Style or Substance?

[Casual77]

Following on from the thread in the Gallery section I thought I would get peoples' thoughts on some questions I've recently been asking myself about my lighting rigs.

Up until recently all of the gigs I have done have been largely birthday parties and I've been happy to turn up with as many different flashing LED lights as I could lay my hands on. The last three gigs have been weddings though and this has caused me to look at my lighting rig critically and ask whether it is suitably 'refined' for what will hopefully be one of the most important days in the happy couple's lives.

I've looked through hundreds of photos of DJs' wedding rigs (both on here and elsewhere) and marvelled at the clean beauty of a set up comprising of simply a pair of moving heads or Spherions on shiny truss totems compared to my overhead bar crammed with an assortment of lighting fixtures and a tangle of IEC and DMX cables. These rigs clearly look much more attractive than mine and will without doubt look great on the wedding photos but I question whether, when it is dark towards the end of the night and the wedding guests want a high tempo dance music set, this type of set up would produce a fairly uninspiring, one-dimensional light show that wouldn't be ideally matched to a high energy playlist.

So, my first question is, what do people think is more important, what the DJ's set up looks like in the cold light of day (style) or what it does late at night when the party is in full swing (substance)?

My next question is one more related to practicality. Toby suggested (rightly or wrongly) that overhead bar set-ups have had their day and Peter partly concurred suggesting that a set-up with cleaner lines may be the way forward. My lighting fixture collection has grown considerably over the past few months and I now find myself in a position where I could probably do three gigs on consecutive nights and have completely different lighting rigs using different lighting fixtures on each night. This keeps things interesting for me but throws up questions about what my optimal lighting set-up should be. My most commonly used setup has involved me using an Equinox stand with overhead bar kit but I also have a pair of 'T' bars, with optional truss cross bar, an Equinox Micron stand with overhead bar, a pair of Gigbars, an Equinox Megabar, and a Chauvet 4Play... so several options open to me.

As I've got older I've become more obsessive-compulsive about things being balanced and symmetrical. The overhead bar allows me to satisfy this urge in that I can have three pairs of lights symmetrically placed with a single light fixture, say a laser or gobo projector in the middle. This means I have a good variety of different lights (typically a pair of moving heads, a pair of Derby lights and a pair of moonflowers) whilst benefitting from a fairly compact footprint. If I agree with Toby and Peter (and I'm not saying that I don't) and ditch the overhead bar I have two options open to me as far as I can see. I go with a pair of Gigbars, one on either side of my booth. That would cut my setup time in half (which has obvious appeal) and I instantly have the 'clean lines' that Peter pointed out the virtue of. The problem I have with that though is that as good as the Gigbars are, where is the dance floor movement I get using my Acme 25 Spins and what do I do with my laser or gobo projector? If I want to use them I have to also use a T bar behind me and suddenly I have five tripods and need acres of space to set up in! My second option would be to use a pair of T bars either side of me or a single one behind me (if I want to stay symmetrical) but again this has implications in the space I need to set up in both in terms of breadth and depth. I can think of several gigs where space restrictions would make either of those options a non-starter. There are also difficulties daisy chaining power and DMX leads if I go with a T bar on either side. So, this is why I tend to use the overhead bar. Not because I think it looks great, but rather because it lets me use the lights I want to use without needing much space and without unnecessary complication setting up. I'd be interested to hear though whether there might be any more attractive/effective/simple to set up options that I haven't considered, particularly for weddings, given the lights I have at my disposal. Anyone got any suggestions?

[Nakatomi]

You can mount other things on Gigbars though can't you?

I love my Gigabar to bits, but it's waaaaaaaaaaay too bright for small venues (like mine) to the point I have to direct 2 of the heads upwards & 2 down towards the floor (to minimise the 'blinded by oncoming truck' effect) - if I've not DMXed it. You can dim it with the rear panel controls or the IR remote, but not when you use it (as I would) with the footswitch controller.

My advice, however many lights you have, would be not to have too many different things doing stuff all at once - and to vary what is done during the night. You don't have to be 'on' the lights all the time, just change things around a bit every now & again.

As for what gear looks like in the cold light of day - there aren't many (any?) disco lights you could call handsome. Even moving heads can look like ugly brutes in the wrong setting.

FWIW, Revos look better OFF than on IMHO :D

Way back in the mists of time my roadie would try & talk me into painting my light boxes & screens a colour other than black. We argued for ages over it, and only now can I see his point.

