New Windsor, NY— October 22, 2008 — Great venues remain great by constantly improving.
Nashville's 12th and Porter club is a legendary launching pad for up-and-coming bands, career-making record deals and other great moments in Music City history. Three years ago, the club took a giant step into the 21st century when Daniel Slezinger, then the club's production manager, overhauled its stage lighting system, installing a rig with 16 Clay Paky fixtures as the backbone. “It took us to a new level,” Slezinger says. “We were the first Nashville music venue to install moving lights, allowing the club and artists to work together and present a creative visual experience.”
This summer, Slezinger, now co-owner of the club, added 12 more Clay Paky fixtures. Installed in August, they include four Mini Scan HP3, four Alpha Spot 300 HPE and four Alpha Wash 300 fixtures. To control the new system, he installed a MagicQ 100 Pro console by ChamSys Ltd. The upgrades have had a noticeable impact. “The lighting brings a feeling of energy and excitement to the room, and the general audience seems much more focalized on the show,” he observes.
That's no surprise to Slezinger, who is a longtime fan of Clay Paky fixtures. “Their look just always stands out,” he says. The fixtures give the club a big edge in Nashville's competitive live music scene, he believes. “When bands want to showcase themselves and look and sound their best, they choose 12th and Porter because of the Clay Pakys. It works out for both parties because the fans are more excited to spend their hard-earned money to see a professional production.”
Slezinger and his partner Justin Roddick also own a popular video production company, Autumn Addict, which creates live music videos, DVDs, EPKs and other tools for performers. The Clay Paky fixtures make the 12th and Porter's stage the ideal location for the shoots, he believes. “The lights are very efficient and very quiet — plus all the colors in the lights match, which is very important to the way the videos look. The Clay Pakys have added a new element of art to the content.”
With shows six nights a week and video shoots on the seventh as well as during many days, 12th and Porter gives the lights a continuous workout. “The Clay Pakys have always been a very reliable fixture,” Slezinger says. “During my career, I've used them for more than 1,500 shows in a number of different venues, and they've never let me down.”
Slezinger also has kind words for his MagicQ lighting control desk. “It's my new favorite console,” he says. “ChamSys took the best of all the console lines and put them into one product. It's easy to set up and get going, and it's flexible so you can easily put anything anywhere, including incorporating video into lighting.”
“Not only does the MagicQ greatly expand the creative potential of 12th and Porter's new lighting system,” he says, “its intuitive design has simplified all the busy work of setting up a show. You need fewer keystrokes to get something done.”
With an owner's eye to the bottom line, Slezinger also praises the modest cost of the Clay Paky fixtures and MagicQ console. “They're very affordable for our 335-seat club. Given everything they've done for us, they're a great investment.”
Clay Paky fixtures and MagicQ consoles are exclusively available in the United States through PRG Distribution, a division of Production Resource Group (PRG). For information, please contact Eric Mueller, director of sales, 214-819-3220.
For more information on PRG Distribution, go to www.prgdistribution.com.
About Production Resource Group
 Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG) is the world's leading supplier of entertainment technology solutions, including video, lighting, audio, scenery and automation systems. PRG serves a wide range of markets, including theatre, concert tours, trade shows, corporate and special events, television and film, and themed environments. PRG provides its services worldwide through more than 19 offices in North America, Europe and Asia.
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