The Barbican Invests in Robe posted: 09/11/2015
London's iconic and respected arts centre, the Barbican, has invested in Robe DL4S LED profile and Pointe multi-functional moving lights which are integral to a new moving light rig installed in the 1,943 capacity Barbican Hall concert venue.
The new rig has been designed by Jason Kew, Technical Supervisor in charge of lighting in the Barbican's Music Department, and the fixtures were specified by Jason and Mark Bloxsidge, Technical Manager (Music Events), following an evaluation which involved the whole technical team at the Barbican Hall.
The order was delivered via leading UK sales and rental company White Light and Robe UK, co-ordinated by Jonathan Haynes for White Light following a tender process led by the Barbican's Luke Freeborough, Technical Manager (Projects).
The Barbican Hall was originally built as an orchestral venue when the Centre opened in 1982. In addition to being the home of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), it has gained a formidable reputation for production excellence, and is now a truly multi-purpose space utilised daily for numerous performances encompassing all genres of music, plus conferences, special events, graduation ceremonies and more - a full array of one-off one-day shows.
As a result of this intense schedule, a permanent orchestral lighting rig is installed overhead in open white, pointing straight down. A separate overhead rig is available - spread over 5 LX bars and two more in the auditorium - to cater for all the other show requirements, and optimised to avoid the de-rigging or re-rigging of any fixtures. This over-stage rig is now entirely comprised of moving lights including the 13 x Robe DL4S and 15 x Pointes.
This means they can swap between shows a lot quicker, more easily and efficiently, eliminating the need for any overhead and ladder access work to re-colour and refocus the rig which previously would have also taken up stage time.
The new over-stage fixtures also facilitate the creation of more comprehensive and dynamic shows than those possible with the old moving light / generic combination system.
Energy efficiency and low maintenance also played a part in the choice of an LED fixture, and the 13 x DL4Ss in particular have very effectively replaced 30 older moving lights and profiles.
There are still plenty of generics in the assorted FOH positions which are more easily accessed from the bridges and catwalks.
Another reason for the moving light upgrade was to keep the rig competitive and in tune with the current technologies and expectations from a high profile producing and receiving house.
The requirement is increasing constantly for moving light shows to compliment contemporary dance pieces, modern music concerts and the proliferation of theatre and semi-staged format orchestral concerts that are popular right now.
We chose DL4Ss as their tungsten emulation is excellent and the shutters are fast and accurate, elucidated Mark.
They give us the scope and flexibility to do simple lighting tasks like focusing neatly on a lectern for a corporate presentation or a talk, right through to jazz and rock n' roll shows when we can really utilise the fabulous colours and excellent gobos .
Jason has had previous experience with Robe's DL4S and adds that the tungsten colour matching (of the lamps they have replaced) is spot-on, the framing is great and The general overall versatility of the light is amazing .
After an exhaustive testing and selection process - including two shoot outs set up by White Light during the evaluation period - Pointes were selected as the best lights for effects and aerial work.
Their power and speed is outstanding, said Jason, They are great for giving our amplified shows a contemporary look and feel through the beams and haze .
He was also impressed with the framing system which enables the beam to remain sharp and tight at the bottom' end of the light and also the fact that The Pointe is effectively four different fixture types in one housing - properly multi-functional!
Jason runs the lighting department in the Concert Hall and undertakes much of the lighting design work for incoming shows as well as freelancing, so he brought his wide experience of touring and lighting in many different venues and scenarios to bear when finalising the Barbican Hall spec.
My primary job as LD is to engage the audience and enhance the performance we are a leading venue with exceptionally high production standards, and I also wanted to have new technology that has a future and will be relevant for a few years to come. I think with this new rig we have really achieved all of this - it's completely changed the way we can light a show .
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
04/03/2026
Lega Basket Serie A (LBA), the governing body for Italy's premier basketball...
04/03/2026
Wrexham AFC co-chairmen Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds will host a first-of-its-kind ...
04/03/2026
The countdown is underway and with just 100 days to go until the world's greatest sporting event begins on Thurs., June 11, FOX Sports, America's Englis...
04/03/2026
No matter where they are in the world, service members and veterans can stream N...
04/03/2026
Telemundo officially releases Somos M s, the anthem for the network's cove...
