Hybrids, 72 GLP JDC1 strobes, and the 360i units. “The four types of lighting fixtures I have on this show are all so reliable,” he says. “We’re not spending a lot of time repairing fixtures or losing lights during the show.” He adds, chuckling, “As the crews will tell you, I tend to break stuff.” Lake says, “Audience light for Eric Church is very important as well, so Butch specced the brightest and most impactful tilting LED strobe available, the GLP JDC1. Rob Koenig had assisted in the profile development of the JDC-1, so he fully utilized every possible bit of the fixture, including the signature ‘aggressive mode,’ which is appropriate if you’ve ever seen an Eric Church show!” The lighting rig, provided by Robert Roth at Christie Lites, includes 62 GLP impression X4 Bar 10s.

Lake adds, “Automated followspot systems are the future of our industry, so we looked at just about everything available. Tracker-based systems were quickly ruled out, as having to wear a tracking device would’ve been inhibitive and awkward for Eric. He often performs in just jeans and a T-shirt, so hiding a tracking device on him wouldn’t have worked. This left us to consider operatorbased systems. Butch wanted to have the opportunity to use any fixture in the rig at any time for a spotlight, so Follow-Me quickly became the best choice for us. FollowMe has performed wonderfully. We are using Follow-Me strictly as a PSN [PosiStageNet] server, to send positional information to the MA2.

62 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

“Butch knew that we needed beautiful key and backlight fixtures, given that we were looking at remote followspot systems for this tour,” Lake says. “After considering different options, we decided on the Follow-Me remote

To cover Church, Allen chose the Follow-Me remote followspot system with Robe BMFL WashBeams for key and backlight.

followspot system with Robe BMFL WashBeams for key and back light. They’ve performed wonderfully and have delivered exactly what we were looking for.” Follow-Me had another advantage as well: “Since I had the ability to

run the entire lighting system through it, we have a wide variety of different key light options,” Allen says, adding, “The integration of Follow-Me took a village to get it the way I wanted; when push comes to shove, we can have a

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • July 2019 • 63

CONCERTS

Approximately 300 fans can fit in the area inside the thrust stage.

good chunk of the system in there. And it’s been working magnificently.”

“With a performer like Eric Church and his profound catalog of music, we have to be prepared for anything during his show,” Chmielewski says. “It’s an ever-evolving show with zero time code or Pro Tools.” Lake adds, “Eric could throw out an audible at any time. My busk page is very, very simple. I get a static look up in a color, I get key light up, and I get some black-and-white IMAG on the screens in any of a few preset video mappings.

After that, once the song is rolling, I may do a few shutter bumps or color bumps, but for the most part I let it be about the music.”

Audio Billy Moore, front-of-house engineer and winner of a 2016 CMA Touring Award, notes that he is using a Clair Global Cohesion CO-12 PA. “I like its clarity and fidelity,” he says.

The main PA comprises 32 CO-12 cabinets: a side hang

64 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

features 28 CO-12s. Fill is provided by “two Clair CO-10s, split center, and two Clair CO-8s on the outer lips of the stage,” says system engineer Jared Lawrie. “Six Clair CP218 flown subs are aimed straight ahead, with nine Clair CP-218s in an electronically steered cardioid array on center and under the stage.”

Lawrie’s work on the PA continues through the show.

Moore notes, “Once the show starts, after three or four songs, Jared will take the tablet and walk the building, wherever there is audio, making tweaks that I don’t necessarily hear on the side hangs and front fills.”

Although Moore has worked on the Avid VENUE Profile in the past, he prefers the analog format: “With it, I can work on two inputs at a time. Analog is all laid out in front of you and behind you, so I can see how the signal is flowing and make a move without having to select anything.” He adds, “I was on the [Midas] Heritage for three or four years and it was time to take a step up. I thought about the XL4; Jared and I talked, and he said ‘Yeah, that

Church’s sound system includes a Clair Global Cohesion PA and Midas XL4 console.

would be a good move.’ The next thing you know, there they are.”

Thus, there are two Midas XL4s the front of house.

“My footprint there is 16' x 16', and that’s rather large.

But this is what my application calls for and that’s what I have,” he says. So far, the XL4 has been a good choice: “We have 50-plus shows under our belt and it’s great. If something goes wrong, it’s easy to fix it, right there at the console.”

When asked about outboard gear, Moore says. “The Midas preamps are always top-notch in my book; to me, they have about the best-sounding preamps out there.”

He adds, “I have a lot of Drawmer gates on the drums and an API [527 compressor/limiter] for the guitars. As far as effects, I have a couple of [TC Electronic] D-Two delays; Eric has a lot of delay on the new album. I also have Bricasti [M7] and [Yamaha] SPX 90 reverbs.”

The mic lineup includes “eight microphones for Eric: four Telefunken M80 RFs, and four Telefunken M80 wired

mics with Optogate PB-05 gate. Each of these has a little gate on the end of the microphone so that, when he gets in front of it, a light activates so he can sing into it.

The mic doesn’t work unless he’s standing in front of It, getting ready to sing.”

Throughout the show, Moore states: “I pretty much keep one hand on Eric’s vocal mic—whichever one he goes to. I bring the unused mics down and go with the flow. If you leave the mics up, it’s just extra noise you don’t need going in there.” The microphone package includes products from Shure, Heil, and others.

Moore adds, “I have always been the kind of guy that gives 110% every time. To this day, I still have sweaty palms before the show. It’s like going into a ball game; I’m ready to go. But after the first note hits and Eric starts singing, I take a deep breath, settle in, and do what I’ve been doing for years.” The Double Down Tour is in the US through November.

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TECHNICAL FOCUS: LIGHTING

Twilight for the PAR By: Michael Callahan

A look back at its many contributions This month brings the news that Altman Stage Lighting is discontinuing its traditional PAR fixtures, after almost a halfcentury in production, because lamp manufacturers are thinning out their PAR bulb lines.

This seems a good time for a look back at tools so useful that the same lamps and fixture designs could serve us unchanged for five decades.

We remember the PAR for its dominant role in concert lighting in the 1970s and ‘80s; as an important player in location film and television; and, in smaller sizes, in border strips, display, and architectural lighting. were able, and high-density portable dimming that newer fixtures and other forms of entertainment lighting would later use.

And it was an effort to make the PAR can itself more efficient that gave us the color scrollers still used on Broadway today and that led to the first American moving lights.

Nineteen seventy-two was a big year for concert lighting.

In America, it included the arrival of a new PAR 64 fixture on two of rock’s biggest tours.

But the PAR lamp itself had already had many jobs in entertainment lighting, and its roots led back to the 1930s and to the first “sealed beam” automobile headlights.

Driving then at night was dangerous, because of poor roads, poor lighting, and problems with headlights.

