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Leading London nightclub Pacha has recently upgraded its entire effects lighting system three years after opening. All apart from their Avolites Azure 2000 lighting console that is! Foresight and intuition in 2002 meant that no updating was necessary in the control department, as one of the reasons the Azure was originally specified was because it had more than enough headroom for future expansion.

The Azure 2000 console was chosen when the club opened by house lighting designer and technician Brian Kelly. He chose it because it’s “Absolutely my favourite lighting console. It’s perfect for club work, giving extremely quick access to lots of playbacks. It’s also great for improvising and working ‘live’ – which is essential for any club environment.” Kelly knew at the time of the initial installation that the club would upgrade the lighting at some point in the near future.

The Azure 2000 offers 50 instant access playbacks, right at the LD’s fingertips.

Kelly does all his prime-time Friday and Saturday night operating at the club on-the-fly. With 6, 7 or 8 hour board sessions not uncommon, it’s essential to do it like this to keep the show flowing and looking interesting and stimulating – many lesser LJs’ would cop out and stick on a chase, but Kelly is made of much sterner stuff!!

“I go with the DJ, the music and the mood of the moment” says Kelly taLking about his operating style “The Azure is just ideal for this modus operandi”.

He also does occasional Sunday night slots and some corporate events when the club is hired out during the week.

Kelly has been involved in club lighting all of his working life, including a 5 year stint at The Cross, and regular sessions at Canvas and Fabric.

The original lighting rig in Pacha was 12 Martin MAC 250s and 4 Martin Roboscan 918s, one Atomic strobe and 6 High End Trackspots. This has now been upgraded to include 16 Martin MAC 250 Kryptons, four Golden Scan Fours – for those classic Old Skool rave moments - and 3 Atomics. The RoboColors and Trackspots remain on the rig.

The Azure is small and built specifically for being squeezed into DJ booths and club control booths which are always tight for space. However it handles 4 DMX universes and is a force to be reckoned with in terms of power, which is why it’s one of the most popular London club consoles.

Others Avolites Azure 2000 club installations include The Cross, La Scala, Fabric and Mass and The Fridge in Brixton.

Pacha is a high-profile-high-quality 850 capacity located venue right opposite Victoria station in London. Regular club nights include Defected, Hed Kandi, Kinky Malinky and Circus Loco from Ibiza. The club has been one of the most successful and sought after nights out on the town ever since its launch.