German superstars Die Ärzte and their way cool lightshow was a major highlight at the 2009 twin festivals of Hurricane and Southside in Scheeßel and Neuhausen ob Eck, north and south Germany.
The band's long standing LD Lui Helmig had designed a specials package that could be integrated with the 'house' lighting system for the band's performance at both sites.
With the shows taking place during the longest days of the year to defy the setting sun and ensure impact even in daylight, Helmig used five of Robe's most powerful moving lights – ColorWash 2500E ATs - along the back of the stage. These were an integral element of their festival lightshow.
Helmig had first used these units at the Tauberntal-Festival in 2008 and was immediately impressed. At Hurricane/Southside, even though there were only 5 units, their beams blasted straight through to the front of the stage and way into the audience beyond, adding depth and a new layer to the performance area.
"The ColorWash 2500E ATs really stand out from anything else with their significantly higher light output," says Helmig, adding that, "together with the usual Robe reliability, speed and custom colour palettes makes them an ideal festival fixture".
Die Ärzte' specials package also featured 6 bespoke frames each containing forty-eight PAR 36s in matrix style, which were used for spectacular graphics and blinder effects, plus a transparent GLEC LED wall, fed with content from Catalyst media server.
Helmig and Roland Greil did all the lighting pre-programming and operating for the festivals using a RoadHog console with side wing, and an e:cue fader unit. The Catalyst was controlled by Martin Heuser, and the PAR 36 matrix was operated by Tobi Buedenbender.
Die Ärzte went straight from their gig in Neuhausen ob Eck and headed north to give the 60.000 visitors waiting at the Hurricane festival another perfect show, complete with eye-catching lighting - which lead singer Farin Urlaub mentioned several times to the audience!
The floor based ColorWash 2500E AT units were also used two weeks later for two stadium concerts by the band in Linz, Austria, together with an additional 130 Robe moving lights.
The three-day Hurricane/Southside event featured over 60 bands, including older legends like the Pixies, Kraftwerk, Nick Cave, and the reunited Faith No More as well as new indie rockers like the Kings of Leon and The Ting Tings. There was also a real diversity of genres - from Moby to Katy Perry and Lilly Allen, all of whom made the atmosphere and the vibes very special.