Headlights were, actually, fixtures: assemblies of a separate bulb, socket, reflector, and lens or cover. After leaving the factory, their performance would decline with the effects of shock, vibration, repairs, and relamping, as well as the buildup of dirt and grime on their many internal surfaces.

Fabricating a single, integrated unit of a filament encased in a glass envelope that was also both reflector and lens radically simplified installation and “sealed out” contaminants. Molded of thick glass, rather than blown thin, it was rugged and could be accurately shaped, both optically and to assure that when headlights were replaced, they would align properly.

So, in 1939, the US government mandated the use of standardized “sealed beam” headlamps. Specialty lamps were produced for other applications having similar conditions, including railroads, marine, and aviation. We would adopt some for “pinspots” (using a 12V bulb originally intended for automotive and marine spotlights) and for ray lights, 28V aircraft landing lights.

A 120V, Edison screw-base PAR 38, introduced in 1942,

&Sound America 66 • July 2019 • Lighting&

found architectural, home, and display applications. A thin wall “R” lamp was less expensive (if less efficient). Both would become staples in border strips and inexpensive fixtures for a variety of uses. In the 1970s, General Electric even sold PAR 38s with integral interference film filters for vibrant colors.

In the 1950s, 120V PAR lamps also began appearing in progressively larger sizes and wattages. The 1953 GE catalog offered a 300W PAR 56; in 1956, a 500W PAR 64 was added.

Fresnel vs. PAR The “wash light” of choice across entertainment lighting had long been the Fresnel. It offered variable beam size, some beam shaping (with barn doors), and soft beam edges that blended well, one fixture with another.

The PAR had none of them, but had its own virtues, one being efficiency.

In a traditional Fresnel, most of the light produced by the lamp was lost inside the housing, because only those rays reaching the lens directly, or via a small reflector, got into the beam. Only 30% efficient at flood, spotting a Fresnel moved the lamp and reflector away from the lens and could cost another 20%.

“Stage and studio” incandescent lamps of the period were also quite large, having large filament structures inside envelopes of relatively low-temperature glass spaced well away. They were big bulbs that made for large fixtures.

Optically, a PAR got much more of total filament output into its beam than did a Fresnel, and from a smaller, lighter, and simpler fixture.

Halogen cycle bulbs began appearing in 1966. They needed high internal temperatures for the chemistry to work, produced by using a small envelope, which, in turn, required high-temperature materials (initially including quartz). These smaller “quartz-halogen” bulbs would allow smaller fixtures to be designed around them.

Halogen lamps could also be squeezed into existing PAR bottles, producing the 1,000W PAR 64. Initially, a 240V version wasn’t practical, so 120V lamps were used overseas, on series twofers. (This was true even after 240V lamps appeared, because the smaller 120V filaments made for a better-looking beam.)

That larger PARs might have some value in performance lighting was understood.

Abe Feder introduced a PAR 56 strip light on My Fair Lady in 1956. Later, he would specify a PAR border strip with individually focusable lamps for the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Mid-century lighting innovator Ariel Davis filed a patent in 1960 illustrating not only a recognizable PAR can, but one hung from an extruded aluminum raceway having an integral Unistrut track. (See image below.)

Yet, the PAR saw limited use as a solo instrument in traditional performance lighting, because of its fixed-size oblong beam and abrupt edges. It was not, however, without its fans: In the words of Beverly Emmons â&#x20AC;&#x153;I loved the 1K PAR and miss it today. I first used it as backlight with no color in 1967. The PAR can was perfect, as it was very bright and had no discernible edges. I have used the 1K PAR can almost continuously my whole professional life.â&#x20AC;?

Shooting film and television on location placed a premium on efficiency, including the size, weight, and power demands of the fixtures necessary to deliver a given light level. In these situations, PARs had a clear advantage.

They became popular, especially in six-light and nine-light banks, with a young generation of DPs and gaffers. Both PAR 36 and PAR 64 bulbs would be offered with integral CTB coatings for daylight fill, long before the first CSI/HMI fixtures appeared.

Television lighting designer Bill Klages recalls first using PAR 64s around 1960, for audience lighting.

Early concert lighting relied in large part on Altmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2kW 8" theatrical Fresnel. Low Fresnel efficiency mattered because saturated color gels passed less light (Congo Blue later becoming legendary for only 5%). Low Fresnel efficiency mattered because saturated color gels had little transmission, (Congo Blue later became legendary for delivering just 5%.) The PAR 64 attracted interest and, in 1971-72, took the concert stage by way of two buildings in New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s East Village sharing a common wall: NYUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theatre school and Bill Grahamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fillmore East.

Chris Langhart taught and managed technical theatre at NYU, before his major involvement with the Fillmore and the Woodstock Festival. In 1971, he used Colortran Cine-

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TECHNICAL FOCUS: LIGHTING

The 1972 Rolling Stones tour used Altman’s new PAR 64 fixture in a double-row “pre-rig” truss design, one in which lamps could be moved between a shipping position inside the truss and use position outside of it. The truss had internal raceways supplied by multi-connector equipped multicable.

Before its adoption for concert lighting, the PAR 64, in single units and in six-light and nine-light banks, sometimes voltageboosted by transformers, was popular in film and television lighting, notably on location. Several companies made a stubby PAR fixture, some (like this Colortran Cine-Queen) with accessory reflector snoots to boost intensity.

Altman’s dominance of the subsequent US PAR 64 market followed from these two tours, and its (steel) fixture would be imported to the UK until British shops began building and buying lightweight aluminum units.

The Fillmore closed in June of 1971 and many of its technical staff went on to open a similar venue in London.

At NYU that summer, Chris Langhart and Richard Hartman developed a rectangular “four-barrel” PAR 64 bank, using Very Narrow bulbs (tested by shooting it at night down East Fourth Street), as a four-color additive color-mixing fixture.

Queens (with glass color) to backlight The Moody Blues at Carnegie Hall, and his NYU class experimented with fabricating an extended barrel PAR fixture. John Tedesco had come to NYU, at which Jules Fisher had recruited him to bring Jesus Christ Superstar to Europe, where John connected with a young Dallas-based sound company called Showco.

Chip Monck started up the Village Gate in 1958, toured extensively with folk artists, and lit the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals. He’d used racks of twenty 8" Altman Fresnels supported on single-column hydraulic lifts on projects like 1971’s Concert for Bangladesh.

John suggested the PAR 64 to Chip during the latter’s preparations for the 1972 Rolling Stones tour. Chip brought a sample short-barrel PAR to Altman, with whom he had a long relationship, and ordered 60 for the tour.

Meanwhile, John combined the pneumatic Genie tower (suggested by Lee Erdman) with Altman’s new PAR fixture (lengthening it 4" to improve gel life), producing the “light tower in a road case” first used by Showco with Led Zeppelin that same summer.

