Three Jands Vista T2 consoles, each running the next generation Vista v2 software, are controlling lighting and media at White’s Chapel United Methodist Church (UMC) in Dallas, Texas, USA.

In the run up to Christmas a spectacular show, “Celebrate The Light”, is being projected onto the front of the impressive 250 ft wide by 150 ft high façade of the church building. Drawing crowds of up to 5,000, and running six times a night, a Vista T2 is in control of this popular show.

Tim Georgeff, the Church’s Creative Director, had been dreaming about producing a Christmas projection presentation on the building for some time. With the help of Steve Alford of leading technical production company Alford Media – who supplied three Barco 20K FLM projectors and a pair of Green Hippo Grasshopper media servers – as well as local graphic designer David Koss this became a reality.

The Vista controlled the Grasshopper media servers to create the detailed Video presentation the team were after. Vista’s graphical interface made the process fast, accurate and smooth.

Throughout the duration of the festive season White’s Chapel run events including a major annual Christmas musical. This year’s production, “Born Where the Shadows Lie”, has lighting designed by Keith Allen from Alford Media.

Fixtures include VARI*LITE VL 3000s, Martin Professional MAC 550s and GLP Volkslicht LED washes , Chroma-Q™ Color Block DB4™ LED battens, plus ETC Source Four profiles, PARs and fresnels.

Tim comments that the ease of programming on the Vista made creating both these shows a very time-efficient process, remarking on how simple it is to get the most from whatever technology they choose to use – whether moving lights, conventionals, LED, or media servers.

White’s Chapel has been running the Vista v2 software for some time, with Tim highlighting that information is clear and readable; its fast setup is “fantastic” and it is “so easy” to navigate.

Tim explains that they loved the first Vista T2 they bought so much that they went out and purchased a second for their smaller venue! Both are in constant use with the busy schedule in its two worship facilities – the main 2,500 capacity auditorium and the second 650 capacity facility, ‘The Bridge’.

The Vista consoles were supplied via Jands exclusive North American distributor A.C. Lighting Inc. VP of Sales and Marketing, Fred Mikeska said “We hear from so many of our users that they know they can create a show by putting all their effort into programming a console, but with Vista they just don’t have to. That gives them, and their clients, the freedom to create whatever they choose without having to think about the complexity of programming it. Vista v2 really shows that powerful doesn’t have to be complicated…..”

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The busy multi-purpose Alban Arena in St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK, has taken delivery of a Jands Vista I3 lighting console, running the next generation Vista v2 software, to complement a new rig of GLP Volkslicht LED moving lights all ready for the kick off of its action-packed autumn/winter season.

The 1200 seat venue is a truly multi-purpose facility, acting as both a busy receiving house and also featuring a wide array of live entertainment including all types of music, comedy acts, circus, dance, drama, awards shows, exhibitions and competitions.

The venue’s technical manager, Steve Brookes, instigated the new purchases to encourage visiting productions to take advantage of the time and cost savings of having the latest technologies available in-house. These included the Jands Vista I3 console, complemented by a Vista S3 wing for additional playbacks, with Steve and his team choosing a touchscreen option to access the Vista v2 software. This flexible package fitted their requirements exactly, and replaced their existing lighting desk which had been in service for over 10 years.

The Vista I3 was integral to the venue’s new lighting package, allowing themselves and visiting productions to get the most from their new, dynamic, energy conscious solution, while achieving the high quality end result that their audiences have come to expect.

Steve had not used a Jands Vista before, and was not especially familiar with the brand. Whilst investigating all the available options – an extensive and in-depth process that involved looking at many manufacturers’ offerings – he became intrigued with Vista, and more specifically the new Vista v2 operating system. He felt that the software offered the right balance of powerful control, with the simplicity to use it quickly, that was crucial to a venue like theirs. Once he had decided that the Vista v2 software was the way forward, it was simply a matter of finding the hardware option that best fitted his budget and requirements.

He was immediately impressed with the console’s intuitive visual interface, and with the speed and ease of programming. “I really like the simplicity of the interface and it’s great intuitively. It’s obvious how to do most things without having to consult the manual.”