Some effects are better looking than others but what counts the most to me is the effect they have when they've on. And cabling.. find better ways to do it. Yeah it's a pain but well worth it - and sometimes it can be quick. For ages I was wrapping cables around stands the hard way til Brian S Redd showed me where I was going wrong:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oeqm_YjzsG8

[Casual77]

You can mount other things on Gigbars though can't you?

Unfortunately you can't on the Gigbar or that may have been a good solution. I can put two lighting fixtures such as a pair of spins on the top of the Megabar but I'm not sure that 4 par cans and a pair of moon flowers would be much of a light show on their own (although admittedly I've never tried it). I suppose I could have a Gigbar on one side and the Megabar on the other with the spins mounted on top but I'm not convinced that would look much neater than the overhead bar, and it certainly wouldn't be symmetrical. It would also mean 6 par cans which I suspect would overpower and wash out the other lights.

Since I bought the Wifly controller a couple of weeks back I've bought lots of short DMX and IEC cables so that I can daisy chain from one end of the overhead bar to the other. That makes setting up easier and it looks considerably neater, but it's still not as clean as some other more minimal set-ups.

[Excalibur]

but I'm not sure that 4 par cans and a pair of moon flowers would be much of a light show on their own

It's one I go out with week after week. When I've gone out with only a powerbar, I don't get complaints.

I used one gigbar on its own, in a room which was probably the worst possible situation for it, and I didn't feel I needed more lights. If you can use two gigbars, why not stick one on each upright? No overhead, very few wires, no tripods. I've long considered that with two powerbars. It may yet happen.
I did a marquee wedding with uplighters, a powerbar and two flowers. Powerbar on sound to light, uplighters on colour fade, and Cheetahs on the dancefloor drew favourable comments.

In common with many people, I value symetry very highly, but one gigbar/DIY rig on a t-bar placed discreetly to a side doesn't seem to be visually offensive. I'm currently trying to devise a bar with two Cheetahs, two Tripars, and a laser. I used this set up at a hen night, and was really impressed by it, hence my desire to create a ready wired T-bar version.

There are times when three metres of overhead with eight or ten lights is the answer. Other times, I've worked with two uplighters behind me. Horses for courses.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I've done £400+ wedding gigs with just two par cans on slow fade, great night.

That said ideally I would like to go with a larger show but want to avoid an overhead goalpost look and truss just doesn't look right for me personally.

[Imagine]

I've got more lighting configurations in my store than I want to think about to be honest, and it depends on what mood I'm in as to what I use on the day.

The past two gigs (both weddings) have been the two Equinox booths (full size and Micron) with their respective overhead kits....mainly because I wanted to use my new Jaguar MSD (I've only got the one at the moment). This coupled with a quad of TriPar profiles (and on the big one, a pair of InnoPocket spots) have served well, and as the bars have been pre-wired have taken me literally 30 minutes to be up and testing the sound.

I'm in a marquee this coming weekend (no solid floor either!), so again, it'll be the overhead kit just for stability (and speakers on the floor).

That said, I've done my biggest weddings this year (in terms of guests and room size) with a brace of Equinox GigBars (I too like symmetry). They've got their haters (they're not the prettiest or most substantial looking brutes until they're turned on), but personally I love them. I have found for bigger rooms, an Ultrabar on the floor in front of the booth makes a nice difference as far as having some sort of wash on the floor.

Of course, I normally have my truss podiums polished and lit up with Tri-wedges, which in themselves are bright enough for a colour wash if needed (in fact the "poshest" wedding I did this year had no overhead lighting at all....apart from a gobo projector) and it looked pretty decent (see photo below).

The main plan now is to get a second Jaguar and have them mounted on the uprights of the Equinox booths for most gigs, with a combination of the Utrabar/Triwedge's in podiums for the wash. Should take all of 20 minutes to set up (and another 20 waiting for the Jags to cool down enough to put them away again :whistle: )

What I have found from experience...customers won't criticize the make/model/types of lighting (that's only us and our pride). They'll moan if it's not bright enough (hence I tend to colour wash if using the Gigbars), but other than that, it's the same as the "dots on the floor" arguments....it's only us that notice.

17369

17370

[Imagine]

And for those wondering what a pair of Gigbars look like in a black (yes BLACK) dance hall....

17371

[Edit] OK - I'm cheating a little bit on this one....the venue have four massive (but not overly bright) PARS on the ceiling ;)

[Casual77]

When I've gone out with only a powerbar, I don't get complaints.

