Avolites Pearl 2000 in London Superclub - Home

lighting control:
          2 off Pearl 2000 1 off Azure 2000

Central to the music policy at London Superclub Home and in addition the DJ's, is the presentation of live acts which is placing a greater then ever importance in 'emotional' and 'real time' style of lighting design and operation. The hands-on, intuitive capabilities of Avolites consoles make them the perfect user interface for this type of job.

The Pearl 2000 was the perfect control choice for technical Manager Andy Kayll who previously worked with Darren Hughes at Cream for six years and knows exactly what's needed to light a spectacular night out at the end of the century!

Kayll (pictures on left) had previously specified Pearls for Cream so the console was an obvious choice. He wanted a desk with power, flexibility and easy programming, one that was also going to be familiar to the raft of visiting LDs who will come to the club to light their acts. The Pearl fitted the bill on all counts. "About ninety-nine percent of designers have used an Avolites console before" states Kayll confidently "So I don't have to provide a babysitter - they can just get on with programming their show"

The Pearl 2000 controls  in the main auditorium ten Mac 600s and eight Mac 500s, joined by three Martin 918 moving mirror fixtures, DWE Molefeys for audience blinding, four Deathstar strobes, 104 par cans .... and some Terrastrobes are yet to arrive!

Stuart "Woody" Wood is currently working at Home as lighting operator for the auditorium. He also loves the Pearl for it's live improvisational capabilities. Woody believes the highly 'manual' nature make it the necessary backbone of the rig "It's a 'proper' lighting desk and this is a 'proper' environment" he comments. He also says that the training facilities and backup from Avolites has been excellent.

In addition to the auditorium, floors two and five of Home also feature effects lighting rigs and Avolites consoles. Floor two, for more hardcore clubbers, features a selection of pars, Martin Mac 250s and another Avolites Pearl. The more luxurious folds of the fifth floor  - touted as a 'modern disco' type area - sees an Azure 2000 which is controlling a further eight Mac 500s and eight 600s and assorted generics.

The Home installation follows the supply of Avolites consoles to Media in Nottingham, headed by entrepreneur designer Ron McCulloch and his partner Darren Hughes, formerly of Cream

The consoles were supplied directly to Home by the Avolites and were installed, together with the rest of the lighting, by Over Audio.

London Superclub - Fabric

Lighting control: 2 off Azure 2000 Shadow

Fabric the new London Superclub has a totally different concept to Home although their 2,500 capacities are similar. The charismatic labyrinthine interlocking arches of Fabric stretch deep below the foundations of old London in what is becoming a sough-after maze-like sanctuary for its own clubbing community. Fabric is the love-child of club culturist Keith Reilly, who has spent the last eight years gestating his very special embryo. 

Lighting was designed and specified by Dave Parry of The Most Technical Partnership who has been involved in a myriad of previous club projects, and started the initial discussions for Fabric over two years ago. The lighting spec changed quite radically during the lead time, but Parry was always very aware of what he wanted to use. 

Fabric has three dance areas and Parry chose two of the new Avolites Azure Shadow 2000 consoles that were launched at PLASA 99 for control. The fixture list includes  eighteen High End Technobeams and four Cyberlights spread across the two main areas, plus sixteen MAC 500s and 600s and forty-eight pars. In area three are MAC 300s and High End Trackspots.

Parry's experience as an active industry LD mean he had a very practical and informed approach to what he know would or wouldn't work.

The reason for Avolites winning the day for control was the knowledge that Fabric will feature an impressive selection of live acts as well as highly credible, DJs like Craig Richards and Terry Francis. Having a desk that everyone would know, was buskable and was easy on which to improvise became crucial. "I needed a small, reliable, top quality desk that had flash buttons" says Parry. He adds that his previous dealings with Avolites assured him of the service he could expect.

The consoles were supplied directly by Avolites to installers Audio Tek from Ireland.

Date of issue : 25th October 1999.

For more information on Avolites, Please contact Steve Warren on 020 8965 8522 or Louise Stickland on 01865 202 679/0831 329888/louise@loosplat.com