Cologne-based band Humblo played several forest concerts in August 2021, in collaboration with Bergwaldprojekt e.V. and the climate-neutral mobile communications provider, WEtell. Atmospheric lighting was created using Cameo portable battery-powered spotlights by Adam Hall Group, including the new DROP B1 outdoor mini uplight and the compact F1 FC RGBW Fresnel spotlight.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cologne-based band Humblo, fronted by band leader Jacky Bastek, developed its own concept of the forest concert in order to allow people to experience art and culture again. Their forest shows also presented the opportunity to draw people’s attention to a major problem – protecting forests as a key ecosystem.
“As a musician, I’ve long been bothered by the fact that you get around a lot but you rarely find out about the natural landscapes of the individual countries in which you play,” said Bastek, explaining her original motivation for the forest concerts. “So why not play concerts in a natural setting? After all, it’s where so much music comes from anyway. Why see culture and nature as being separate? Our forest concerts were a way of inviting people to listen to music and nature.”
Since the Humblo forest concerts were deliberately played in front of a small audience and held in a natural setting with a small technical team, the equipment not only had to be portable and battery-powered, but also flexible, robust and quickly ready for use.
The band used a total of 12 Cameo DROP B1 outdoor mini uplights. Depending on the specific setting, they were positioned in different ways on the ground around the three musicians. The DROP B1 was supplemented with two ZENIT B60 B LED PAR spotlights, two ZENIT B200 outdoor wash lights and a compact F1 FC RGBW Fresnel spotlight for basic brightness around the natural venue. All of the spotlights were operated using batteries, with the F1 FC using the optional V-mount battery plate. The PA system was also completely mobile: an LD Systems MAUI 5 GO.
In addition to the uncomplicated design of the spotlights, the combination of a Cameo DVC USB-to-DMX interface, Daslight DMX software and iDMX CORE W-DMX Converter also ensured everything could be handled swiftly. Cameo DMX software was used to programme scenes in advance and patch the spotlights accordingly. It was a small, refined setup that was highly effective in terms of its atmospheric and natural impact.