I don't think I'm worried that anyone would complain if I rocked up to a gig with just a powerbar... I just think that I would feel like I was short-changing people. I think my problem is that I used to be really into clubbing in my younger days and I still view things from the view of the party-goer. Maybe when I get to the stage where I'm booked every weekend I'll have a more pragmatic view and make things a bit easier for myself.

[Nakatomi]

Oh, in my ideal world I'd have a four poster truss system fully loaded with 16 Clay Paky Leda-B-Eye gadgets & 16 big other moving heads.. and... and... and a crew to transport & rig it all for me.. :lol:

Nah. I'm pretty near to having my ideal rig - but I'm willing to consider chauvet gigbars once I've laid eyes on one in action proper. Videos of them in action seem to portray them as a bit frantic - which can be good but you don't necessarily want that all the time.

[Casual77]

When you use the GigBars, what do you do for the first dance? Do you just set the pars and kintas to white?

[Imagine]

I think a lot of the problem now is that customers aren't too sure what sort of lighting they expect us to turn up with.

In the good old days, you rocked up with a load of light boxes (don't remember them ever being light - they weighed a ton!) and everyone looked the same (apart from some had more boxes than others stacked to silly heights)....that was what the customer expected.

I've actually got to the stage with wedding clients where I take a load of photos of different setups out with me on an iPad and subject to space/access at the venue, let them pretty much choose what they're looking for (with a lot of gentle persuasion as to what I think will work best).

Things like pub jobs or general parties.....I take what I think's going to be the least effort with the most effect on the day (depending again on space, temperature, number of bodies likely to be on the floor). In those cases, it's Gigbars or custom built pre-wired t-bars every time. I too used to feel like I was short changing people by just popping up a tripod or two and having an instant light show - but nobody's ever complained.

I don't think there's a magic solution with lighting. Gantries/goal posts do look dated these days, but sometimes (such as the one I'm at this weekend where tripods just aren't going to be stable enough), they're the only practical solution.

[Casual77]

I've actually got to the stage with wedding clients where I take a load of photos of different setups out with me on an iPad and subject to space/access at the venue, let them pretty much choose what they're looking for (with a lot of gentle persuasion as to what I think will work best).

That could be the way to go, supplemented with some videos of what they look like in action. If the client chooses themselves it would at least take the deliberating about what setup to use out of the equation.

Out of interest.... Do you price differentiate for the different lighting setups depending upon how long it takes you to set them up or change the same regardless of what they want you to use?

[Imagine]

When you use the GigBars, what do you do for the first dance? Do you just set the pars and kintas to white?

I turn 'em off for the first dance.
My first dance lighting is literally the star cloth (dressed in white for weddings), the uplit truss podiums on a static colour and the Spherions.

Once the first dance is over....it's open season :DJ:

And Justin - yes the Gigbars ARE mad (they're insane at times!). Nothing a little DMX tweaking can't sort out though....or believe it or not, one of the inbuilt programs once you work out how to get to them.

[Casual77]

I turn 'em off for the first dance.
My first dance lighting is literally the star cloth (dressed in white for weddings), the uplit truss podiums on a static colour and the Spherions.

Perhaps I need to look into that as a serious option then. There's no doubt that using just a pair of GigBars and perhaps a couple of ADJ Tripars as uplighters would shave a serious amount off my set-up time. I've got a weekend off this week so I might some time into figuring out some of the DMX options so that I have a bit more control than just sound to light.

[Andy P]

Ah a discussion me and my other DJ have nightly.

When I started I just stuck 10 lights on an overhead bar and made sure they looked good and did various things. 4 way leds, lazers, moonflowers and strobes.

"I" quickly learned that 90% of these lights were underpowered and had crap effects. So I upgrade to a bigger truss back drop, upgraded some of the lights (to moving heads and scanners) and found it was too big for some places and I couldn't get the needed height in others.

"I" then started looking around and my rig just looked a mess next to some others. I had a think about it and decided that there was no perfect solution. Since I've made it my mission to have a rig that looks good and has suitable lighting effects. Even with high tempo music you only need so many lights on the floor or in my mind you lose the effectiveness. I've seen some disco's that would outright kill people with epilepsy.

My current plan is to move to a lite consol for the stand, with 2 warlocks on poles, two truss totems with my spherions and a variety of uplighters around the stands. The only addition to these will be a row of moving heads which sits in front of stand.