A typical tour lighting system of the early 1970s. PAR cans were shipped and used while enclosed in “box” trusses, supported by Vermette crank-up lifts. Visible midstage is a “Genie tower,” as introduced in 1972: a frame hung with PARs, elevated by a pneumatic mast originally designed for lifting materials on construction sites. With a dimmer pack riding along in the same large roadcase with PARs, frame, and tower, it was a self-contained, self-supporting lighting position that set up in minutes. The PAR’s light weight was important, given the limited capacity of such lifts. Simple and rugged, it held up well under the rigors of trucking and of one-night stands.

&Sound America 68 • July 2019 • Lighting&

Fabricated in the UK, it premiered in November, when the Who opened at The Rainbow Theatre.

Michael Tait worked as the Rainbowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house lighting designer for about a year. Preparing a tour for Yes, and having seen the Showco Genie tower on Zeppelin, Tait flew to Dallas to try and obtain some. Turned down, he built his own â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tait Towers,â&#x20AC;? which would become the brand under which he later reinvented tour staging.

DMX DISTRIBUTION SOLVED

A willing prisoner of the PAR Through the 1970s, the 1kW PAR 64 would remain the concert lighting industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fixture of choice, supplemented with aircraft landing light bulbs in 250W and 600W sizes, and by PAR 36 banks used as audience blinders.

In large venues, at longer throws, the PAR was underpowered. It required several to punch up a given areaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; multiplied by four or five colors each.

The 1975 Rolling Stonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tour, designed by Jules Fisher, offered one alternative in the form of a nine-light PAR 36 bank with a snoot extension. Consuming a sheet of gel per show and relying on relatively short-life spot lamps, the concept didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take.

In the early years of concert lighting, serious thought had been given to using mechanical color changers, so that a limited number of fixtures, whether Fresnels or PARs, would have much greater effect.

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Concert lighting was no stranger to the use of gel changers.

Here, the effect of a limited number of fresnels and lekos is increased by solenoid-operated â&#x20AC;&#x153;semaphoreâ&#x20AC;? gel changers.

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In the late â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s, Keny Whitright introduced the gel color scroller, as a more compact version. His Colormax would (like earlier color changers) find a long-term home in theatre, maximizing the effect when limited lighting positions are available. In concert touring, for various reasons, changers were less desirable than simply carrying more PAR cans, which improvements in â&#x20AC;&#x153;infrastructureâ&#x20AC;? (like increased use of chain motors and multicable) made possible. And, in an era before video walls, PARs and the structures supporting them became major scenic elements.

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The high-water mark of PAR 64 concert use might have been an early ‘80s Van Halen tour, which, between scenic and lighting, carried 700 PAR 64s and a similar number in smaller sizes.

In the ‘80s, the refined descendant of 1972’s double-row “pre-rig” Stones truss, with its six-can PAR bars and Socopex multi-cable, offered an efficient lighting solution beyond concerts, and around the globe.

Progressive lighting shops serving traditional performances would also begin adopting and adapting some of the

The Brits built PAR cans using spun aluminum for strength and lighter weight. Graham Thomas ran a local metal shop that made electric chicken coop heaters with the process; he would spin PARs for several shops before launching the James Thomas brand.

“infrastructure” techniques used in PAR-oriented concert systems to increase the efficiency of touring theatre and dance, so that the road version of a show might more closely resemble the original production.

Moving on In the end, concert lighting saw no better alternative to the PAR 64—at least, not one practical given the technology at the time. Its combination of simplicity, economy, and efficiency made it difficult to replace.

This challenge became relevant in the late 1970s, when the first Arab oil shock drove up the price of vinyl while simultaneously depressing the subsidies with which record companies had supported tours. Too many lighting systems were now chasing fewer tours, putting many of the pioneering American concert shops at a disadvantage, because they’d never invested in a more time- and labor-efficient infrastructure.

One of those companies was Showco.

To rescue its lighting business, Showco attempted a cheap and cheerful PAR 64 color changer. [It was an irony: In the early ‘70s, we had sought one to make 60 PARs look more like the 300 we now carried.] There would be no such lifeline. Showco was forced to liquidate its PAR-based lighting division—but the changer effort did lead to a prototype of a color-mixing fixture built around a small arc bulb—and then to the Vari-Lite VL1.

If color changers could shrink the lighting system, then what more was possible if all a fixture’s beam parameters could be automated? The theatre consultant George Izenour had written of the idea in 1955, and a Swiss inventor built a 200-fixture system before concert lighting adopted the PAR. Early moving lights would open the door to the PAR can’s eventual retirement from touring, but they were too dim, unreliable, and expensive to do so immediately. Their

The Rolling Stones touring truss from 1972 had evolved by the end of that decade into a highly efficient “pre-rig” design still the same in principle—and to be used for many other kinds of event.

&Sound America 70 • July 2019 • Lighting&

initial development was kept on life support by some actsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; interest in renting them to enhance existing PAR systems with dynamic beam effects.

The PAR 64 soldiered on.

In fact, most early moving wash lights would be PAR cans with the addition of a color scroller and a motorized yoke. Adding little value to the PAR/scroller combination, they had modest impact.

LIGHTING CONTROL SOLVED

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NETWORKED WALLSTATION CONTROLLERS that allow you to snapshot four universes of E1.31 sACN or one universe of DMX512 Although offered to replace lighting systems full of PARs, early moving lights could do little more than supplement them. Until the early 1990s, most moving wash lights were PAR 64s with a motorized scroller and yokeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and were largely incompatible with physical structures optimized for the PAR can.

Morpheusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1987 Fader Beam was a 1kW FEL in a variable curvature reflector with a CYM gel scroller. Vari-Lite, having been asked for a PAR-like mover since the arrival of the VL1, delivered the VL5 in 1992. But truly effective wash movers would need both color mixing and a discharge lampâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;like the VL4 (1990) and High End Studio Color (1996).

Over time, movers became bright enough, reliable enough, and available enough to gradually displace the PAR, starting on â&#x20AC;&#x153;A-listâ&#x20AC;? tours. And, over time, other lamps and light sources would take over other roles that PARs of various sizes had served.

HMI fixtures, for example, would deliver daylight fill on location more efficiently.

Performance lighting would adopt the MR16, which had first appeared in a projector in 1965. After many improvements in design, the MR16 would replace PAR and R bulbs

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TECHNICAL FOCUS: LIGHTING

in display lighting, before doing so in striplights, where it allowed a narrower fixture, an advantage in tightly packed hangs In the mid-‘80s, TBA’s Magic Lantern demonstrated that a more compact filament, a cold mirror reflector, and better optics could improve the Leko/ERS, a combination to be popularized by the Entertec/ETC Source Four ERS, introduced in 1992. Beginning in 1995, ETC offered a PAR-type fixture, using the same HPL lamp. With the higher-tempera-

ture-tolerant gels introduced over the years and reduced heat in the beam, a Source Four PAR didn’t need an extended barrel, and it offered interchangeable lenses in different beam angles, albeit with a higher price tag and greater weight than a “can.”

