Lighting & Decorations

When organising an outdoor event or festival, the weather forecast is always the wildcard. Especially in the UK, a bright sunny day can turn into a downpour in a matter of minutes. Since standard moving heads aren’t designed to handle moisture, outdoor solutions used to be limited to rain covers or inflatable rain domes. But that’s all about to change. Space, time and money Entertainment lighting technology is evolving at breakneck speed, and we’re seeing fixtures with built-in IP65 protection ratings take over the market. And for good reason: they make covers and domes completely redundant. This is great news for lighting techs and rental companies, as those bulky covers and domes take up a lot of precious loading and transport space in the truck. You’re also faced with the choice of whether to buy these specific accessories for just a few outdoor gigs a year or rent them every […]

It might be a bit of a surprise to learn that the mirror ball as we know it was already conjuring its unique magic as early as the late 1800s. By around 1920, the mirror ball was a fixture of Berlin’s cabaret theatres and, ever since, the world of clubs, dance halls and live venues has been unimaginable without the ‘disco ball’ (as it became affectionately known following the seventies Disco explosion). Even while the world of stage and club lighting is only getting more and more complex, the magic of the mirror ball is still near-impossible to mimic with modern tech. What is it about this simple lighting effect that gives it so much impact?

An empty hall, over-lit with fluorescent lights: not the greatest spot for the party to end all parties, right? Even with just a little understanding of how atmospheric lighting works, you can create the right wedding party vibe. Here, guest blogger and wedding DJ Sebastian (also known as NightArchitect) lets us in on some trade secrets when it comes to what kind of lighting and effects can work and how they work.

When you’re watching a band play live on stage, it’s easy to forget that it’s the light tech who’s made sure that everything and everyone is clearly visible. And yes, light technicians do way more than simply flick the lights on. Pay special attention to the lighting the next time you’re at a venue and you’ll notice how the lights dynamically react to the sound. In this blog, our lighting gear expert Floris explains what it takes to become a light tech, followed by an interview with a professional in the field.

Most bands can’t afford to hire their own light technician and are forced to trust in-house light techs, which means that your light show may vary from gig to gig and more often than not doesn’t look like what you asked for. The cause? Communication, or rather miscommunication. Guest-blogger and stage manager Thomas Oberson-Ricoat is here to share five welcome pieces of advice.

These days, bands have to do almost everything for themselves: getting the right gear, writing the right music, setting up some good lighting, all of the admin and even organising the shows. When it comes to designing stage decor, it can be a bit of an afterthought – if it’s thought about at all. But placing the music in a visual context can immediately get the audience in the right vibe even before you’ve played a note. Here, we get four solid stage-dressing tips from one of the professionals.

Unfortunately, there comes a time when everything breaks, and the same is definitely true of music gear, whether it’s speakers, valve amplifiers, or your electric guitar or bass. In the worst case, you’ll need to get it fixed by a professional, but there are some smaller, more simple repairs that you can actually carry out yourself. With a voltmeter, a soldering iron and a little solder on your side, you can get more done than you might think.

Gaffer tape or duct tape? Line up a few rolls of each and you won’t be able to tell the difference but as soon as you get them in your hands, you’ll immediately know which is which. This isn’t much of a surprise since they are in fact completely different things. So, while duct tape is known for being able to fix any of the world’s problems, why is it that lighting and sound technicians turn to gaffer tape instead? We explain all in this little slip of a blog!

If the Winter looks more like a grey Autumn and you’re left yearning for a nice, thick blanket of crisp snow, then why not give mother nature the break she deserves and take things into your own hands with a snow machine? Even if it’s not to save Christmas, a snow machine adds a festive vibe to any party, film shoot, or event. Here, we offer an answer to the ten most frequently asked questions about snow machines.

No big bash, gig, or performance would be complete without some nice, big plumes of smoke to fully accentuate the lighting show or just add a dramatic touch of atmosphere. A good smoke machine is simply essential if you want to throw a memorable party. But how do you get the very best performance out of your smoke machine for as long as possible? Here, we offer 5 Golden Rules for operating and maintaining your smoke machine, so it can continue to belch out fog for as long as possible.

It’s often only after the sun starts sinking that your house or garden party starts getting truly atmospheric. From that moment on, you’re in control of the light. Guest blogger Menno is here to tell you about the do’s and don’ts of party lighting, spanning everything from simple birthday get-togethers to all-out dance and karaoke parties. Menno covers atmosphere, designated areas, LEDs versus light bulbs, and the use of effects.

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably encountered a smoke machine at an event, party or gig before. You might also have wondered if it’s dangerous, or if the smoke it spits out is possibly a health risk. In this blog, I’ll tell you how safe smokes machines are and what kind of qualifications they need to meet. Let’s find out how much truth there is to “where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”