So put me firmly in the style pot

[Benny Smyth]

So, my first question is, what do people think is more important, what the DJ's set up looks like in the cold light of day (style) or what it does late at night when the party is in full swing (substance)?

"You know, when I'm really drunk and bouncing off the walls like a madman to my favourite club tunes from days gone by, I always pay attention to what the DJ's lights are doing!" - No client ever.

I'm biased and I like to think that I have both of what you call style and substance, but I know that when the booze is flowing and the night is jumping, nobody cares but me. When I was having DMX issues a few weeks back and I had to leave all my lights on auto, I bet you any sum you choose that I was the only one that noticed.

I have a mate of mine who has spent less on his entire light show than I have on my new mics, and he never gets any complaints.

[Nakatomi]

Up to a point it doesn't really matter what you have. Actually two or more points.

Recent weddings I've done my lights have had little effect because it's been broad daylight in the room. Due to the glass roof that is exactly how it is til after 9pm and yet, full dancefloors, dance offs & shenanigans.

I once did a wedding & the only lighting I could lay my hands on was a single gobo flower. Still a success.

I've seen other discos with a stage full of lighting rig, all gong mad to sound... And not a soul danced all night. But plenty of people complained about being 'zapped'
.

Be happy with your rig, look after it. People might not outwardly notice but I think they clock more than we realise.

Look on NADJ. Some guys local to me are using rigs that I think belong in the 1970s but their feedback is enviable.

[Casual77]

"You know, when I'm really drunk and bouncing off the walls like a madman to my favourite club tunes from days gone by, I always pay attention to what the DJ's lights are doing!" - No client ever.

Perhaps so.... But as a regular clubber over many years I can honestly say that whilst the music is always of prime importance I've never underestimated the impact that a good lighting show can have to enhance the experience. I can also say that long before I ever even contemplated working as a mobile DJ I have attended plenty of family and friend weddings and on a number of occasions I have looked at the DJs lighting rig and thought 'is that it?!' I've never gone as far as complaining to the DJ about it though. So, not getting complaints is not necessarily an indication that your audience hasn't been underwhelmed.

I would agree though, that of the many set-ups I have seen photos of that yours probably comes closest to ticking both boxes.

[Benny Smyth]

Perhaps so.... But as a regular clubber over many years I can honestly say that whilst the music is always of prime importance I've never underestimated the impact that a good lighting show can have to enhance the experience. I can also say that long before I ever even contemplated working as a mobile DJ I have attended plenty of family and friend weddings and on a number of occasions I have looked at the DJs lighting rig and thought 'is that it?!' I've never gone as far as complaining to the DJ about it though. So, not getting complaints is not necessarily an indication that your audience hasn't been underwhelmed.

I would agree though, that of the many set-ups I have seen photos of that yours probably comes closest to ticking both boxes.

If memory serves me right though, were you not a bar/club DJ before you moved into the mobile game? If so, you'd still be looking through the eyes of a DJ.

[funkymook]

Perhaps so.... But as a regular clubber over many years I can honestly say that whilst the music is always of prime importance I've never underestimated the impact that a good lighting show can have to enhance the experience. I can also say that long before I ever even contemplated working as a mobile DJ I have attended plenty of family and friend weddings and on a number of occasions I have looked at the DJs lighting rig and thought 'is that it?!' I've never gone as far as complaining to the DJ about it though. So, not getting complaints is not necessarily an indication that your audience hasn't been underwhelmed.

I would agree though, that of the many set-ups I have seen photos of that yours probably comes closest to ticking both boxes.

A wedding isn’t a club.

Though there is a demand for club style weddings, go for that if that’s what you like, a niche market can be very lucrative.

[Casual77]

Look on NADJ. Some guys local to me are using rigs that I think belong in the 1970s but their feedback is enviable.

Playing the right songs at the right time on a good quality sound system will always be the thing that people remember positively about your performance. It's all about the music and if you get that right people will have a good night irrespective of what lights are used (even if you don't use any). BUT... Get the music right and marry that up with an appropriate light show and even if people don't consciously take note of the lighting you can give them a brilliant night that will blow them away.

I think because I'm largely doing this for pleasure rather than financial gain I want to make the experience as good as it possibly can be. At the moment I get far more satisfaction from a moderate fee and a thrilled client than a large fee and an apathetic client. I fully expect that this will change over time though as I get more experienced and cynical!

[Nakatomi]

P So, not getting complaints is not necessarily an indication that your audience hasn't been underwhelmed.