“A mild ray of light” LEDs came along. Slowly.

Demonstrated in the 1970s, gaining in brightness in the ‘80s, and blue in the ‘90s, LEDs made their Broadway debut in 2002. Limited in output, they

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&Sound America 72 • July 2019 • Lighting&

found their first uses in scenery, as eye candy, and as truss toners. A major appeal was changing colors without changing gel, making striplights an important early application, although it took another decade for them to produce a full range.

Progress in the performance of emitters themselves and in collecting their output and forming useful beams continues, but, as with movers, expectations have often outrun results.

Electric light bulbs were installed in London’s Savoy Theater in 1881 and in Boston’s Bijou in 1882. But the first incandescent spotlight (all of 50 candlepower) didn’t appear until 1903.

Kliegl Brothers, founded in 1896 and serving both theatre and film, described one in 1913 as a “new device for throwing light without an arc lamp,” which “gives a mild ray of light.”

As we’ve seen, a new light source is seldom immediately a new lighting solution. It takes years to improve the source itself—from the 1880s until 1913 to get to a 1,000W incandescent lamp.

Nor is a light source itself useful without a suitable package to harness and direct it. Another 15 years passed from the 1kW bulb until the Fresnel, almost twenty to the ERS/Leko.

The PAR’s appeal was in its efficiency as a package for both incandescent and then halogen, whether in headlights, display, or entertainment.

The modern “PAR can” is itself an efficient package for the lamp. And, in turn, it became the nucleus around which a complete portable pre-rig lighting system was optimized.

As we lose the halogen PAR 64 lamp, we lack a replacement for it offering anything like its particular combination of virtues.

More than a half-century on, the PAR64 remains a hard act to follow.

But we are also at risk of obsoleting the larger and very efficient lighting packages built around it.

Michael Callahan has been involved with lighting innovation since the 1972 Rolling Stones tour.

TECHNICAL FOCUS: PRODUCT IN DEPTH

Chauvet Professional Maverick Storm 1 Wash By: Mike Wood

main differentiator is obvious from the overall look and design of the unit: It is clearly a fixture designed for outdoor use and, indeed, the Maverick Storm 1 Wash is rated IP65. This means the unit is dust-tight and protected against water projected from a low-pressure nozzle in any direction. In other words, it should be good for normal weather, but not fire hoses!

Note: IP ratings are often misunderstood. An IP rating of IP65 or IP66 doesn’t mean that the unit is waterproof, or that water can’t enter the unit; instead, it means that any water that does enter “shall have no harmful effects.” It is possible to rate a fixture IP65 even if water can flow through it, as long as that water doesn’t do any harm.

I’ll dig into it using my usual format to try and discover what makes it different. For this review, all data comes from tests I carried out on a single unit supplied to me as typical by Chauvet Professional. Please bear in mind, as I often say when we are looking at direct view or effects lights, that the raw figures don’t tell you everything. They are a start, giving you a frame of reference, but the success or otherwise in any particular event has as much to do with good lighting design, positioning, and integration into the overall show as it is with lumens. The Maverick Storm 1 Wash can be run on all voltages from 100-240V 50/60Hz; for these tests, it was run on a nominal 115V 60Hz supply.

Figure 1: Fixture as tested.

If this month’s light looks familiar, that’s because the form factor of the output lenses undoubtedly is. Many manufacturers make products that look similar to this, but each has its own wrinkles and features that differentiate it from its competitors. At its core, it’s a color-mixing LED washlight with adjustable beam angle, but what extra features does it have to persuade you that it’s the one for you?

The product under review is the Chauvet Professional Maverick Storm 1 Wash (Figure 1). With 19 lenses arranged in three concentric rings of 12, 6, and one, it, as I already mentioned, looks like a familiar product type. The

&Sound America 74 • July 2019 • Lighting&

LEDs The Maverick Storm 1 Wash uses nineteen 20W Osram Ostar RGBW dies. Each color on every LED is controlled independently, making a grand total of 76 drivers.

As the unit is constructed to be IP65-rated, I limit-

Figure 2: LED.

ed my usual disassembly a little so as not to break any seals, so apologies if the figures aren’t quite as illuminating as usual. Figure 2 shows LED 19, mounted on the main board, immediately surmounted by one end of a square plastic light pipe. These light pipes extend upwards out of the frame of that figure, increasing in size as they go, and are capped with a diffusing or homogenizing film at the circular output end. Figure 3 shows the light pipes from the side inside their protective casings, and Figure 4 shows a view from the top through the lens to the top of the light pipe. The light pipe design, along with the transition from square to round cross-section and the diffuser on the end, serve to homogenize the colors into a single blended beam.

The LEDs are mounted on a metal cored circuit board, which is thermally attached to a large aluminum backing plate and then to a set of cooling fins. This plate also marks where the sealed LED compartment finishes. The LEDs, circuit board, driver circuitry, and motors are all inside the sealed module. The heat sink forms the back wall of this compartment, which transfers heat to the fins on the outside, in an unsealed area. The fins, in turn, are cooled by two, presumably waterproof, fans on the back of the unit. Figure 5 shows the two fans, which are normally covered by a plastic cover. On the left of Figure 5 you can see the fan power wires exiting from the LED compartment module through a sealed tube.

Figure 5: Cooling fans.

Figure 6: Zoom.

Optics

Figure 3: Light pipes.

The light pipes and the diffuser film homogenize the four colors from the LED, directing that output into the objective lens. This is a single large molded lens, with 19 identical circular lenslets molded together, mounted on a carrier plate. In turn, that carrier plate is mounted on four steppermotor-driven load screws that move the plate back and forth to alter the output angle of the resultant beam. Figure 6 shows one of the lead screws on the right, and one of the linear rod bearings that the lens carrier plate travels along on the left. I measured zoom as taking a minimum of 0.6 seconds to move from narrow to wide.

Gobos and pixel control

Figure 4: Light pipe and lens.

Gobos? What gobos? The Maverick Storm 1 Wash has a DMX channel called gobo, but it doesn’t have gobos as such, so what does it do? It’s really another name for a static macro channel that allows the selection of preprogrammed pattern combinations of the 19 LEDs. Figure 7 shows a few examples of the kind of shapes that are available through the gobo channel. This is a quick way to get animation and dynamic output if these units are used as

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • July 2019 • 75

TECHNICAL FOCUS: PRODUCT IN DEPTH

Figure 7: Gobos.

