As the host of the Travel Industry Association of America's 36th "International Pow Wow," Los Angeles decided to "wow" delegates with LA's newest landmark–the Frank Gehry designed Walt Disney Concert Hall. The "wow"-factor was designed by LA-based Visions Lighting www.visionslighting.com, which consisted of exterior lighting designs on surrounding buildings and projections that illuminated the Concert Hall's many stainless-steel curves and angles.
The "LA Now…Wow" event, produced by EventWorks, called for the intersection of 1st Street and Grand Avenue to be turned into a street party with a live band, food, and lighting designed for the surrounding buildings.
"We had two days, with the streets closed, to pull this off," says production manager and lighting designer Todd Roberts of Visions Lighting, who says that the event crew worked almost 24 hours each day to prepare for the street events.
Roberts came up with a design that lit the stainless steel exterior of the Walt Disney Concert Hall and also employed its multiple angles as projection surfaces. The projections included information pertaining to the "Pow Wow" Trade Show and local news, such as sponsor information or the score of the current Lakers game.
Twenty Coemar SuperCyc 2.4 fixtures provided the main color wash with highlights and stage lighting consisting of 16 Martin MAC 2000 Profiles, 16 High End Systems Studio Colors, 16 Studio Spots, 16 Studio Beams, 24 Color Commands and 12 Cyberlights. A Wholehog® II, programmed by Chris Good of Visions Lighting, provided the architectural control, while a Hog 1000, programmed and operated by John Fairchild, controlled the stage.
Visions Lighting also provided the main stage and the three supplement truss structures that acted as focal points for food and drink. In response to the lack of high angles available, Roberts used three 80' cranes as lighting positions around the street. "The furthest fixture is 1,500 feet away from the generator," explains Roberts. "We have miles and miles of cable here, and we cross the street more times than I care to remember, but it's been a lot of fun. How often do you get to stop traffic in L.A. for two days and do something like this?"