Very true IMHO. Very few (if any) customers or their guests will comment on the lights, even if they look like they were dug up from the ground 10 minutes ago. Trust me on that ;)

At the other end of the scale, the likes of Benny's rig, with its moving heads on podiums slowly sweeping around at the start of the night... they may not say 'wow', but it's a world apart from what people would call 'disco' lighting & I honestly think people will clock that even if they never take the trouble to tell anybody. My 5 year old son on the other hand, would be all like "LOOK DAD! MOVING HEADS!!!! YAY!!!!!!" :D

The roaring 20s 21st gig I did last Friday was crying out for a couple of Starburst/Spherion fixtures at least - but a big mirrorball would've been nice too. I made do with what I've got & the only thing people complimented me on was the music. I'm happy with that.

Your partner or a non-DJ mate of yours goes to a venue you've not been to before. You ask for a report the next day.. "what were the lights like?" you say.. "They had lights!" they say. "What kind of lights? Were there beams whooshing around the place or... ", "Ummm, THEY HAD LIGHTS!" they'll say. "How did the music sound?". "It was okay music wise". they say. "No", you say. "What did it SOUND like? Was there loads of nice bass? Was it clear?". "Ummm, I dunno. Alright I suppose".

[Casual77]

A wedding isn’t a club.

Though there is a demand for club style weddings, go for that if that’s what you like, a niche market can be very lucrative.

That's very true but purely by luck of the draw, the three weddings I've done to date have been for people with a real passion for music and all three have had a very significant dance club element to them.

If I could get the demand for it in my locality I would do that without any doubt, whether it was lucrative or not. I see my place as the DJ to give the clients exactly what they want musically even if that means I play music that I don't particularly like all night... But if I could give them the night they want and really enjoy the music myself, whilst getting paid handsomely at the same time... Well it doesn't get any better than that does it?

Unfortunately, until I can carve out a name for myself and create the demand I have to accept that nights that I really enjoy will only come around at best one in every four or five gigs that I do. That won't stop me doing the best that I possibly can on the others though because I take pride in what I do and if I want a gig every weekend I need to earn the referrals.

[Casual77]

Your partner or a non-DJ mate of yours goes to a venue you've not been to before. You ask for a report the next day.. "what were the lights like?" you say.. "They had lights!" they say. "What kind of lights? Were there beams whooshing around the place or... ", "Ummm, THEY HAD LIGHTS!" they'll say. "How did the music sound?". "It was okay music wise". they say. "No", you say. "What did it SOUND like? Was there loads of nice bass? Was it clear?". "Ummm, I dunno. Alright I suppose".

Yes I'm sure you're right. I've always been a fan of music, music tech and lighting so I would have been able to give you a fairly comprehensive report even if I didn't know what the lights were called. I assume that some people will cast the same critical eye over what I've got and what I do with it, but I do realise that the vast majority won't give it much, if any, thought.

[Casual77]

If memory serves me right though, were you not a bar/club DJ before you moved into the mobile game? If so, you'd still be looking through the eyes of a DJ.

Enthusiastic bedroom DJ who has played at a few friends house parties but never owned any kind of DJ lighting fixture until a few months back. My viewpoint was definitely one from the dance floor.

[Excalibur]

. So, not getting complaints is not necessarily an indication that your audience hasn't been underwhelmed.
.
Nowadays, I rarely get the question " do you have enough lights to provide a club experience"?
Last night I had " Can you provide lights that don't swivel everywhere and blind the front three tables "? That's on I'm being asked more and more often. As many folk have said, wash lights and a couple of moonflowers score highly on customer satisfaction.


A wedding isn’t a club.

Though there is a demand for club style weddings, go for that if that’s what you like, a niche market can be very lucrative.
It appears to me that those who want and would appreciate the " Full Monty Lightshow " will ask for it. If they don't ask for it, don't supply it.
I'll try to post some pics of the marquee wedding I did, with uplighters. That got very favourable comments, yet the only moving shapes were two moonflowers.

[Casual77]

It appears to me that those who want and would appreciate the " Full Monty Lightshow " will ask for it. If they don't ask for it, don't supply it. I'll try to post some pics of the marquee wedding I did, with uplighters. That got very favourable comments, yet the only moving shapes were two moonflowers.

Thanks, I'd be interested to see it. I might try to get a video of my own uploaded showing the lights at one of my recent gigs. I'm sure some people will be horrified by it!

