All photos ©Derek Jones

Lighting designer Derek Jones recently finished the European leg of the current Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens) world tour, finding it the perfect opportunity to try out the new Jands Vista v2 software running on his own Vista S3 lighting console.

Regarded as one of the world’s greatest singer-songwriters, this tour marked Yusuf’s high profile return to performing in Europe for the first time in 36 years.

Derek invested in his Vista S3 desk for a Cliff Richard & The Shadows tour about 18 months ago and it hasn’t stopped working since.

“Vista v2 has definitely taken the platform to another level,” enthused Derek, who is impressed with the new software’s power and simplicity. He added “v2 makes it even faster to get a basic show up and running. It’s so quick to create your cues, yet allows you the power to control the details.”

The tour rig featured Martin Professional MAC 700 Profile moving lights in the roof and MAC 2K and 250 Washes on the floor. A Catalyst media server was also triggered from the Vista S3, which fed content to a 60ft wide by 30 high projection surface upstage. The original show design was by Marc Brickman.

Equipment for the European leg of the tour was supplied by leading UK rental company, Lite Alternative.

Recommended to Derek by other lighting design colleagues, he admits to “Falling In love” with the Vista console after finally taking the plunge to look at it, adding “There’s absolutely no going back now.”

“The surface is flexible, small and highly portable,” he declares, explaining that his Vista S3 has been flightcased so it can travel as standard baggage on a plane, weighing less than 32 Kgs, while the laptops (main and backup) that run it travel with him as cabin baggage. This makes it practical and affordable to take his own console to one-offs both in Europe and further afield, so he always has his desk of choice to deliver the best looking shows to his clients.

Derek has found the worldwide support and general responsiveness of the Jands team really good, “They will actually listen to your ideas and feed back and come up with real solutions to help achieve what you need,” he confirms.

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.

Jands Europe’s Neil Vann adds: “Derek’s shows always look fantastic, and this tour is no exception. We are proud to be able to give him a way to help realise both his and his clients’ creative ideas.”

All photos ©Derek Jones

Blasted Mechanism Tour. ©Vasco Lopes.

Jands Vista I3 lighting consoles have provided show lighting control for the latest tours of high-profile Portuguese artists Blasted Mechanism and João Pedro Pais.

Portuguese lighting design company, Lamp On! Creative Solutions have three Vista I3 lighting consoles in their rental stock for use by its team of lighting designers; Vitor Azevedo, brother Pedro Azevedo and Rui Rodrigues. The company chose the mid-range Vista I3 model due to its combination of affordability and built-in Linux operating system, providing their ideal touring solution.

LD Vitor Azevedo used one of the Vista consoles on the recent João Pedro Pais Portuguese tour to launch their latest album, A Palma E A Mão. The wide variety of venue sizes, ranging from small clubs to large outdoor arenas, necessitated using different local suppliers and rigs on a daily basis. As with his previous tours using the Vista, Vitor found that the console’s generic fixture model allowed him to easily change fixture types as the rig changed from venue to venue.

Joao Pedro Pais Tour. ©Paulo Maria

He commented: “Touring means a lot of different things. We have to swap between different lighting equipment suppliers, different festival rigs with a lot more fixtures and theatre shows that involve a different patch every night. The Vista gives us the ability to cope with these daily changes and still maintain the same high quality stage looks. The console’s generic fixture model enables our shows to grow and be easily adapted.”

Lamp On! LD Pedro Azevedo has been impressed by the Vista’s visually-based user interface, which has enabled him to build his shows more effectively.

Pedro commented: “I have found the Vista much faster for creating the stage looks and effects I want than on previous consoles I have used. In commercial terms, this means I can give the customer a more rapid and efficient show, and as a result exceed their demands for the final production.”

Other Lamp On! clients whose shows have recently been controlled by the Vista include Buraka Som Sistema, TeraTron and the Anjos.

