The Electric Love electronic music festival consisted a total of six stages and 180,000 visitors from 70 nations with GLP contributing to the power of the spectacle with 180 impression X5 IP Bars and 60 JDC2 IP on the main stage, the fixtures were utilised for the opening ceremony with another 30 GLP impression X5 Wash used in Club Circus.
The main stage forms the heart of the festival site year after year, with stage design by TWOFIFTYK. The LD Company developed the lighting design of the 76-metre-wide by 26-metre-high stage. Equipped with 1,200 fixtures and weighing a massive 200 tons, the design of the main stage remains true to tradition on the one hand and reinterprets it in keeping with the festival’s 2024 motto, #NewEra. The cubic design characteristic of the Electric Love festival creates both continuity and a new beginning in that the typical cubes are used in an inverted form for the first time, so the view is directed into the interior of the structures. Wquipped with around 800 wooden panels, the construction, without visible steel construction elements, fits wonderfully into the natural surroundings of the Salzburgring.
As in previous years, the organisers received support from the capable team at Full Scope. The company, represented in this project by Hannes Schnappinger and Matthias Hochwimmer, supported the festival organiser from feasibility analysis and technical planning to the creation of CAD models through to tender preparation and budget management. “We coordinate the smooth running of the construction work on site, monitor performance and time management, and act as a link between the organiser and the stage production. Our task includes the coordination of all stakeholder and support with approval processes, as well as complete integral planning, with full transparency and control resting with the client,” said Hochwimmer.
“You won’t find a classic rig in the stage designs of Electric Love. Instead, the designers integrate individual fixtures into the lavish stage constructions, which on the one hand creates an additional dimension in the design and on the other expands the formal language of the stage,” Hochwimmer added. “Attention is always paid to overall photogenic impressions and the multifunctionality of the fixtures in order to create variety and constantly new impressions across the different DJ sets and festival days.”
in 2024, the main stage was characterised by honeycomb-like constructions made from inverted cubes, which were extended axially upwards by vertically installed impression X5 IP Bars.
“With the zoom and tilt function of the X5 IP Bars breathtaking fan effects could be achieved across the entire width of the stage, and the individual pixel control of the lamps enabled a variety of dimmer and colour effects,” stated Hochwimmer. “Thanks to the high light output of the Bars, an impressive blinder or strobe effect with a high impact could also be achieved.”
In contrast, GLP’s new JDC2 IP weatherproof hybrid strobes were preferred to classic strobes on the so-called crowns at the upper edge of the stage construction. Here they functioned as an extension of the LED walls, which were also located on the crowns, and “harmonised perfectly with the video content generated specifically for this purpose,” added Hochwimmer.
All 60 of the video-capable hybrid devices were integrated into the video system via NDI. However, guest LDs worked in DigiFX mode to ensure compatibility with their show files. The dual-cortex CPU with graphics processing integrated into the JDC2 IP allows video-like digital effects, known as GLP DigiFX, to be created on the devices.
“The GLP impression X5 IP Bar 1000 was hugely impressive with its very fast tilt, as well as the large zoom range and high light intensity,” Hochwimmer enthused. “Thanks to the outdoor capability of the fixtures, we can manage without the visually disturbing rain covers, which also significantly reduces installation time. The effect achieved, especially when you use the vertically mounted Bars as compartments, was impressive with this number of fixtures.”
In addition to the colour mixing with a significantly expanded colour spectrum, Hochwimmer highlighted a small mechanical gimmick: “When installing the various Bars, we noticed the arrangement of the connections and the spring-loaded powerCON TRUE1 top lids. Especially in installations with such a high number of devices and difficult accessibility for service purposes, it has happened that improperly closed powerCON TRUE1 covers have disabled a whole series of fixtures. GLP obviously came up with something here that was particularly helpful to us when it came to vertically mounting the lamps and shows how much the manufacturer cares in detail about the products and their intended uses.”
The show producer is also very pleased that with the JDC2 IP is now available: “The device’s redesigned pixel engine brought a completely new design dimension and was particularly impressive in its interaction with the content on the LED surfaces. Thanks to DigiFX, guest lighting designers can also quickly integrate the product into their existing tour show file, which is particularly crucial given the short pre-programming times for fly-in acts. The brightness of the white light engine was also completely effective, even in brighter lighting conditions. The devices are of high quality and robustly manufactured, which is something we as technical producers pay particular attention to. The JDC2 IP is certainly a first-class tool for outdoor events and festivals thanks to its high reliability, impressive light output and flexible integration.”
With the spread of GLP’s IP range, the Electric Love team are planning to use impression X5 IP Bar 1000 and JDC2 IP again next year.
