Lighting designer Greg McLennahan recently specified Robe ColorSpot 1200Ats for an installation to illuminate a mirror ball in the world on Blackpool Promenade, which is claimed to be the largest in the world. One of the new lighting features for the Blackpool Illuminations and the newly launched Festival of Light concept, it was recently switched on for the 2005 season by Chris Evans.
The 20ft diameter rotating mirror ball is named They Shoot Horses Don’t They, a title synonymous with the culture of ballroom dancing from the classic film of that name. Created by artist Michael Trainor, it has been in residence since 2002. Blackpool, of course, is historically linked with ballroom dancing.
According to Robe, McLennahan was commissioned to transform the glitter ball into a “new icon for the illuminations” by Illuminations’ Festival Director Philip Oakley. That brief apart, McLennahan was given a free hand as to how he achieved the goal. His aim was to make it contemporary, cool and fun as well as a memorable visual addition to the sea front.
The six ColorSpot 1200 E At’s are mounted on customised five metre high posts, with special domes on top to protect them from the weather, as the direct exposure to the Irish Sea can make it a hostile environment. The posts were designed and supplied by Blackpool Council’s Illuminations engineering department and are force air-cooled to extract the heat of the fixtures from the small space.
The Robe fixtures were supplied by leading rental and sales company HSL from Blackburn. McLennahan had not used Robe before and he was considering his moving light options when Robe UK’s Bill Jones demonstrated the powerful ColorSpot 1200 fixture in situ. In addition to the lights being pointed directly on to the ball and changing colours, effects and gobos on its surface, the lights have been programmed by McLennahan to wander out into a small arena immediately around the mirror ball, making patterns in the floor and engaging in 3D animations and projections. Control is from a ShowCAD Artist system located in the Solaris office building over the road from the sea front, with power being sourced locally, and data is transmitted via wireless DMX.
HSL also supplied another four Robe ColorSpot 1200 EATs for the top of Blackpool Tower for the opening week of the Illuminations, which are being used to perform aerial effects and to project light beams and logos onto the clouds. The cable and wiring for the illuminations is said to stretch for over 200 miles with some £50,000 worth of electricity being consumed.
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