New Austin City Limits Live Venue Invests in Robert Juliat Victor Followspots

Austin City LimitsAustin City Limits Live, a live-music venue that hosts the long-running "Austin City Limits" television show as well as 60-100 concerts and other live events annually, has taken delivery of three Robert Juliat Victor 1159 1800W followspots. The fixtures, which were supplied by Texas Scenic, made their debut at the gala opening of the new venue.

Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater is a state-of-the-art $40 Million, 2700 + person capacity venue on three levels. It offers in-house sound and a video control studio as well as a 40 automated head lighting package with innovative optics, and digital consoles plus a conventional lighting package for TV.

"The Robert Juliat Victors are dedicated primarily to our concerts," says Billy Heaslip. "As production manager, I knew that we'd be doing TV lighting beyond live concerts and I wanted an instrument with an excellent even field of light distribution with a well balanced ballast to avoid any chance of flickering on camera. I did a lot of shopping at LDI, and all of my TV colleagues steered me to Robert Juliat.

"I've been a live concert lighting designer as well as a production manager in over 60 countries with major headliners and I know a good theater and TV light when I see one," he continues. "I like Victors' mounting, and the easy access push buttons are perfect considering the angle of our catwalk. The lamp intensity played a big factor in my decision making as well. It was ideal for the venues throw.

The Victor follow spot is a high-performance, double-condenser optical system with hot restrike ignition and flicker-free electronic ballast. It features a 100 percent closing iris with backplate follower in a removable cassette and a 100 percent closing mechanical dimmer. Victor also offers an 'A' size gobo holder and six-way color changer system equipped with removable filter frames.

"We're very pleased and proud to have such a fine instrument at our venue," says Heaslip. "It was the perfect choice: Our operators are happy with them, Victor's optics are great. In addition, the sales and support from dealer Texas Scenic has been excellent. The entire experience has been very pleasant."

About Robert Juliat

Robert Juliat is a three-generation, independent family-run company dedicated to the manufacturing of professional stage lighting products. Robert Juliat lights are used by customers who include Cirque du Soleil, Celine Dion, New York's Lincoln Center, LA's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Bruce Springsteen, Disney Theme Parks, Carnegie Hall, The San Francisco Opera and Ballet, The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Comedie Francaise, The Sydney Opera House, plus theatres, schools and public venues around the world.

R&D, production and the company headquarters are based in the village of Fresnoy-en-Thelle, 50 km north of Paris. Robert Juliat USA is located in Wallingford, Connecticut. For more information visit www.robertjuliatamerica.com.