Innibos gets cloaked in a Robe of movement

SOUTH AFRICA: Lighting designers Levan van der Merwe from EPH productions and BF Productions’ Johan Ferreira were called upon to design the lighting for the Rock and Main stages respectively at this year’s Innibos arts and music festival in Mbombela. The designs for both stages utilised Robe moving light solutions supplied by MGG for the main stage and EPH Productions for the rock stage. The five-day event was attended by approximately 109,000 people and lit by an estimated 170 Robe lighting fixtures.

Mr Ferreira has been involved with Innibos since its second edition in 2005 and designed the lighting for the main stage since 2006. Planning the technical production for the stage begins 10 months before the festival and sees the lighting designer work closely alongside FOH engineer Murray Lubbe.

For the main stage in 2016, Mr Ferreira’s design drew on his background in theatre. He specified a rig comprising 150 Robe fixtures, including LEDWash 600s and 1200s, BMFL Blades, LEDBeam 100s and CitySkape 48s. With flexibility and movement being key to the design, 24 LEDWash 1200s were dispersed around the trusses overhead with 28 LEDWash 600s. Six BMFL Blades were placed upstage while 48 LEDBeam 100s were split into two banks of 24 and suspended on three upstage trusses. For footlights and basic washes, 44 CitySkape 48s were deployed.

‘Care is taken with every fixture,’ stated Mr Ferreira, when discussing the Robe elements. ‘They are robust and can take the strain of an outdoor environment like Innibos.’ The lighting designer also praised the manufacturer’s South African distributor, DWR Distribution.

Although EPH productions has supplied the equipment for the rock stage for several years, this was the first time that Mr van der Merwe had lit the stage. Looking to make his mark, the lighting designer put together a new rig, consisting of Robe Pointes, LEDBeam 100s and 1000s.

‘I wanted the lighting to be a new and unforgettable experience for the audience and artists,’ Mr van der Merwe said. ‘Something that they’d never seen before.’

Eight LEDBeam 1000s were positioned upstage in the stage ceiling and three Pointes were located down each side with an additional six on the deck. The top front of the roof structure housed the LEDBeam 100s.

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