(07/02/2015) When American R&B/Hip-Hop star Usher set out on his 50-date The UR Experience US and European tour to promote his latest album (UR), his touring LD Eric Wade (of FOHShow) was carrying an inventory that included no fewer than 216 of GLP's compact and highly flexible X4 S LED spots.
They form a focal part of the design conceived by production designers Baz Halpin and Chris Nyfield (Silent House) and Wade himself. Coincidentally, all had been early adopters of the X4 S platform.
On the UR Experience Tour, these are mainly deployed on the upstage wall of the automated ladders. Wade confirmed, I wanted a wall of light from the very beginning and Baz and Chris made the space. The lighting system is a combination of asymmetrical and symmetrical. However, the GLP ladders are symmetrical and run on automation up/down/stage left/stage right and we could get many different looks out of them as a result.
Eric Wade, who has been working with Usher since 2001 (initially alongside Peter Morse), can certainly trace his own history of using GLP X4 S back a long way. They were one of my first LED fixtures to feature in my designs back at the beginning of the LED craze. They were a great fixture then, but over the years they have developed into a fixture that is highly dependable, very bright and has many bells and whistles.
And he added that having Halpin and Nyfield on the team had been a huge bonus. They are great to work with, but being lighting guys as well really makes a difference as they left me all kinds of places to put lights within the set. When everyone starts throwing out ideas it evolves into something we can all be really proud of.
Despite the large quantity deployed, the X4 S is introduced very gradually into the show. I didn't want to turn on all 216 units on the upstage wall in the first song and lose that element of surprise, because when they do all come on at one time you can't help but look on in awe.
So instead, we started introducing them behind twin wall covers, looking like frosted glass, that Baz and Chris designed. In this way they start as a scenic element and end up uncovered with a giant rock n roll look of tight beams and color. In fact they are the one of the main focal points of the system. He was then able to play with all the features particularly the 7:1 zoom ratio. We flood them way out when set behind the glass, and then the four side ladders also light the band, zoomed out. Of course you have to do the big tight beam looks too. Unlike lamp fixtures you can always get good colors, and never have to give up any due to fixture limitations.
Prior to the tour, the show had been programmed at Rock Lititz Studios in Pennsylvania, followed by full production rehearsal at the Liacouras Center at Temple University in Philadelphia before the tour opener in Montreal. We had a very good amount of program time, largely thanks to the experience of production manager Harold Jones, who knows what it takes to make a good show. We couldn't have done half of what we did without Harold making sure we got the time to do it. Initially the tour programmer / associate was another GLP aficionado, Eric Marchwinski, who took care of all initial programming prior to Eric Wade taking over, while all inventory was provided by VER. The team VER put together sorted me out in every way, credits Wade. There are many great lighting companies these days so at the end of the day it's all about the service and support you will get. VER has absolutely done this for me on this tour.
And summing up the reasons why GLP X4 S has been such a favorite part of his inventory, Eric Wade says, It has been a perfect instrument for me that I will now be putting in my designs on a regular basis. The size, versatility and output make it useful for just about any situation.
In this instance we needed a large amount of fixtures which had to fit within a budget. They are workhorse lights and you always end up wishing you had more! Usher tours 23 cities in Europe for the first time in four years, beginning in Copenhagen on February 27 before arriving in the UK on March 14.
About GLP (German Light Products)
Founded by Udo Kuenzler in 1994 and headquartered in Karlsbad in Southern Germany, GLP (German Light Products GmbH) this year celebrates its 20th anniversary. GLP is a leading manufacturer of cutting edge lighting technology equipment and in recent years has been at the forefront of LED technology in the use of entertainment lighting. The company's award winning X4 S series has become a standard around the world, specified by top LDs for its versatile and packed feature set. Constantly expanding its product range, GLP is committed to bringing environmentally friendly lighting technology to designers without expecting them to compromise in their artistic expectations. In 2009, GLP purchased the German video company G-LEC and increased its global presence by establishing a subsidiary in Los Angeles, USA, and in Hong Kong the following year.
Most recent headlines
30/12/2025
As the College Football Playoff Enters the Quarterfinals, ESPN Blows Out Its Meg...
30/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Original ArticlesTake a look back at all our coverage of big-time productions, game-changing technologies, and state-of-the-art new faci...
30/12/2025
MELBOURNE, Fla., Dec. 30, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) will release its fourth quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, J...
30/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
30/12/2025
It marked the first civilian operational authorization for a HAPS flight in Europe, led by Space42's subsidiary, Mira Aerospace
The flight demonstrated HAP...
29/12/2025
San Francisco 49ers Strike Gold With Halftime Laser SpectacularStunning display caps $200 million renovation of Levi's Stadium techBy Dan Daley, Audio Edito...
29/12/2025
The Cup's Around the Corner: An Inside Look at Broadcast Preparations for th...
29/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Longform VideoWatch the standout keynote conversations, deep dives, and panel discussions from the year for free on SVG PLAY!By Brandon ...
29/12/2025
From crisper Lossless audio and immersive music videos in beta to new Audiobooks+ plans, custom transitions between tracks, and in-app Messages, we keep levelin...
29/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
27/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
25/12/2025
Holiday lights are twinkling, hot cocoa's on the stove and gamers are settling in for a well-earned break.
Whether staying in or heading on a winter getawa...
24/12/2025
What is AI good for? Posted by MTI Film on December 24, 2025
What is AI good for?
What is AI good for?
It's been three years since ChatGPT first cap...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
24/12/2025
Scripps Research study links sleep variability with sleep apnea and hypertension How consumers' digital activity trackers could enable personalized health s...
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today!By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
P...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Lightware will exhibit several major product innovations at ISE 2026, including the new USB-C BOOSTER-V1, Google Meet. integration for various Taurus UCX models...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Taking the Stage at Carnegie Hall-On a Global Scale Boston Conservatory Orchestra students reflect on their epic concert marking the 80th session of the UN Gene...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's The Great Flood and Culinary Class Wars 2 Top Gl...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things By the Numbers: How the Global Phenomenon Shap...
23/12/2025
Experience the power of WO Automation for Radio's newest service, the System Effectiveness Review. Designed to help you achieve more, a System Effectiveness...
23/12/2025
23 Dec 2025
VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan and Rakuten Symphony Collaborate to A...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
How Steamy Can It Get? Single's Inferno' Season 5 Pre...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
33 Million Global Viewers on Netflix Watched Jake Paul vs. Ant...
23/12/2025
New technique lights up where drugs go in the body, cell by cell Scripps Research scientists developed a technique that maps drug binding in individual cells th...
22/12/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Presidio's Neerav Shah on the Role of Its Captiva...
(07/02/2015) When American R&B/Hip-Hop star Usher set out on his 50-date The UR Experience US and European tour to promote his latest album (UR), his touring LD Eric Wade (of FOHShow) was carrying an inventory that included no fewer than 216 of GLP's compact and highly flexible X4 S LED spots.