Beam Profile - Maximum Zoom

20,000 Lumens at Max Zoom:

18,000

4,005 Max Zoom Hor Max Zoom Ver

16,000 14,000

Candela

12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 -22.2°

-18.8°

-15.3°

-11.6°

-7.8°

-3.9°

0.0°

3.9°

7.8°

11.6°

15.3°

18.8°

22.2°

Degrees

direct view facing the audience. If you want to get more granular control, you can as use a mode where you are able to control the color and intensity of every LED individually. Figure 8 shows a very simple example where Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve chosen six pixels and changed their colors. This kind of pixel mapping is a fairly common feature these days, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s useful to have it on an outdoor-rated unit. The Maverick Storm 1 Wash also offers a macro channel, providing outof-the-box dynamic pixel effects.

Interestingly, you also have the ability to split the unit into two separate fixtures for control purposes, with the movement and zoom functions on one set of channels and the pixels themselves on a second. The second set, with the pixels, can then be assigned to a completely separate Art-Net or sACN universe for control from something like a media server or pixel mapper. For my testing, I ran the unit in single fixture mode, with individual eight-bit control of each pixel. This mode consumes 96 DMX-512 channels.

Output and color I measured the output of the Maverick Storm 1 Wash with all emitters running at full, when it was in wide zoom and

&Sound America 76 â&#x20AC;˘ July 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ Lighting&

Figure 9: Maximum zoom.

Beam Profile - Minimum Zoom

300,000 Lumens at Min Zoom:

3,124 Min Zoom Hor Min Zoom Ver

250,000

200,000

Candela

Figure 8: Individual pixels.

150,000

100,000

50,000

0 -5.3°

-4.4°

-3.5°

-2.7°

-1.8°

-0.9° 0.0° Degrees

0.9°

1.8°

2.7°

3.5°

Figure 10: Minimum zoom.

the lenses were fully back, at just over 4,000 lumens with a field angle of 44°. At the narrow end I measured 3,124 lumens at a field angle of 10.6°. Figures 9 and 10 show the beam profiles which were very smooth.

4.4°

5.3°

Figure 11: Spectral distribution 3,447K.

Figure 13: Spectral distribution 7,221K.

Figure 12: TM-30 3,447K.

Figure 14: TM-30 7,221K.

Thermal droop was reasonable, I saw a drop to 91% of initial cold output over 15 minutes of running at full power, output then stabilized. (Lumen measurements are taken after this initial droop, after the unit has reached thermal equilibrium) I measured the wavelengths of the emitters at blue 450nm, green 525nm, and red 645nm, the standard Osram colors.

Color Transmission

Red 14%

COLOR MIXING Green Blue 40% 4.5%

White 46%

All 100%

As well as individual control of each pixel’s color, you can also set a background overall color and brightness, which the gobos or patterns will be superimposed on top of. Both this background color and gobo colors can be

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • July 2019 • 77

TECHNICAL FOCUS: PRODUCT IN DEPTH

Dimmer Curve

Maverick Storm 1 Wash offers a range of selectable PWM rates from 600Hz â&#x20AC;&#x201D;15,000Hz.

100%

Pan and tilt

90% Maverick Storm 1 Wash

80%

The Maverick Storm 1 Wash has full pan-and-tilt ranges of 540° and 270°, respectively. I measured pan speed over the full 540° at 2.5 seconds and 1.7 seconds for 180°. In tilt, the figures were 1.6 seconds for 270° and 1.5 seconds for 180°. Both pan and tilt have optical encoders to reposition the fixture if it is knocked out of place. I measured hysteresis or repeatability at a low 0.05° for both pan and for tilt, which is about 0.25" at a 20' throw. All movement was steady and smooth, with no objectionable bounce or overshoot.

Square Law Linear

70%

Output

60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

DMX Input

Figure 15: Dimmer curve.

controlled through additive RGBW, subtractive CMY, or through a set of preprogrammed colors on a color channel. This channel also offers a range of premixed whites which I measured as follows: Setting 2,700K 3,200K 4,200K 5,600K 8,000K

Measured CCT 3,447K 4,102K 5,350K 7,721K 12,747K

TM-30 Rf 63 69 80 78 79

TM-30 Rg 116 117 115 115 110

CRI Ra 45 55 74 75 79

Noise As usual with LED fixtures, the cooling fan provides the main constant noise source from the Maverick Storm 1 Wash. Noise from the zoom motors was barely above the noise floor, but pan and tilt were noticeable at some speeds.

SOUND LEVELS Ambient Stationary Homing/Initialization Pan Tilt Zoom

<35 dBA at 1m 40.4 dBA at 1m 48.7 dBA at 1m 47.5 dBA at 1m 47.7 dBA at 1m 40.7 dBA at 1m

Homing/initialization time Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14 show the TM-30 graphics and spectra for the 2,700K setting and the 8,000K setting as examples. They were all quite similar, with some over saturation in the red/magenta and green areas. Not bad for a simple RGBW system.

Finally, in color control, there is a color temperature control channel which imposes a color temperature on top of any mixed colors, effectively treating them as if they were gels in front of lamps of different color temperatures.

I measured this channel as ranging from 3,350K at the low end, up to a level in excess of 30,000K at the high end.

Dimming Figure 15 shows the dimming curve of the Maverick Storm 1 Wash when set to its default linear setting. The fixture also offers a number of other dimmer curves, such as square law and S-curve, as well as two options for dimmer speed. I found that 16-bit dimming was smooth and clean over the entire range. Strobe speeds are selectable up to a measured 26Hz. Finally, I measured the PWM frequency as the unit was supplied to me at 2kHz; however, the

&Sound America 78 â&#x20AC;˘ July 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ Lighting&

The Maverick Storm 1 Wash took 21 seconds to complete a full initialization from first powering up, and 18 seconds to perform a system reset while running. The unit was badly behaved on reset, with the LEDs powering up before homing movement had finished.

Power, electronics, and control In operation on a nominal 115V 60Hz supply, the unit consumed 3.3A when stationary at full output with all emitters on. This equates to a power consumption of 397W with a power factor of 0.99. Quiescent current draw, with no LEDs running, was 0.34A, 48W, with unity power factor.

As you can see from the connector panel in Figure 16, the Maverick Storm 1 Wash offers numerous means of control. From left to right in this figure, we have DMX-512 in and out, RJ-45 in and out, W-DMX wireless DMX antenna, pressure release valve, and power in and out. The RJ45 networking supports the three major protocols: sACN, Art-Net, and Kling-Net. In addition, the unit provides basic RDM functionality.

Note: A pressure release valve is needed on sealed

Construction and serviceability

Figure 16: Connectors.

Figure 17: Menu.

units such as this top box. A completely air-tight sealed unit would have to be much thicker and stronger than you need for IP65 protection and just isn’t necessary. What you are looking for is protection against water, not an air-tight enclosure. That means you need a controlled way to let air in and out as the unit heats up and cools down and the internal air pressure increases and decreases, without also providing an unintended route for water. A pressure relief valve, often containing a Gore-Tex membrane, provides this.

The menuing system is also comprehensive and is provided through a color display and six buttons. Figure 17 shows the layout with DMX address, wireless signal level, and IP addresses all visible.

