What lights do I buy?

[Nakatomi]

Thanks so far guys, do you think one Swarm 5 FX would cover the width of the dance floor?

It likely will if you can get it high enough. You're gonna need a light stand with t bar whatever you do here. And clamps of some kind.

Oh and buy or make a few iec cables long enough to reach the floor from the stand at full height. There's little worse than seeing extension cables on poles. Everything these days comes with a next to useless 1 metre long mains cable

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I have a couple of the Swarm 4 FX and they aren't bad at all.
Loads of pre-set programmes in them already and if you link them master / slave they work very well. They'd fill the dance floor in there and you can choose whether you want the strobe working (I don't) or the cluster laser (I do every now and then) and you can speed and slow them up.

I will say that when you do have the cluster laser working with them (Auto 5) and they are linked together, it has a massive spread.
I know a lot of DJ's have the odd moan about the clusters but apart from photographers and some DJ's, everyone else seems to like them (or are fascinated by them?).
I have to add that they aren't on all the time. They pop up in the programme from time to time.
As I said, loads of programmes already in them, easy to work and also change on the fly so you could set up and change the programme to one you like whilst setting up or during the gig itself.

[Tone]

I will be getting this delivered tomorrow.......





I was thinking of attaching to the top of that bar above using the supplied wing nuts, will that be high enough and do you think the fixings supplied may do the job?

I was thinking.........

Chauvet Circus in the middle
Chauvet Wash FX in the middle
A pair of Chauvet Swarm 5 FX flanked each side of the above
All controlled by ADJ DMXBuddy

All costing £626 Maximum (still awaiting a quote to see if I can get cheaper)

I did look at the Chauvet Gigbar but thought its a little small, then I thought of purchasing a pair of them which would cost me £720

I think my budget is around £600 for lighting, what do you think of this setup?

Thanks

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Are you lighting up the Equinox (?) screens? Just some uplighters will do the trick behind that and it will still give off plenty of colour.
The wing nuts will do you for now but proper clamps would be better in the long run.

Also, don't think that just because something is small it won't or can't do the job.
The Gigabar was mentioned as you wanted to know what would be enough for that particular venue and the Gigabar would easily be ok.

[yourdj]

Thanks so far guys, do you think one Swarm 5 FX would cover the width of the dance floor?

Doubt it, i would get two, that way you can point one up and one down.
Worth looking at the Quad Phase HP, but may be a bit expensive. Miles brighter.
Then get a couple of cheap lasers, the cluster ones are peanuts and still very good.

Haze would treble the effect, but watch out for the smoke detectors, you can only have a light haze effect in most venues.

[Tone]

Are you lighting up the Equinox (?) screens? Just some uplighters will do the trick behind that and it will still give off plenty of colour.

I have just had a Kam Moonglow V2 DMX arrive for the screens, hopefully it will look ok.

Thanks for the info on the fixings, I'll try it all out when it arrives. I was hoping to order some of the lighting today so it arrives tomorrow with the stand.

[Tone]

Doubt it, i would get two, that way you can point one up and one down.
Worth looking at the Quad Phase HP, but may be a bit expensive. Miles brighter.
Then get a couple of cheap lasers, the cluster ones are peanuts and still very good.

Haze would treble the effect, but watch out for the smoke detectors, you can only have a light haze effect in most venues.

Initially I though of a pair of Swarms but I was told by a guy at Electromarket that one would be enough to cover the width of the dance floor. I was going to point the Chauvet wash Fx more towards the ceiling as I was thinking it may drown out the swarms, but hey I'm new to this and are most probably wrong.

I have been looking at the Quad Phase HP however I did find them expensive, I will take another look though.

The venue said I couldn't use Smoke/Haze due to the fire alarms. Is there no way you can get around this just by using a small amount now and again?

Thanks.

[Excalibur]

Thanks so far guys, do you think one Swarm 5 FX would cover the width of the dance floor?

And the walls, and the ceiling!

Are you lighting up the Equinox (?) screens? Just some uplighters will do the trick behind that and it will still give off plenty of colour.
The wing nuts will do you for now but proper clamps would be better in the long run.

The uplighters aren't ideal, they have "hotspots". I agree totally about clamps, there's an immensely good chance of dropping a fixture on the floor with wingnuts, as ideally you need three hands.

Doubt it, i would get two, that way you can point one up and one down.

Cobblers, Toby. Don't fprget it's got a very gpod cluster laser inside, capable of filling the room on its own.

I haven't done any research on the circus, but I'd be inclined to hold off that. One wash and two swarms is a reasonably powerful and easy to use show. I'll check this Circus effort now.


Edit: I've looked at the Circus. It doesn't bring anything to the party the Swarm doesn't. Added to which, two different fixtures in the centre will spoil the symetry. I'd really suggest waiting, something with gpbos would get my vote.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

And the walls, and the ceiling!

The uplighters aren't ideal, they have "hotspots".

Depends how close to the screens you place them and also the uplighters / lights you use.
I maybe should have said "lights" rather than "uplighters" although both descriptions could mean anything couldn't they!?

I use the Kam RGB192 panels behind my screens and they work very well with an even spread (if placed not too close to the screens).

(You could also use one single Equinox batern though and it would still do the job well and also on a program it would look cool).

[Benny Smyth]

4 plinths.
4 uplighters.
4 top of the range movers.
Liteconsole.
4 LED bars.
4 Chauvet Core 3x1
2 Jellydomes

Should only set you back about £10k.