I really think it's a case of horses for courses as far as the lights are concerned. I wouldn't use strobes and lasers for an 80th birthday party where I was asked play 50's classics where wash lights and a couple of moonflowers would do the trick nicely but by the same token I wouldn't expect to pull off a good 'trance anthems' night using just a powerbar on slow colour fade and some nice uplighters. Speaking of which, I've got an 80th birthday party out in your neck of the woods later this month and will probably give the MegaBar its first proper run out. You're more than welcome to pop along if you aren't working that night.

I suppose the more I market my services using videos of dance music and 'in your face' lightshows, the more likely I am to pick up bookings from clients wanting that kind of experience and to deter those looking for something much more sedate. And I would say the opposite would apply in your case Peter. I don't mean that in any disrespectful kind of way, just that I would consider that your preferred kind of gigs and mine would probably be at opposite ends of the spectrum and that our websites and other external marketing probably reflect that.

[Imagine]

And I would say the opposite would apply in your case Peter. I don't mean that in any disrespectful kind of way, just that I would consider that your preferred kind of gigs and mine would probably be at opposite ends of the spectrum and that our websites and other external marketing probably reflect that.

Wanna show him some piccies of one of your Young Farmer's gigs Peter? ;)

[Benny Smyth]

Wanna show him some piccies of one of your Young Farmer's gigs Peter? ;)

I was thinking the exact same thing. Lol

[Excalibur]

Wanna show him some piccies of one of your Young Farmer's gigs Peter? ;)


I was thinking the exact same thing. Lol

Sadly, the recent ransomware attack on my computer has denied me access to almost all my piccies and documents, which is rather a shame. :(

All I can offer is a smaller Selby YFC gig recently. They seem to be enjoying themselves with a powerbar and two flowers.

[ukpartydj]

Whilst it is a learning curve and a bit of a pain I do recommend dmx in your lights and controlling via computer. If for nothing else when playing background music and the kids start running around you can get them to chase a spotlight for a good half hour! Parents find it funny when they realise I'm controlling it :)

In answer to the original question it's taken me a while but the good old par can is by far the best especially when controlled correctly! Strobe, fast colour changes, slow fades and blackout all have their place and create the biggest impact in my opinion. A couple of those facing slightly downwards to avoid the headlights effect as mentioned earlier will beat 6 flashy all over the place lights :)

[Excalibur]

Tongue in cheek, but,

not that far off the mark, I reckon. (http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?33774-The-Rime-of-the-Ancient-Disc-Jockey&highlight=ancient)

Now more than ever, I'm convinced the only people who worry about there being enough lights are DJs. As many folk on here have found, a powerbar is enough lights for many occasions. It flashes, and lights the room up, job done.

One step up, and the Ugly Marmite Weapon, the Gigbar appears. Two tripars, two flowers, and a laser. In my opinion, these five fixtures are what I'd take to any wedding, especially a marquee one. I've recently had uplighters with them, and daisy chained the pars on the overhead in with them.

It's odds on that I'm going to go set about constructing a bar prewired for just these things, and I foresee it going out regularly, for certain functions. I'll keep you posted.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Tongue in cheek, but,

not that far off the mark, I reckon. (http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?33774-The-Rime-of-the-Ancient-Disc-Jockey&highlight=ancient)

Now more than ever, I'm convinced the only people who worry about there being enough lights are DJs. As many folk on here have found, a powerbar is enough lights for many occasions. It flashes, and lights the room up, job done.

One step up, and the Ugly Marmite Weapon, the Gigbar appears. Two tripars, two flowers, and a laser. In my opinion, these five fixtures are what I'd take to any wedding, especially a marquee one. I've recently had uplighters with them, and daisy chained the pars on the overhead in with them.

It's odds on that I'm going to go set about constructing a bar prewired for just these things, and I foresee it going out regularly, for certain functions. I'll keep you posted.

I had someone (who was gunning for free moodlighting might I add) ask if it would be too dark with my normal lights.

Their room is essentially a big drawing room, they have 50 guests. I had to explain that I was about to nick out to last nights gig which was in a large marquee for 150 people and I'd have to DMX down my lights to about 20-30% brightness so as not to blind anyone.

I'm waiting on some ADJ inno pocket washes coming this week and my "big" light rig will be 2 jelly domes, 2 of the washes and a mega bar under the LiteConsole. I doubt they'll get a run out again except for my Halloween party :D but I'll keep the chauvet barrels for "big" big gigs purely because I doubt I'll get the money I'd want by selling them on.