Steve, along with Deputy Nick Clarke and some of their other regular operators, undertook training with Jands’ exclusive UK dealer, A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ltd. (AC-ET) – who supplied the Vista system and GLP Volkslichts to the Arena. Before even doing this their introduction was so successful that they programmed and ran their first show on the console the next day – a real testament to just how easy that the Vista platform is to learn.

A number of the venue’s incoming shows are theatre based with lighting run from cue stacks, so having a console with powerful timing control was essential. It also fulfilled the requirement of offering a straightforward desk for incoming shows bringing their own operators who might not be familiar with Jands Vista.

The first show to take advantage of the complete new lighting system was a performance by The Animals & Friends, featuring John Steel and Mick Gallagher, original members of the 1960s rock/blues legends The Animals, plus John E Williamson (Titanic), Peter Barton (Mindbenders, Boomtown Rats) and acclaimed US blues guitarist Steve Cropper. The band are touring the UK until November delighting audiences around with a set including Animals classics like House of the Rising Sun and We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place.

The I3 was operated by Nick Clarke, who was duty manager on the day. For this show, the console was set up for busking – another task at which the Vista, and the Vista v2 software, excels. Its speed of use and accuracy make it ideal for creating a great looking show live, and reacting to any last minute requests by the band.

Apart from all the technical and practical requirements being met by the Vista I3, Steve underlines that he was confident in “The excellent levels of service and after-sales support that could be expected.“

Summing up, he reckons that the Vista I3 is a“ perfect control scenario“ for the venue, “The Vista I3 enables us to offer all the functionality that any show might need“ he confirms.

Vista v2 was designed from the ground up to allow all levels of user get the most from whatever mix of technology they have available, whether dimmers, moving lights, LED, or media. Available in a wide range of hardware options Vista v2 offers both the simplicity to work fast, with the power to control the finest details, so everyone can focus on creating a great looking show rather than on programming a desk.

Jands Europe’s Neil Vann said “Vista v2 really does offer the right balance between powerful functionality, and ease of use, that allows everyone to get the most from their show. Steve and his team have a busy schedule, and need to be able to cope with a wide range of different clients, styles and size of show both quickly and accurately. If you haven’t taken a look at Vista v2 yet, you really should before you miss out.“

Westover Church in North Carolina, USA recently upgraded its Jands Vista T4 console to the new Vista v2 software, providing even greater lighting control for its busy 3,000 capacity main auditorium.

Part of the non-denominational Church’s 300,000 square foot facility, the main auditorium hosts a diverse range of events. In addition to regular congregation services and at least two major events per month, the Church hosts its own internal events and concerts featuring a choir, worship band and orchestra. The auditorium is also home to the Greensboro Symphony Pops Orchestra.

The Jands Vista T4 console was specified and purchased six years ago for Westover Church by Production Director Jeff Neubauer, and supplied by Barbizon Lighting via exclusive North American distributor, A.C. Lighting Inc. Jeff was an early adopter of the Jands Vista and all the power and flexibility this brings to his events. Since then, Jeff has not looked back in terms of lighting control – he simply loves the Vista!

The Church also has two Vista PC systems – used as a backup to the Vista T4 and for running timed lighting events in the Church’s atrium area. Says Jeff, “Vista v2 has been an amazing upgrade. It’s added a lot of new functionality and made programming even easier and quicker.” The ability to add external touch screens is “fabulous” he comments – and immediately made the most of it. Jeff does the majority of the show programming himself, working with a team of regular operators, and so has plenty of hands on experience and knowledge of exactly what is needed.

He is very impressed with the freedom that Vista v2 brings to customise the user interface and lay it out exactly as users wish, “I can organise myself better, and customise icons to precisely match the way I work. I like to be able to jump around the Cue Lists and the way that the Time Line works now, along with other aspects, it is all even more convenient with v2” he enthuses.

He is also thinks the fact that he could upgrade his existing console to get even more value from his investment, and allow him all the latest programming tools is very cool.

Another excellent feature, he thinks, is being able to see thumbnail displays of the media server clips, which is ideal for fast and intuitive access to video content played out through the desk. This becomes even more important as he incorporates more video into all his events.