The company introduced freelance lighting designer, Cristóvão Veríssimo, to the Vista for the current international tour of electro-rock band Blasted Mechanism. After the introduction, Cristóvão received training and technical support for his first Vista tour from Portuguese dealer, Garrett Audiovisuals.

Blasted Mechanism have a reputation for their highly theatrical live shows, which involve elaborate
alien-themed costumes, visuals and unique musical instruments built for them. The Vista’s timeline has proved the perfect tool for the band’s vision, which requires perfect synchronisation between sound, image and light.

Featuring a main lighting rig supplied by Coimbra-based production company, Stageland, the show is timecoded, with a separate cuelist for each of the 27 songs and about 700 steps.

Cristóvão commented: “With the Vista’s timeline I can modify all parameters of fixtures and times of cues in a way that takes much less time than on other consoles I have used. I have finally found a lighting desk that really shares my visual way of thinking. Now I can do more sophisticated shows.”

Cliff Richard and the Shadows 2009-2010 tour

Lighting and video designer Derek Jones specified a Jands Vista S3 console to provide lighting, IMAG and video control for the 2009 / 2010 Cliff Richard & The Shadows international tour. The sold-out tour recently completed shows at major UK and European arenas, and re-commences in February for a series of dates in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

When Derek discussed the choice of control console with UK and European tour lighting supplier, Lite Alternative, they suggested the Jands Vista S3. Having jumped between using many other consoles, Derek thought it would be a good opportunity to experience for himself the Vista’s graphical based approach to programming. On the strength of trying the free Vista demo software and then using the S3 for a one-off corporate show, he purchased a console to use for the tour.

Derek commented: “I felt very comfortable using the console, particularly the timeline editing function, which appealed to me having used timeline based editing for video editing. I was a bit nervous about the idea of using an unfamiliar console on such a major tour for the first time, but after trying the desk with success on a corporate show and a few hours of the tour rehearsals, I felt completely at home with the Vista.”

Having worked separately for both Cliff Richard and The Shadows over the past ten years, Derek was keen to design a show which suited both acts’ visual style, so he incorporated a mixture of traditional and high-tech show elements.

Derek wanted a multi-functional scenic / IMAG backdrop to save on truck space and provide a dynamic above-stage show replay system which would give the audience a central view of the IMAG. He specified a 13.5m wide by 4.5m high PixLED screen, supplied by XL Video UK.

For the lighting, he opted for a goalpost truss surrounding the screen featuring MAC700 spots and MAC2000 washes, 19 ETC Source Four fixtures and additional floor-mounted MAC700 units. Video came from a Catalyst media server. The Lighting, video and live camera feeds were all triggered from the S3 console.

Summarising his experience of the Vista, Derek commented: “The Vista has served its purpose very well. I feel very much at home with it. Because Vista is very software based, I can use any of the hardware options that Jands have to offer and still feel that I’ve got a full console in front of me.rdquo;

Lighting designer Matt Arthur used a Jands Vista T2 console to provide lighting control for the recent Mark Ronson UK tour.

The Brit award-winning solo artist returned with his formidable live show for a string of UK dates, with an array of special guests performing all of his hits against the backdrop of a 10-piece band.

LD Matt Arthur had been impressed by the Jands Vista’s capabilities after seeing it used for last year’s Keane arena tour, so decided to try it out for himself on the Mark Ronson tour.
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Lighting Designer Chris Reade has specified a Jands Vista T2 lighting console for the current Dierks Bentley Throttle Wide Open US Fall tour, supplied by Bandit Lites Inc.

Known as the hardest working guy in country music, Dierks Bentley’s tour schedule has been at full tilt over the last four years. The multi-platinum singer/songwriter returns for an arena headlining tour, spending the next four months focusing his attention on connecting with his fans in larger venues.

Tour lighting is provided by Bandit Lites Inc. and Video by MooTV. The tour is managed by Todd Ortmeier. Production staff include Crew Chief Chris Hallman and Lighting Technician Dave Langford.