This is an IP65 rated unit so, as you might expect, there is a lot of sturdy die-cast aluminum and many, many stainless-steel screws. Getting access to clean lenses is quite possible, however: there are only about 16 screws to remove and it was simple to do.

Digging deeper would mean breaking seals.

For example, Figure 18 shows the inside of one of the yoke arms where the major power and data feeds lead up to the head from the top box. They are sealed inside a flexible plastic tube, which I didn’t want to open. You end up with a unit which is, inevitably, quite chunky and heavy for its output, but well in line with Figure 18: Yoke arm. similar competitive products. I can’t speak to the IP65 rating, as I have no way to test that.

That’s about it for the Chauvet Professional Maverick Storm 1 Wash. Does it have the right combination of wash and pixel mapped features to be useful to you? The choices in IP65 rated units are relatively limited, but it seems to be a market that is growing. If the data I’ve presented here sounds interesting, then try it out for yourself.

Mike Wood provides technical, design and intellectual property consulting services to the entertainment technology industry.

He can be contacted at mike@mikewoodconsulting.

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TECHNICAL FOCUS: TOOLS

Lightwright 6 By: Richard Cadena

Three years ago at USITT, I was walking back to my hotel after the show and I ran into John McKernon, the developer of Lightwright, the theatrical lighting paperwork-management software that can be automatically shared with Vectorworks Spotlight and the ETC Eos family of consoles. He was excited to tell me about the new features that were being added to the upcoming release of Version 6. “There are a lot of new tools for electricians,” he said.

Shortly afterwards, I downloaded the updated software, and it wasn’t long before I was in total agreement. The new features, like automatically balancing three-phase loads with the press of a button using Auto Balance, were very

welcomed. As an electrician, I certainly can appreciate that, but the one feature that I thought would save the most time was the ability to print labels.

In the old days, you would have to export your data to a spreadsheet and format it so that it would print correctly on a sheet of your preferred labels. I can’t tell you how much time I have wasted in the past, not to mention sheets of labels, trying to get them to print properly using this technique. It always took a lot of trial and error (mostly error) to get the text aligned properly with the labels. If the labelprinting feature in LW worked in the real world, I thought, I knew it would come in really handy. And it does.

Label printing allows you to lay out

and configure labels exactly as you like them, using live data from your worksheet. Any information you want to include on the labels can appear, as long as it’s in the database. You can then save the layout you create as a template and use it in subsequent shows. According to John, the labelprinting feature was a popular request, since some electricians print up to about 60,000 labels every year. This feature alone is worth the price of admission, which is $690 for the full version or $360 for an upgrade from LW5, whether it’s the Mac or Windows version. There is also institutional pricing and student pricing from $135.

Lately, I don’t get to work on a lot of bigger shows where I can use LW, so,

Lightwright 6 features new tools for electricians, and they can save valuable time in show prep. Lightwright 6 is available from City Theatrical.

&Sound America 80 • July 2019 • Lighting&

when I do, I always have to reacclimate myself with it and relearn it. The good news is that it’s very intuitive, and the syntax is familiar if you know common applications like Word. Cut and paste, for example, is the very well-known Command C and Command V. If you have show experience, you can most likely figure out most everything in the program. I have seldom had to break out the reference manual, but when I do, it’s extensive and helpful. And by “extensive,” I mean it’s 255 pages long.

It’s almost a full lighting course in itself.

For those of you who are in more of a hurry (show me a designer or electrician who is not in a hurry and I’ll show you one who is between gigs), there is a shorter tutorial that’s only 80 pages long. John will politely ask that you work through the tutorial when you first start using Lightwright, and that’s a good idea. There are also many video tutorials on YouTube and if you have a specific question that you can’t find in the documentation, there is also a Facebook page (Lightwright 6 Users).

Although the FB page is not officially supported by John, he often answers the questions; however, he doesn’t log onto FB every day.

Lightwright is, basically, a database that’s been customized for stage lighting, and it has a lot of features designed to save time. You can, for example, automatically set the starting address for a group of fixtures using the “plus editing” feature instead of manually typing in each individual address. You simply select a range of fixtures in the worksheet, put in the starting universe/DMX address, add a plus sign, and Lightwright fills in all of the data. The data can come from Vectorworks Spotlight or any Eos console, so it already knows a lot about what you’re doing or what you’re trying to do. When I accidentally overlapped some DMX starting addresses, it warned me by underlining them with a squiggly red line in the DMX address map utility. And when I tried to assign the wrong DMX footprint to a group of fixtures, it wouldn’t let me, because it

rack or power distribution rack, and it even allows you to include spare circuits, which is a good practice. But it’s tricky if you want to make sure you are not splitting Socapex outputs across your electrics. Still, it’s a great starting point that might need a little tweaking.

Recently, I got a call from a friend who needed an electrician for a gig.

Time was short, and the plot was fairly big, and he asked if I was available. I took the gig not quite understanding just how short time was and how big a project it would be. I knew it would be a challenge, but it provided the perfect opportunity to brush up on LW6.

Saving time on any gig is always welcome, but on this one in particular, LW6 was invaluable. It saved an immeasurable amount of time, thus this article. Forgive me if it’s a bit effusive, but I think that highly of it. But be forewarned that it might take a day or so to get your license activated, so plan accordingly.

knew the fixtures needed 48 control channels, not 8.

There are many improvements in LW6, both small and large, many of which will help electricians keep track of cabling, loads, and power distribution. There are, for example, new columns for cable, control cable, breakouts, and new user-defined columns. The column that was formerly called “watts” is now “load,” and it can now handle watts or amps. That change was made to accommodate loads with low power factor, especially LEDs and automated lights, since the wattage doesn’t accurately reflect the current draw if the power factor is not unity (1). And, in the end, what’s important is that we know how many amps are drawn by each load, each circuit, and each system, because that’s how we circuit shows.

The auto-balancing feature is helpful, but it’s not as automatic as you might think. Yes, it does automatically balance your loads across a dimmer

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www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • July 2019 • 81

TECHNICAL FOCUS: SOUND

Under the Stage By: David Barbour

Reimagining the orchestra pit at the St. James Theatre lems: All but a handful of Broadway theatres were built before 1930, when the scenic and technical demands of shows were entirely different. Fitting a show like Frozen into the St. James Theatre, built in 1927, can be an excruciatingly complex puzzle. As long ago as 1992, the designers of The Secret Garden noted the challenges of fitting that production into the St. James; Frozen is several times larger.

Peter Hylenski, the productionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sound designer, notes the productionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scale extended to his department. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Considering the requirements for the pop-based score,â&#x20AC;? he says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I knew that the 22-member orchestra was

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The pit, which was lowered and built out for this production, is fitted out with tuned frequency-absorbing panels.

&Sound America 82 â&#x20AC;˘ July 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ Lighting&

All photos and drawings: Courtesy of Walters-Storyk Design Group.