The lighting fixtures and visual elements currently being controlled by the Vista T4 in the main auditorium include VARI*LITE VL3000 and VL3500 Spots, Martin Professional MAC 250 Spots, High End DL1 moving head projectors and a Catalyst media server. In addition, there are over 300 Source Fours, 55 Nexera colour changers and a selection of fresnels and PARs for general lighting.

The majority of the lighting stays in the main room, with some rigged in the atrium, where it is controlled by the second Jands Vista PC.

Jeff’s technical team at Westover Church – which includes four full time and two part time employees, along with about 40 volunteers – has a core group of lighting operators, all of whom also really like Vista v2. “The jump from v1 to v2 has been incredibly smooth and straightforward for all of us” confirms Jeff.

It is also an excellent learning console and software platform for those seeking to increase their knowledge and understanding of lighting control. Westover Church currently runs an intern programme for students studying Entertainment Technology at the local Guilford Technical Community College, offering a great opportunity for them to get hands-on experience with the latest technology.

Vista v2 was designed from the ground up to allow all levels of user to get the most from whatever mix of technology they have available, whether lighting, LED, or media. Available in a wide range of hardware, Vista v2 offers both the simplicity to work fast, with the power to control the finest details, so everyone can focus on creating a great looking show rather than on programming a desk.

A.C. Lighting Inc’s VP of sales & marketing, Fred Mikeska commented “Jeff and his team deliver a wide range of events, always within a short timeframe, and all of which have a consistently high standard. Churches such as Westover are another real world example where the power and simplicity of Vista v2 helps everyone, regardless of their experience level, focus on the main goal of delivering a great looking show that they can be proud of.”

Indiana based Grace Community Church has invested in a range of Vista lighting control solutions as part of a multi-million dollar expansion of its worship facilities. Models purchased include the full-size Vista T2, the portable Vista S1 and the playback-only Vista M1 consoles. This is to expand the church’s capacity to three weekend worship auditoriums, to accommodate as many as 6,000 churchgoers on a typical weekend.

The Church relies on a team of over 100 volunteers to assist the paid production staff during services, which can run simultaneously in up to three auditoriums. Senior Director of Production, Daryl Cripe, therefore felt it was essential to invest in a lighting console that the inexperienced volunteers could easily understand.

He commented: “For our Church’s philosophy, I had equal desire for functionality and ease of use in our choice of lighting console. Instead of being like a typical theater or concert, where a single person is responsible for all lighting, we are passionate about allowing volunteers, all of whom have no previous lighting experience, to be trained on and operate our theatrical lighting system. As such, yes, we need a lot of features and stability, yet we also need a console that is visual, easy to train on.”

Daryl and his production team utilized or tested various consoles, yet nothing they tried in their opinion compared to the Vista in terms of ease of use. He commented:

“From our volunteer’s perspective, the Vista is VISUAL. They can look at a screen and see what they are doing. It feels very familiar to navigate, so they can use their existing computer knowledge. We can configure the Vista screen to look like our lighting layout in the room. The ease of creating groups, presets, cues etc. is all so simple. In addition, patching fixtures in Vista is incredibly simple. I recently showed the Technical Director at another Church our T2 console and when I showed him how to patch an automated fixture, his mouth dropped open!”

Whereas most traditional full-scale lighting desks rely on number-crunching to program shows, the Vista utilizes a graphic based interface. As a result, users can work visually and get on with designing better shows, rather than getting distracted by the actual programming process itself. It makes programming extremely fast and getting to grips with the console a relatively short learning curve.

The lighting console’s ease of use would mean absolutely nothing if it wasn’t up to the job of controlling the state-of-the-art lighting system in the Church’s main auditorium; the centrepiece of their expansion program. Featuring a large 80ft by 40ft stage and seating in a 270° configuration, the Church uses high production values to emphasize the themes of its services via an eclectic mix of music, drama and video. The venue’s extensive lighting rig includes over 850 LED, moving and conventional fixtures controlled using six universes of DMX and over 2,700 DMX channels.

Daryl was looking to bring his creative vision for the services to life using the rig’s many cutting-edge LED fixtures; to literally paint the whole room with light. A full-size Linux-based Vista T2 console provides seamless automation of the auditorium’s lighting rig and blackout window shutters. LED fixtures provide color changing wall uplighting either side of the stage area, while a mixture of moving lights, PARs, ParNels and conventional fixtures provide theatrical performance lighting for music and drama during the services.

