Using 12 of GLP’s versatile impression X4 LED fixtures, Washington
DC-based Pulse Lighting recently provided lighting for Slightly Stoopid’s
special one-off ‘Hot Box’ show at Red Rocks Park
and Amphitheatre in Denver,
Colorado. The show, which also featured Cypress Hill, was scheduled for
broadcast live on AXS TV the same evening.
Set up by brothers Paul and Preston Hoffman in 2005, Pulse
Lighting were asked to light the Californian-based ‘fusion’ band in their own
right for the first time. “The management knew we had experience of the venue,
and in running concert lights for broadcast,” said Preston.
The day of the event — April 20th — was also significant since it
is the day when counter-culturists celebrate the love of cannabis, as Preston explains. “With cannabis legalized in the state
in 2013, the 4/20 show was historic for everyone involved in that culture. It
is no secret that Slightly Stoopid is a pro marijuana band so this event was
monumental — and they really wanted to make it a special for their fans.”
And the GLP impressions helped ensure that dream became a reality.
The Hoffmans’ experience with the German manufacturers’ ground-breaking LED
platform dates back to the very beginning, and the launch of the original
impression 90 in
2007. “At the time, it was an amazing
product — but it is unbelievable how far that technology has advanced in such a
short time since then.”
Preston further experienced the high value of the Volkslicht Zoom
on tour with Furthur and featured them in a music venue called The Hamilton in Washington DC. However, the Red Rocks show was the first
time he had used the new generation impression X4’s. “And I was very impressed
with everything about them,” he said.
“For small tours lacking in large budgets but requiring high
visual impact they are perfect — the great part about this type of product is
its flexibility.”
To exemplify the point Hoffman was able “to pull triple duty” from
just 12 fixtures — “and In all three categories the X4 did great!” he reports. In
particular, he wanted to see how they would perform as a wash/beam/effect
light, suspended directly behind the band where the cameras would pick them up.
But first of all he tested the zoom … and was immediately blown
away. “This fixture zooms down to a 7-degree tight beam and then zooms out to a
really impressive wide 50-degree completely flat field of color,” he noted.
“Next I played with the color mixing and I have never seen such
rich even color come out of an LED fixture. Lastly I played with the matrix
effects. I think this functionality is innovative and cool and a great trick to
pull out at the right time.
“I used them to wash the rocks behind the band as well as add
beams in my big looks and also used the matrix effects for a little eye candy
when appropriate. I was especially impressed by the quality of light that the
X4 produced — delivering a perfectly uniform beam with unbelievable colors. LED
fixtures often have problems with yellows and ambers however this fixture made
those colors beautifully and without the pixelation.
“I also especially like the lens on this fixture because it
softens the source so it is less harsh and distracting than most other LED
fixtures.”
As for control, they were easy to program and highly responsive.
“One thing that I often find with moving LEDs is there are about four or five
good colors but the X4 allowed me to have more subtle color variations and I
could use the full spectrum. As a result they looked just like a dichroic
mixing light, which was useful when working with cameras because subtle shifts
of color are necessary to eliminate clipping.”
Pulse Lighting were working through local technical production and
event management specialists, Brown Note Productions (who provided all the
lighting, including the X4’s), and Preston Hoffman was full of praise for their
professionalism. “In my opinion they
have some of the most cutting edge equipment in Denver.”
In summary, the lighting director says this was a project he
couldn’t have felt more proud of. “I have been on a personal quest to find the
best moving head LED on the market that can be a multifunctional, lightweight
and power efficient fixture.
“Doing a one off at Red Rocks is very challenging and most of the
time I am trying to get big looks out of small rigs without impacting too
heavily on the budget. Having a fixture like the X4, which could play several
roles on the rig, really brought Red Rocks to life.”
Pics attached. Credit: Garett
Mynatt
