Skive Kulturcenter (Cultural Centre) makes a stunning contemporary architectural statement and is a vibrant multipurpose entertainment hub in the city of Skive, that serves all the Jutland region with music, films, arts, and sports activities. Its main Concert Hall which stages international gigs and events accommodates 1200 seated and 1800 standing.
The complex also has three handball arenas, a swimming centre, a gym and a cinema hall for movies, and the Skive Theatre, a separate venue in the city, is also run by the same team.
The Kulturcenter is known for its state-of-the-art production facilities, and the complete building was further refurbished during the pandemic, including an investment in Robe moving lights which was integral to this project and saw the purchase of 10 T2 Profiles, 12 Tarrantula LED wash beams and 12 LEDBeam 350 FWs, all for the Concert Hall.
The fixtures were specified by technical production manager for concerts, Anders Holm, and delivered by Robe’s Danish distributor, Light Partner.
The lighting upgrade was designed to offer a fully flexible, modern rig that would work for any show without having to rent in additional overhead, explained Anders.
When assessing their options for the best luminaires, they already had experience with Robe with some LEDBeam 150s acquired for Skive Theatre with which they were very pleased, so much so that they wanted to continue with the brand for which they also enjoyed great service from Light Partner.
“We wanted lights that were new, powerful, relevant and reliable that would last us for at least 5 or 6 years ahead,” noted Anders. A mothergrid above the stage has a standard trim height of 8 metres, but it can fly out to 10 metres.
The Tarrantulas arrived first and were a big hit with lighting designers at the end of 2021, and as the Concert Hall started cautiously reopening in line with the COVID-19 restrictions at that time.
The T2 Profiles joined them at the start of this year, followed by the LEDBeam 350 FWs for the Spring, just as things started properly ramping up to the very hectic schedules of the moment which include staging current shows as well as those cancelled during the pandemic.
The LEDBeam 350s are used for front lighting – hence choosing the FW version which offers a Fresnel-Wash type of beam for smoother edges and better colour homogenisation.
The T2 Profiles are on the back and mid trusses for upstage lighting and effects. “The output is fantastic, and it has all the features we wanted including good shuttering. It was a perfect choice for this house!” stated Anders.
The Tarrantulas are also on the mid stage trusses positioned for optimal stage coverage. They wanted an LED wash light with a big front lens look and efficient RGBW colour mixing.
Touring shows and LDs are loving the new lighting and currently there are at least 2 or 3 shows a week using the system, anything from a wide variety of different music concerts to interviews, debates, and chat show style discussions.
Popular former US President Barak Obama visited Skive for just such an event, A Conversation with President Barack Obama an interview / discussion format moderated by Christopher Sorensen, director of the green energy park GreenLab Skive. Leadership, climate change and green transition were among the main topics, and he was lit very nicely with the LEDBeam 350 FWs which “did a fantastic job on their faces,” observed Anders.
Positioned on the front truss, the LEDBeam 350 FWs can also be used to light the audience. For Anders and the crew. The LEDBeam 350 FWs can be applied subtly for a discussion event like Obama’s or blast out beams and energy for more raucous music concerts.
The whole room’s technology is designed not just to be as sustainable and energy efficient as possible but also to be run by one person if necessary. “We wanted a technical solution that will save time in setting up and be quick and easy to adapt for a diverse programme,” reiterates Anders, who was at the heart of the choice of lighting.
He has been at the Kulturcenter for 8 years in this role, and before then worked at another theatre in the city. When Anders began his professional career, Robe was not well known on the Danish market. His first experiences were with Robe Pointes, then he started using BMFLs and MegaPointes regularly. Now, 10 years later, “Robe is a global brand, recognised as one of the top manufacturers, widely respected and I believe now the market leader in Denmark.”
There is a ChamSys lighting console in house for the Concert Hall, and visiting productions will often bring their own control, together with a floor package of some description, and will hook into the house overhead system.
This combination of fixtures is working for everything from a sole singer-songwriter onstage to a lively rock or R ‘n’ B act, and they are all quiet enough to be used for speaking / discussion events like the “Conversation with Barak Obama”.