In addition, smaller 1,100-seater and 400-seater auditoriums are controlled using the Vista S1 and M1 PC based consoles. The two control surfaces are designed to be used with either a Windows PC or native Mac laptop and DMX channel dongle package, providing portable and affordable Vista solutions.

The ability for volunteers to be able to switch easily between consoles in all three auditoriums was another key factor in Daryl’s decision to choose the Vista. All models share exactly the same visual interface and controls, making a transition between models seamless.

Daryl commented: “Frankly, I cannot overstate how important this consistency is. Going back to the reality of utilizing volunteers, of DESIRING to use volunteers, the ability for those volunteers trained on the T2 to walk into a room with Vista PC and S1 / M1 and sit down and get to work creating… that is extremely valuable! In addition, if someone was trained on Vista PC, it’s not difficult for them to then utilize the T2. Also, we have had volunteers take Vista PC home, to experiment with it on their own. Again, it’s a great value to our philosophy and a great opportunity for our volunteers!”

Another labour-saving feature of the Vista, its innovative timeline editing function, is proving invaluable to helping the volunteers understand how to program a show. The timeline gives users the complete picture of their lighting events, making it easy to make sense of complex changes and put the finishing touches to their show.

The Vista’s intuitive interface is proving popular with leading US houses of worship. When launched, the product was voted ‘Best Automated Lighting Controller’ and ‘Best Overall Lighting Product’ by an expert panel of judges at the 2006 WFX Show New Product Awards in Dallas, due to its suitability to the industry’s unique production environment.

Grace Community Church Senior Director of Production, Daryl Cripe, commented: “While a few ‘big name consoles’ often get most noticed in the touring world, the reality is that nothing I have seen compares to the combination of functionality and ease of use that the Vista series provides. We still need a robust console based on our lighting rig, but it is critical that it is easily trainable to volunteers. These consoles allow us to push our creativity and ultimately, our volunteers have the joy of combining creativity and support of our services. We want them to be spending their time having fun programming, not trying to figure out some complex function on the console itself. ANY church that desires to use theatrical lighting and wants to provide volunteers the opportunities to create should be examining this series of consoles. We love our Vistas.”

Feature photo – the Grace Community Church lighting team. Courtesy of ©Kris Rinas

London’s iconic Somerset House has been transformed by a massive architectural LED lighting installation. Designed by Patrick Woodroffe and controlled by a Vista PC system the system was installed by A.C. Special Projects Limited.

A.C. Special Projects Ltd. has provided a state of the art architectural lighting and control system for the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court at the heart of Somerset House in London. Located between The Strand and the River Thames, Somerset House is a spectacular neo-classical building with one of the most architecturally stunning courtyards in the capital. A major arts and cultural centre with a year-round programme of large-scale contemporary exhibitions and events, each summer 55 fountains dance in the courtyard and the extraordinary space is host to a series of major open-air concerts and film screenings. In winter, the courtyard is transformed into one of London’s most popular ice rinks.

With the courtyard providing entertainment on an increasingly grand scale, the existing floodlighting system was becoming inadequate and time consuming to maintain. As a result, the venue had resorted to hiring in lighting systems for events, which was proving expensive.

Somerset House Director, Gwyn Miles, commissioned Lighting Designer Patrick Woodroffe to develop a contemporary scheme that would transform the space at night with a classic warm white illumination of the building’s facades. The contract to supply, install and programme the lighting system for the new scheme was awarded to A.C. Special Projects, who had previously worked with Gwyn and Patrick on lighting the grand architecture of the John Madejski Garden at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Following lighting trials, the combination of red, green, blue and amber (RGBA) colour-mixing LEDs was found to provide the best warm white lighting. In addition, by utilising RGBA lighting fixtures, the battens provide the additional potential to illuminate the building facades in colour, adding a theatrical element to corporate and themed events.