It will surprise no one to hear that Disney Theatricals does nothing by halves, supplying each of its musicals with a solid dose of spectacle supported by the latest technology. The producing organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest Broadway long-runner, Frozen, is a typically splashy effort that features elaborate scenery and costumes by Christopher Oram as well as an extensive lighting design by Natasha Katz, video by Finn Ross, puppets by Michael Curry, and special effects by Jeremy Chernick. In this sense, it represents the Broadway musical state of the art.

It also creates state-of-the-art prob-

larger than those of most Broadway shows. We also agreed that the main pit would be augmented by an extended stage designed to accommodate a large and energetic cast. Because this creative decision impacted on the limited real estate available to the orchestraâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and would completely cover the musiciansâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;I suggested positioning our bass/guitar, drum, and percussionist rhythm section in custom-built soundproof isolation booths beneath the stage.â&#x20AC;?

For recommendations on how to accomplish these goals, the designer reached out to Walters-Storyk Design Group, the architectural acoustic consultant and media systems engineering firm. John Storyk, the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founding partner and Matthew Ballos, a partner and project manager, toured the St. Jamesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pit and backstage

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TECHNICAL FOCUS: SOUND

The drumkit booth.

The conductor’s view of the pit.

areas during the production design phase. They measured the available square feet and ceiling heights, considering the options for positioning the isolation booths. Because these are surrounded by other departments filled with staff members going about their jobs—a production like Frozen functions like a small city—isolation was a vital concern. It was

&Sound America 84 • July 2019 • Lighting&

Brass and reeds are spatially separated and have light isolation.

critical that no extraneous noise from backstage activities leak into the booths, where the instrument mics might pick it up and feed it into the live mix. The need for isolation cuts both ways; music from the pit should not spill into the backstage work areas.

“The area beneath the stage was submarine-like and finding space for realistically sized iso booths was a challenge,” Ballos says. “This was a two-phase project. First, we selected a 400-sq.-ft. location beneath the front-of-house audience seating. Then, drawing on our sound-isolation expertise, we developed recording studio-quality booths large enough to enable the musicians to play comfortably and small enough to fit the limited space. Our primary concerns, other than isolation, were access, visibility, cooling, and power.”

In addition, he says, “Two-way video monitors were positioned in the booths to maintain eye contact between the conductor in the pit and the ‘isolated’ artists. We employed a variety of tuned frequency-absorbing and fabric ceiling panels, low-profile diffusion to treat the rooms, and appropriate boundaries and acoustic doors to establish the necessary isolation. Ultimately, the conductor, the musicians, and the audience have been equally satisfied with our solutions.”

A tour backstage at Frozen reveals the level of detail in the WSDG plan. The pit, which was lowered for this production, features four 48"-high x 24"-wide x 2"-deep tuned frequency-absorbing panels at left and right, with 13 similarly sized fabric panels in the center. The sidewalls are covered with one fabric panel each. Seventeen frequency-tuned panels cover the front of the pit.

The ceiling features the strategic use of Harmonix K panels from RPG Acoustic. The company says the panels are designed to provide a more uniform sound field through mid- and high-frequency diffusion while the flexible, thermo-

formed construction of the unit offers added low-frequency absorption via membrane resonance at the face.

Unlike other products, it is billed as simultaneously offering uniform midhigh sound diffusion and optimal lowfrequency absorption to control problematic low-frequency reverberation and provide uniform coverage. Fitted along the curved end of the ceiling is a series of additional fabric panels.

In addition, the rear wall of the pit was extended to just underneath the bottom of the stage deck, creating a sound-isolation lock. This area features a layer of 6" sound attenuation batting placed above the suspended ceiling and a 3"-thick layer of K-13 spray-applied insulation to the bottom of the deck. The front wall includes one layer of ¾" plywood and two layers of 5/8" gypsum; the resulting cavity is filled with additional sound attenuation batting.

The full layout includes separate rooms for the bass and guitar, rhythm

section, and drums, with brass and reeds spatially separated and fitted with light isolation. The rooms are fitted with video monitors: “We look for the fastest models available,” Hylenski says. “When you’re using multiple inputs, you run the risk of a slight latency. The shops take great care in selecting them.” (Masque Sound supplied the audio gear for the production.) A variety of mics are used, clipped on the instruments and hung overhead to capture the bigger audio picture. In addition, the musicians are equipped with Roland M-48 live personal mixers.

Hylenski admits that working with a covered pit can be a challenge; interestingly, during the production’s tryout in Denver, an open pit was featured.

He describes Storyk as “a great problem solver.” He also credits the orchestrations by Dave Metzger, who also did the film of Frozen, with reinventing the score for the theatre.

Hylenski notes that he brought in

Roger Schwenke, a staff scientist at Meyer Sound, to study the St. James auditorium, and meticulously laid out the loudspeaker rig to address hardto-reach areas of the audience. The loudspeakers are mostly from Meyer, including the company’s LEOPARD line arrays.

Now in its second year, Frozen continues to do robust business.

Hylenski’s design is both highly intelligible and easy on the ears, two key elements for a show with an involved plot and a hit song, “Let It Go,” that is one of the great contemporary earworms. Maintaining that quality is aided by the well-considered orchestra layout.

“Having worked with studio designers/acousticians WSDG on previous shows, I knew they could make this happen,” he says. Next up for the designer is Moulin Rouge!, a musical that promises to be even more immersive than Frozen.

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VIDEO MATTERS

Coaxial Cable Carries On By: Richard Cadena

You’ve likely seen or used coaxial cable—the copper cable with a thick tubular plastic insulation, covered with a concentric woven shield and outer plastic sheath—but it’s not as common as it once was. Besides carrying your cable television signal into your home or your Internet to your cable modem, it used to play a bigger part in computer networks.

Now it’s being nudged aside by twisted-pair and fiber optic cable, but it’s not done yet. If you use professional video equipment, then you’re familiar with coax and its BNC connector. But you might not know why we still use the copper signal carrier, or that it’s been around for over a century.

Coax cable was invented by a self-taught electrical engineer who, in his 60s, became reclusive and eccentric, often painting his fingernails bright pink. While that might not raise an eyebrow today, it certainly did in the early 1900s. But his real legacy was his contribution to the development and advancement of telegraph, telephone, terrestrial radio, networking, math, and physics.

Oliver Heaviside started working as a telegraph operator for the Great Northern Telegraph Company at an early age, and with no more than a grammar school education, he started teaching himself electricity and magnetism, and— out of a desire to better understand these subjects—higher math. That led him to understand transmission line theory so well that he wrote and published articles on the subject, and in 1880, at the age of 30, he designed and patented the coaxial cable.

The idea for it was likely borne of his work, early in his career, as a telegraph operator. At the time, it took about ten minutes for one character to transmit across the Atlantic Ocean. That translates to about 0.013 bits per second if we consider a character to be an eight-bit ASCII value. He laid the groundwork for improving the speed of transmission by a factor of 10, first by studying the math behind transmission lines and then devising techniques to improve them.

