Mexico – From the moment it opened in October last year, Arena Guadalajara has inspired awe. How could it not? The second largest arena in Mexico, the modernistic 20,000 capacity venue defines the surrounding landscape, its 17-meter circular roof carving out a dramatic space against the sky.
When multi-platinum star Gloria Trevi’s Celebration Tour stopped at the new arena this summer, the team at UpStage Creative Studio and Lighting Designer Julio “Jules” Moreno knew what the venue had to offer — and they liked it!
“From the beginning, we sought to make the most of the venue’s available height to create a greater sense of scale and spectacle,” said Moreno. “The horizontal distribution of the structure made it possible to create layers of lighting, scenic depth, and a much more impactful visual presence. This was incredibly valuable, especially during the most intense moments of the show.”
The design team took beautiful advantage of this opportunity, creating a stunning production that stood out even by the exalted standards of the Celebration Tour, with its multi-level risers, stunning FX, colorful lighting effects, well-timed atmospherics and powerful video elements.
This visually rich production wrapped itself seamlessly around Gloria Trevi’s performance, which featured multiple costume changes, live mariachi renditions of classics like “Esa Hembra Es Mala,” and timeless hits like “5 Minutos.”
Playing a major role in creating this panorama were 122 Color STRIKE M strobe-washes and 40 STRIKE Array 4 blinders from CHAUVET Professional, which were supplied by LED Proyect. The entire show was controlled with two ChamSys MagicQ MQ250M consoles, (main and spare), which provided the power and flexibility required for a production of this scale.
“The Color STRIKE M and STRIKE Array 4 units were distributed between overhead and floor positions to create a combination of front, side, and effects lighting,” noted Moreno. “Side lighting was essential to the design. In addition to providing modeling and depth, it made it possible to visually separate Gloria from the background and better highlight her movements and expressions. Combined with overhead lighting, it helped create more elegant, photographic, and visually appealing images for both the audience and the cameras.”
Speaking of the fixtures in his rig Moreno noted, “the STRIKE Array 4 units were used primarily for visual impacts, finales, audience moments, and high-emotion sections, while the Color STRIKE Ms contributed color, power, and versatility through their pixel-mapping system, in addition to reinforcing the energy and scenic impact.”
Paying careful attention to color, Moreno coordinated his palette to match the mood of each song. He also ensured that lighting flowed smoothly with the 20-meter wide main video wall’s varied imagery, which ranged from IMAG, to bold spellings of the star’s name, to graphics of objects like automobiles.
“The video content was designed to complement the emotion and energy of each moment of the show,” said Moreno. “We relied on IMAG to maintain the connection with the audience. We also used natural imagery to create more intimate and relaxed atmospheres, and abstract patterns to add dynamism during the most intense moments.”
Although the Guadalajara design had added flourishes thanks to the size of the arena, Moreno notes the show “maintains the same visual concept and production design used throughout the Celebration tour.” Since that’s the case, fans who see this iconic star as she tours the world are in for a real visual treat!