Anolis RGBA LED battens mounted in the lightwells below the courtyard level uplight the West, East & South facades of the building and backlight the columns of the three facade balconies. RGBA spotlights fill in the areas above the doorways. Careful attention was paid to providing a discreet installation, as Somerset House offers guided tours of the lightwells that have considerable historic interest. For The Strand entrance, “A.C.” provided bespoke lengths of RGBA LED strip lighting enclosed in custom manufactured frosted tubes to uplight the vestibules vaulted ceiling and the capitals of the four central columns. In addition, various warm white LED fixtures highlight the courtyard statue and flagpole, with RGBA spots lighting the two clock towers. Flexible LED strips were installed at the base of main roof dome above the South wing of the building to give a stunning halo effect.

When it came to programming the lighting scheme, Patrick Woodroffe was keen to use a full lighting console and then transfer the show over to a more compact, PC-based control system for playback.
A.C. Special Projects specified the Jands Vista control system, which utilises exactly the same visual interface and controls across the range. This enabled the show to be programmed on a Vista console and then seamlessly transferred to a Vista PC system for playback. In addition, the Vista’s intuitive visually based user interface and innovative timeline editing enables the venue’s technical team to have a complete picture of each show. The Vista is remote controlled from an AMX panel located in the main building. It is programmed to trigger presets for various shows, including a selection of bold and subtle static colour looks, contrasting colours and effects chases ranging from gentle ripples across the building to waves and stepping blocks.

Another challenge of the installation was how to integrate the existing lighting power and distribution control equipment so that all the architectural lighting, including the ornate courtyard lamp posts, would be brought under the control of the Vista PC. The remote location of some of the existing and newly installed control equipment meant that a suitable Wireless DMX system needed to be installed. A.C. Special Projects utilised the City Theatrical range to ensure that the many frequencies being utilised in the centre of London would not interfere with the DMX signal. In addition, they custom manufactured a small rack mounted computer and distribution system containing the Vista PC and a Chroma-Q™ A/B Switch, to provide the facility for selected touring shows to take control of the new lighting.

High-profile events to benefit from the new exterior lighting scheme include a series of one-night summer concerts by Grace Jones, Lilly Allen, The Ting Tings, Pendulum, Athlete and other leading artists.

In addition to a virtual concert, the exit show is joined to the exhibition’s pre-show area by a removable wall to enable the areas to be combined as a larger space for conferences and special live music events. The show lighting requirements for this space necessitated a console with a rapid programming environment suited to both corporate and entertainment lighting modes.

DALD project lighting designer David Atkinson specified the Jands Vista T2 lighting console. He commented: “The Vista’s highly intuitive graphic interface lends itself to a multitude of programming situations. The console covered all bases with its quick and easy approach to programming and provided an extremely flexible patching system that could cope with numerous changes, whilst retaining the base show information.”

The shows were programmed by Stewart Parker using WYSIWYG, with console training and some pre-programming assistance provided by A.C. Special Projects at their High Wycombe office. Using the Vista’s unique timeline feature, the team were able to upload the exit show audio soundtrack to the console and accurately plot scenes, ensuring the lighting and sound were perfectly synchronised. To enable simultaneous playback of the pre-show and exit show lighting designs, the shows were uploaded onto an Enttec E-Streamer DMX replay unit triggered by the AV control system.

The Rock Our World Awards recognize groundbreaking achievement by ESTA Members in new products, product applications, or projects. These awards were created to acknowledge the genius of both the creator of technology and the designer or integrator who applies the technology in a real world environment.

The Jands Vista solution was provided by Barbizon lighting company via Vista North American distributor A.C. Lighting Inc., to control the lighting system for the casino’s 50,000 square foot Premier Ballroom – the largest in the Northeastern USA.

The MGM Grand is part of the overall Foxwoods resort, the biggest casino complex in the world, with more than 40,000 guest visits each day.

Designed to be extremely flexible, the casino’s 50,000 square foot, column free Premier Ballroom and smaller Celebrity Ballroom feature movable air walls that enable the spaces to be broken down into smaller room zones for banquets, gatherings and other functions, and between them re-configured into over 230 possible combinations.

Foxwoods Entertainment Lighting Supervisor, Tom Roach, worked closely with Barbizon lighting company to help specify, supply, install and integrate the ballrooms’ architectural and entertainment lighting systems.

Each ballroom features nearly 300 channels of ETC dimming and a variety of fixtures, including Robe 700 spot and wash moving lights.

