Robe Installed at Patronaat Live Music Venue Haarlem

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The latest Robe moving light technology – MMX Spots, LEDWash 1200s and LEDBeam100s - were chosen by Robin van der Plas, Head of Lighting and Media at Patronaat, a popular high-profile alternative music venue in central Haarlem, Netherlands, which has received a recent technical upgrade.

The Robes replaced the original moving light system that was installed when the building, designed by architect Paul Diederen, opened in 2005.

Patronaat has two Concert Halls - at 950 and 350 capacity - both featuring an action-packed programme of the latest sounds and contemporary music, from underground to jazz and dance and electronica to acoustic performance.

The stage lighting is optimised to provide the very best looking environments for bands and DJ / dance performances alike, with high production values.

In addition to the 300 plus live shows staged yearly by Patronaat, the venue is frequently hired out by TV production companies and corporate organisations for a plethora of events.

The lighting re-fit trebled the amount of moving lights in the house, with 36 x Robe ROBIN MMX Spots, 18 x ROBIN LEDWash 600s and 24 x ROBIN LEDBeam 100s which are split between the two rooms, all delivered by the Dutch office of Robe’s Benelux distributor, Controllux.

Van der Plas looked at the various options available when deciding on the new fixtures. He has also worked as a freelance LD and used Robe – and many other -products in the past. He has always been impressed with the quality and reliability of Robe.

He likes the colours on all the Robe fixtures and dual graphics wheel of the MMXs together with the incredible speed of the very compact LEDBeam 100s, which reminds him of the original moving mirror fixtures which everyone loved for being so fast and reactive!

He sought the opinions of Patronaat’s team of eight regular freelance LDs, programmers and operators, who also attended a demonstration run by Controllux.

They liked features like the zoom function of the MMX and the hot spot control, which is great for fine-tuning a really tight beam, and of course the dual graphics wheel which is a big hit with most users!

Operator Michael de By says the robustness, speed and smoothness of the MMX zoom is “Awesome” – and they really push this feature to the max for techno events, running multiple pulsating zoom chases!

Overall, Robe offered all the options they needed in a good quality, cost-effective, versatile and multi-functional moving light package. Controllux’s legendary after sales service and support was another big factor influencing the decision!

The lights are run from two Avolites Pearl Experts and a Road Hog Full Boar console.

Van der Plas says that everyone coming into the venue and using the new fixtures for the first time has commented on the improvement. “They have really made a difference to the standard and creativity of the lightshows we can produce and the facilities we offer to visiting LDs,” he affirms, adding that with the Robes in place, they can also stage larger and more complex shows.