LD Chris Reade has worked with a diverse range of leading rock and pop artists, most recently providing design and/or programming for Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith. Although Dierks Bentley is Chris’s first experience working with a country artist, the partnership has been very successful, with him taking on lighting duties for a fourth consecutive tour.

Chris admits to having been a die-hard user of another console and pretty set in his ways before seeing the Jands Vista, so he wasn’t really looking to change consoles when he decided to see a demo while prepping the rig for the recent Dierks Bentley Summer tour.

He commented: “My first impressions of the console were fantastic. I was concerned about the learning curve, as I have done things a specific way for so long. I was impressed with the graphical layout and the visual timing features per instrument and per capability of the instrument. All without using a keypad. I was also impressed with the cloning features and duplication of instruments.”

On most consoles, changing or ‘cloning’ a fixture type involves substantial re-programming - a job that can take hours. In contrast, the Vista’s generic fixture model feature records the actual target look on stage so when the user changes a light, the console compares the abilities of the lights and works out how to achieve the same look on stage - even if the new light doesn’t have identical features.
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LD Jeff Lava specifies a Vista T2 for Paulina Rubio’s 2007 tour.

The 2007 Love, Light and Sound tour to promote the top-selling Mexican pop artist’s latest album, Anarda, commenced in February with dates in Europe, followed by a March tour of Latin America. The show is currently playing 29 dates in North America and then returns to each region for more Summer and Fall dates.

Tour LD Jeff Lava was hired to take over programming and directing duties after the rig was designed by Barry Halpin in January. When it came to choosing a control console, Jeff decided to check out the Jands Vista after hearing good things about it from a colleague who’d recently used it on a tour.

One of the features that really stood out to Jeff during a demo was the Vista’s generic fixture model. On most other consoles, changing a fixture type involves substantial re-programming – a job that can take hours. In contrast, the Vista records the actual target look on stage so when the user changes a light, the console compares the abilities of the lights and works out how to achieve the same look on stage – even if the new light doesn’t have identical features.

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Lighting Designer Shailesh Gopalan and Programmer Becket Tundatil carried a Vista S3 system for the Indian star’s tour of North America.

India’s Top Film Composer And One Of The World’s Most Popular Musicians, A R Rahman is the pride of his nation, having sold more than 100 million albums. The 3rd Dimensional Tour kicked off on the 27th of May 2007, taking in 9 cities across North America.

Lighting equipment for the tour included

• 30 x Mac 2000
• 12 x Mac 600
• 8 x Mac 2000 wash
• 20 x Source Fours 750′
• 14 x Par 64
• 2 x DL2 Digital Light
• Led Curtain

Lighting Designer Rob Sinclair has specified Jands Vista T2 and S3 consoles for award-winning UK band Keane’s current world tour.

The 16 month tour to promote latest album Under The Iron Sea began last Apriland has incorporated every size of venue, ranging from intimate club shows to arenas. The shows culminate in August with festival headlining slots.

Keane embarked on the North American leg in May, which includes dates in LA, Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Montreal, Portland, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, District of Columbia and New York.

LD Rob Sinclair has enjoyed a highly successful working relationship with the band since taking over lighting duties - something which is mirrored by his partnership with the Jands Vista console since its launch back in 2004.

Rob commented: “I absolutely adore the console. It’s made my life so much easier and more productive, and makes me look like a much better LD than I really am!”

For this tour, Rob’s brief from the band was to make the stage look as cluttered as possible and give it a sense of space and depth. Rob worked with video pioneer Kevin Godley, who came up with the concept of a forest of aluminium vertical poles with light shining through it to give the set a very 3D perspective.
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The winners of the 2006 WFX New Product Awards were announced on Thursday, November 9 at the Worship Facilities Conference & Expo (WFX).
The WFX New Product Awards, presented by Church Production Magazine and Worship Facilities magazine, were designed to recognize the newest and most innovative building, management and technology products marketing to churches within the past year.
Best Overall Lighting Product - Jands Vista S3 and Vista APP
Best Automated Lighting Controller - Jands Vista S3 and Vista APP