Due to the huge number of possible room configurations, each with a different lighting plot, Foxwoods wanted a solution that would provide seamless integration and intuitive control of the ballrooms’ complex lighting systems using both wall stations and performance lighting consoles.

Following a demonstration to Foxwoods, Barbizon System Integrator Scott Stipetic of the company’s Boston office specified the Jands Vista lighting control system.

He commented: “The Vista is sophisticated, powerful, and the right solution for this environment.
I knew that being able to see each room layout’s lighting plot visually, combined with a timeline, would make it so much easier for the staff to operate the lighting fixtures than on a traditional console. The Vista’s user interface also makes it very quick to manipulate cue structures, saving valuable room setup time. I was also confident that the support would be there from Jands and A.C. Lighting Inc., should it be needed, when installing such a technically complex product application. After Foxwoods saw the Vista demo they were adamant it had to be Jands Vista for this particular lighting control application.”

The Vista provides a flexible lighting control system that can handle the variety of ballroom layouts in a visual way. Control of each room’s lighting is represented graphically on a pen tablet screen. If an air wall is moved, the Vista simply updates the lighting and the control screens of the newly adjoined rooms, so the operator can always see what they are controlling.

Lighting for each of the 15 smaller room zones is controlled by a dedicated Vista PC, which is operated via VNC on a pen tablet screen from within the rooms. The casino also purchased 2 full size Vista T4 consoles and 4 Vista S3 playback control surfaces to operate conference or performance events taking place in the larger room configurations. All Vista products were supplied to Barbizon from A.C. Lighting Inc., the exclusive North American distributor for the Vista range.

The Vista lighting control system and all associated equipment was installed by Jason Hoots, Andy Aldous, Tracey Costa and Mike Goudzwaard in Barbizon’s Technical Services team.

Foxwoods Entertainment Lighting Supervisor, Tom Roach commented: “When I approached Scott Stipetic with the concept of having a permanently installed moving light system in the ballrooms which could be operated by banquets staff, he immediately recommended the Jands Vista for the application. The Vista allows us to offer a top of the line lighting system to our clients with out all the costs associated with trucking, rigging, flying truss, hanging fixtures, programming, running the event and strike and restore of the room. The banquets staff themselves are able to turn on and operate the moving lights, which helps reduce the turn around time between events – meaning more revenue for the company. The Vista is the top notch lighting control system we were looking for.”

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“The Vista is sophisticated, powerful, and the right solution for this environment,” said Scott Stipetic, system integrator for Boston-based Barbizon, noting the user-friendly features of the pen tablet graphics for the different room configurations. “I knew that being able to see each room layout’s lighting plot visually, combined with a timeline, would make it so much easier for the staff to operate the lighting fixtures than on a traditional console.”

The Vista provides a flexible lighting control system that can handle the variety of ballroom layouts. Control of each room’s lighting is represented graphically on the pen tablet screens. If an air wall is moved, the Vista simply updates the lighting and the control screens of the newly adjoined rooms, so the operator can always see what they are controlling. “The Vista’s user interface also makes it very quick to manipulate cue structures, saving valuable room setup time,” Stipetic added.

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Tom Roach, Foxwoods Entertainment’s lighting supervisor, worked closely with Stipetic and Barbizon to supply, install and integrate the architectural and entertainment lighting systems for the MGM Grand’s Premier and Celebrity ballrooms. Each is equipped with nearly 300 channels of ETC dimming and a variety of light fixtures, including Robe 700 spot and wash moving lights.

“I was also confident that the support would be there from Jands and A.C. Lighting Inc., should it be needed, when installing such a technically complex product application,” Stipetic said. “After Foxwoods saw the Vista demo they were adamant it had to be Jands Vista for this particular lighting control application.”

Lighting for each of the 15 smaller room zones is controlled by a dedicated Vista PC, which is operated via VNC on a pen tablet screen from within the rooms. The casino also purchased two full size Vista T4 consoles and four Vista S3 playback control surfaces to operate conference or performance events taking place in the larger room configurations. All Vista products were supplied to Barbizon from A.C. Lighting Inc., the exclusive North American distributor for the Vista range.

