There was a time, over a century ago, when northeast England was the crucible of the burgeoning railroad industry. Nowhere was this more evident than in Newcastle, where the Robert Stephenson & Co ruled as the pre-eminent maker of locomotive engines. The rail industry has long since faded into the past, but now the area behind Newcastle’s main station, or “Stevenson Quarter,” as it is known, has come roaring back as a dynamic, hip multi-use urban space that features upscale hotels, over 340,000 square feet of office and retail space, and a hot live music and art venue called the Boiler Shop.
Located in the former Boiler Shop of the original Stephenson & Co locomotive works, the new club features a contemporary high-octane lighting system created by Trylight Productions, using a collection of Chauvet Professional fixtures. James Mounsey, Project Manager at Trylight Productions, and his team positioned 12 Rogue R2 Wash, eight Rogue R1 Beam and eight Ovation E-190WW fixtures throughout the venue to accent key architectural elements and deliver some saucy eye candy – all at a price that fit within budget.
“Although we needed to install an ultra modern and versatile lighting rig, the funds available were restricted,” said Mounsey. “The Chauvet fixtures provided an ideal solution for this install, bridging the gap between modern lighting performance and value”.
Mounsey placed the Rogue R2 Wash fixtures on above stage truss to provide evenly distributed wash lighting for the stage. “We selected the R2s for their impressive zoom range and spread, essential for this venue given the sheer height of the ceiling and the large dimensions of the stage,” he commented. “Thanks to the saturated and vibrant colours of the RGBW LEDs of the R2 fixtures, there’s also great potential to create intense atmosphere on stage”.
The R1 Beams, on the other hand, were positioned on truss above the audience to provide sharp and concentrated lighting effects contrasting with the atmospherics of the R2 Wash. “We selected the R1 Beams for their incredibly punchy beams – totally bright despite their compact size!” continued Mounsey. “Another plus point is their fantastic throw: given the size of the venue, the beams never lose any of their initial intensity. This also gives the impression of a much larger venue, with the beams shooting up into the rafters and showing off the skeletal composition of the industrial building”.
The RGBA+Lime colour mixing technology of the Ovation E-190WW profile fixtures installed by Mounsey award the venue with a huge amount of versatility for both concerts and corporate events. The Ovation profiles ensure that the stage can be doused with the kind of warm and concentrated lighting normally associated with more theatrical environments.
“As the venue wanted to have a versatile lighting option for both live music and corporate events, we had to ensure that we had a selection of versatile fixtures to cover both roles,” commented Mounsey. “The Ovation fixtures are perfect for this dual purpose: While they award an extra dimension to the live musical performances, thanks to the strong colourful coverage, the fixtures also provide suitable even coverage for corporate events where a more sober kind of lighting is required”.
As with the Rogue fixtures, another key reason why Mounsey chose the Ovation fixtures was for their spectacular saturated colours. “The colour correction is absolutely second to none,” commented Mounsey. “The temperature is akin to that of the old tungsten fixtures, which is amazing considering that the Ovation is an LED fixture!”
Mounsey’s selection of Chauvet fixtures works harmoniously to provide a complete visual package for the new venue for all manner of events – and all of this achieved within budget. “Thanks to this new install, the Boiler Shop can now offer touring bands a fantastic new venue in the heart of this historical part of the city,” concluded Mounsey. “I’m pleased that we have been able to utilise the advantages of the Chauvet fixtures to transform one of the oldest relics of industrialisation into one of the most modern venues in the North of England”.
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