04/03/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) concluded the 2026 HPA Tech Retreat, convening more than 800 industry leaders, technologists, creatives, and execut...
04/03/2026
Smith Entertainment Group transformed how local sports are consumed by creating ...
04/03/2026
The production method, which spans a distance of 36.2 miles, was designed and im...
04/03/2026
Haivision, a global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and...
04/03/2026
When Hugues Meyrath came out of retirement to take the helm as CEO of Quantum, i...
04/03/2026
Last week's launch of Banana Ball Championship League has spurred a significant upgrade of production facilities
The Savannah Bananas, arguably the hottest...
04/03/2026
sldkfjsdlfkjsldkfjsldkjfslkdjfslkdjfsl
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus...
04/03/2026
For many fans, a song's backstory can be just as compelling as the final pro...
04/03/2026
In 2006, Spotify was founded on the belief that technology could bring artists a...
04/03/2026
Spotify is back on the ground for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and we&#...
04/03/2026
Spotify had an energizing week in Sydney, Australia, filled with powerful conver...
04/03/2026
Earlier this year, we launched Directed By, a documentary-style series that pull...
04/03/2026
100 Days to Go: SBS Unveils World Class Team for The Greatest Show on Earth -The...
04/03/2026
KT and Rohde & Schwarz to showcase AI-enhanced radio transmission performance In a joint 6G AI proof-of-concept demonstration, the CMX500 one-box tester from ...
04/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/03/2026
Luxembourg, 3 March 2026 - SES S.A. has today published its 2025 Annual Report, following the announcement of the company's full year financial results for ...
04/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/03/2026
Luxembourg, March 3, 2026 - SES, a leading space solutions company, along with I...
04/03/2026
04 Mar 2026
VEON Partners with GSMA Innovation Fund to Accelerate Digital Innov...
04/03/2026
04 Mar 2026
VEON's Beeline Uzbekistan and Rakuten Symphony Partner for Open...
04/03/2026
Wednesday 4 March 2026
Sky Sports unveils plans for 2026 Formula 1 coverage
Sky Sports is preparing for one of the most highly anticipated F1 seasons in recen...
04/03/2026
Back to All News
Bloodhounds' Season 2 Gears Up for April 3 Premiere with ...
04/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Ads Suite Expands Capabilities
Business
04 March 2026
GlobalUnited States
Link copied to clipboard
After launching the Netflix Ad...
04/03/2026
Scripps Research welcomes healthcare innovator Joe Kiani to the Board of Directors Kiani brings decades of experience in patient safety and public service.
Mar...
04/03/2026
Nanoparticle vaccine approach takes on a new target: Hepatitis C virus Scripps Research scientists reengineer critical proteins on the surface of HCV, paving th...
03/03/2026
Beyond Sports, a Sony group company, and LIV Golf, the world's golf league, ...
03/03/2026
Ilitch Sports + Entertainment announces the launch of Detroit SportsNet (DSN), a year-round broadcast home for two of Detroit's franchises. With flexible op...
03/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media ...
03/03/2026
The PGA of America, NBC Sports and USA Sports extend their media rights agreemen...
03/03/2026
AI device ecosystem company HONOR enters into a strategic technical collaboratio...
03/03/2026
Cleveland's Telos Alliance, pioneers in broadcast technology for 30 years, l...
03/03/2026
The MD 9235 microphone head for wireless handhelds has been a firm favorite with many engineers and artists for its ability to cut through high on-stage levels ...
03/03/2026
Haivision Systems Inc. (Haivision), a global provider of mission-critical, real-...
03/03/2026
Broadcast Management Group (BMG) announces the expansion of its 62,000-square-fo...
03/03/2026
Maroon 5's musical tour in 2025 marked a leap forward in live audio as Monitor Engineer Dave Rupsch utilized Sennheiser's all-digital Spectera wireless ...
03/03/2026
Designed specifically for pro basketball, the renovated space at Gainbridge Fiel...
03/03/2026
As part of the move, former CEO Phillipp Lawo joins the broadcast-tech provider's Supervisory Board
Lawo has announced appointment of Jamie Dunn as chief e...
03/03/2026
A team of legendary announcers and analysts and a classic graphics look will bring the past to life
NBC Sports and Peacock will return to yesteryear for tonigh...
The Barbican Invests in Robe posted: 09/11/2015 