The Vista lighting control system and all associated equipment was installed by Jason Hoots, Andy Aldous, Tracey Costa and Mike Goudzwaard in Barbizon’s technical services team.

“When I approached Scott Stipetic with the concept of having a permanently installed moving light system in the ballrooms which could be operated by banquets staff, he immediately recommended the Jands Vista for the application,” said Roach. “The Vista allows us to offer a top of the line lighting system to our clients without all the costs associated with trucking, rigging, flying truss, hanging fixtures, programming, running the event and strike and restore of the room. The banquet staff is able to turn on and operate the moving lights, which helps reduce the turn around time between events — meaning more revenue for the company. The Vista is the top notch lighting control system we were looking for.”

The MGM Grand is part of the overall Foxwoods resort, the biggest casino complex in the world, with more than 40,000 guest visits each day. The Premier Ballroom at the MGM Grand is also the largest such ballroom in the Northeast, measuring up to 50,000 column-free square feet. Like the smaller Celebrity Ballroom, the spaces are equipped with moveable air walls that let the staff create smaller rooms for banquets and other functions and gatherings.

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Finnish professional systems integrator, Electrosonic Lightinen Oy Ab, has supplied Jands Vistas to the Levi Summit venue in Lapland. Multi-purpose facilities, hi-tech equipment and an auditorium large enough to stage world-class performances and major product launches make the Levi Summit a first class venue for diverse events.

When tasked with providing the best lighting control system available for the main auditorium, Electrosonic specified a Jands Vista T4 as the main console and Vista PC with M1 playback hardware as a secondary console. The Vistas can be remotely controlled via the building’s AMX system, enabling seamless automation of the auditorium’s lighting and AV systems. A rack of Jands FPX units, which were specified due to their high quality, reliability, and excellent price, provides the lighting rig’s dimming.

Distributor A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ltd. (formerly known as A.C. Lighting Ltd.), has supplied a Jands Vista to The Grand in Clitheroe, UK. The former cinema has been completely revamped as a multi-million pound live music venue, studio and AV installation with the ability to record performances in HD audio and video.

With the venue used for many different events, each with their own technical requirements, A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ltd. was contracted by audio installation specialist Wigwam to provide a system featuring lighting, rigging, and a substantial electrical and network infrastructure, which offered the venue total flexibility. Central to the system is a Jands Vista T2 console, which controls various LED, moving light and conventional fixtures.

Norwegian lighting company, Live Technic, has supplied a Jands Vista I3 to PA Compagniet AS, main production equipment contractor for the new Spot nightclub in Kristiansand, Norway. One of the country’s most technically advanced and sophisticated nightclubs, Spot features two levels split into numerous ‘mood’ zones, each with its own live stage.

Live Technic specified the Vista due to its stability, fast programming and flexibility for the club’s hectic environment. The user-friendly visual interface meant Spot’s inexperienced lighting operators, the house DJs, were instantly comfortable with the console. A Vista I3 controls the main dancefloor and adjacent stage lighting, including a pair of Robe’s new DigitalSpot 3000 DT, the first combined digital moving light projector and LED-based wash light.

Featuring an intuitive visual interface, innovative timeline editing function and generic fixture model, the Vista is both fast and simple to use. The console’s graphic-based interface will be immediately familiar to anyone who’s ever used a modern computer application, whilst the introduction of programming via a ‘timeline’ gives you the complete picture and total control of your lighting events. The generic fixture model allows you to treat all fixtures in the same way and takes the hassle out of changing fixtures, adapting automatically if you have to run the same show with a different rig.

Christ’s Church of the Valley in Arizona wanted to make their message even clearer to the congregation of 10,000 people, so they invested in a multi-million dollar lighting, video and audio system.

Director of Lighting, Brett McFarland, explains why he chose a Jands Vista console to control their state of the art lighting system:

“Part of our mandate is to always promote excellence. However, we are in the unique position that we often have inexperienced operators. With a modern console, you can imagine the headaches this can cause. Add the fact that we run four services a weekend and have events happening throughout the week, and providing excellence is a tall order. With the Vista we are able to train a volunteer operator to run and program the console in about 30 minutes versus several days, and the copy and paste functions combined with the timeline features have cut my programming time in half.”