Even with the tenfold improvement, this still represents well under one bit per second. Yet the coax cable Heaviside invented is being used today to transmit at speeds of 12 gigabits and higher.

Part of the reason that coax cable has endured the

94 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

Oliver Heaviside designed and patented coax cable, which is still used in broadcast video today.

advancement of technology is that has relatively high bandwidth, low capacitance, and is constructed so that the center conductor is shielded from outside electromagnetic interference. Also, the combination of the thick center insulation and outer shield keeps it from radiating outside of the cable.

Not only does it work better in environments with a lot of electromagnetic interference, it also minimizes signal losses along the length of the cable. This means it works pretty well with weaker signals and also helps to keep the signal from attenuating over long distances, to a degree. Signal

VIDEO MATTERS

attenuation is a function of the transmission frequency and, at about 1.5 gigabit per second, is reliable to about 328'.

The 75-ohm variant of the cable is used anytime a video signal is transmitted using serial digital interface (SDI), which is typically broadcast video. This includes SDI, HD-SDI, dual link HD-SDI, 3G-SDI, 6G-SDI, and 12G-SDI, which have bitrates from about 1.5Gb per second up to 12Gb per second. The increasingly higher bitrates are necessary to handle higher resolutions, higher frame rates, and greater bit depth, such as 2160p60, 2160p120, and 4320p30, as well as for carrying high dynamic range (HDR) signals, in an uncompressed format.

With all of the technological advances in the recent past, you may ask yourself why coax has not been completely replaced by twisted-pair copper wire or fiber optic cable, and in some cases is has. Cat 5 and Cat 6 can support gigabit and 10-gigabit transmission but the little plastic tab on the 8P8C connectors (you probably know them as RJ45, but technically, RJ45 is the receptacle, not the jack) are about as rugged as an eggshell.

Twisted-pair is more flexible than coax cable but has limited bandwidth. Fiber is also fragile as glass because it is glass, although there are now newer fiber technologies that are much more rugged and have a much tighter bend radius. But fiber is also expensive compared to copper.

We’ll probably use RG6 for a long time. RG6 is 75-ohm cable terminated with BNC connectors, and is commonly used to get a signal from a camera to a switcher. It is fairly rugged and can withstand rough handling, being dragged through wet environments, and being thrown into Pelican cases. The BNC connector is also built to be able to take abuse, and there are no plastic tabs to break, like the connectors on an Ethernet cable. You can step on it, run over it with a golf cart, forklift, or crew bus and you won’t damage it, like you would fiber optic cable. There is a limit, however, to how

rare. Structures like stadiums are built and razed in the span of a couple of decades, and companies like Blockbuster Video and technologies like eight-track, cassette, and floppy drives come and go. Ideas like iTunes materialize and vaporize in a matter of a few years. Still, a self-taught savant who, for some unknown reason liked to sign the initials “W.O.R.M.” after his name figured out a way of carrying a transmission that has so far lasted 139 years. He was a wily old radio man.

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ER Productions ..........................................93

Lighting&Sound America ............................97

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Applied Electronics ................................4, 93

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Doug Fleenor Design ............................89, 90

Leprecon ....................................................87

Reliable Design Services ......................85, 92

Wireless Solution ....................................9, 91

The Light Source ......................57, 89, 92, 96

Robe ............................Inside Back Cover, 89

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AUDIO FILE

Boom and Busk By: Phil Ward

I was thumbing through a list of Bond film locations the other day—as you do—and was delighted to discover that several of the London Underground scenes in Skyfall were filmed in a disused part of Charing Cross station. It’s kept in working order for training, for trying out new design ideas, and—best of all—for auditioning buskers. No, they don’t just turn up and play; they need licenses, and only the acoustics of these hard-tiled tubular corridors can satisfy Transport for London’s trained officials, apparently.

It proves that busking is a serious artistic commitment and not simply a musical way of mugging travelers. I don’t know why, but I was reminded of this emotional investment for very little reward when a seasoned professional—who will remain nameless—was chatting socially at a recent trade show about his reasons for leaving a large multinational despite its major reinvestments across the board and his own prospects for promotion.

His main contention was that the business style he had developed over many years in the industry seemed no longer acceptable as a modus operandi. Specifically, he pointed out, relationships that he had patiently cultivated through genuine means were effectively discouraged if they failed to provide accountable results within a relatively short space of time. More and more of the details of every business development activity had to be quantified, to the point where he felt personally compromised in his attempts to 98 • July 2019 • Lighting&Sound America

forge authentic trust with like-minded colleagues. It was a business ethos, he felt, that drained the creativity from the pool of his resources and numbed the human touch to the way he liked to earn a living. It was time to move on, and the organization in question lost his considerable talents.

Naturally the numbers have to add up. Wasteful profligacy has no place in a successful business, and if a competitive edge can be gained through greater efficiency, who wouldn’t strive for it? But I also thought of the late publicist Max Kay, who, in the same way, always wanted to establish PR as an exact science, attempting to indexlink column inches to advertising revenue and charging for his own services in the same objective way. It was as though he didn’t have any faith in nebulous outcomes, enough confidence in anecdotal achievement nor sufficient trust in his own abilities.

Nor is the equation of human worth with financial metrics a given state of affairs. It was more or less invented during the 19th century, a habit that took root in the US when policymakers began to assess well-being as the capacity to generate income and contribute to the economy—rather than as something pertaining to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as first defined in the Declaration of Independence. One example often quoted is James Henry Hammond’s infamous 1858 speech in defense of slavery, in which he first quotes “produce per capita”—some $16.66, according to him.

Gradually, everything took on a value understood only by price, a capitalization of society that became the fossil fuel of stock exchanges and investment portfolios. Cotton did indeed become king, defining for all other products the perceptions of progress, achievement, status, and benefit long after the horrors upon which that trade had been founded were abolished. And not just “products:” By 1910, the New York Times was able to announce confidently that “an eight-pound baby is worth, at birth, $362 a pound.”

Hardly surprising, but in the ‘20s it was Rockefeller, JP Morgan, and others in their position who founded the National Bureau of Economic Research, whose influence is unabated. There’s even a new buzz-phrase around investment circles: the Quantified Self, for which smartphones can be used to track how many steps you take, how many calories you lose or gain, or how much this meeting is costing you if you have to leave without a deal.

What happens when you replace human instinct with hard figures is that you abandon the kind of judgment that goes beyond data, and you allow the chart to rule the head. It’s defies financial logic either to go busking or to give buskers money. But this quote from still-busking Brit singer-songwriter Passenger is, in its own way, priceless: “There’s no smoke and mirrors—if people don’t like it, they walk away. I think it’s something I’ll always do, no matter what.”

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