Zagreb-based Promo Logistika was the site-wide technical provider for sound, lighting, video, rigging, logistics, crew and, via carefully selected partner companies, staging for Ultra Europe 2018; which featured over 300 Robe moving lights.
Ultra’s creative director Richard Milstein produced a series of concepts together with technical drawings by production director Ray SteinmanThey present this to Promo Logistika owner Zoran Biškupić, creative director Miro Hrg and other key members of the production team. Together they work on providing the best technical solutions to bring the design to life.
As Promo Logistika has made a serious investment in Robe light in recent years, this was the only moving light brand on the main stage.
The overall production lighting design for the Main Stage was created by Patrick Dierson who works on all Ultra events worldwide, and the Resistance lighting was designed by Andy Hurst, working in a similar capacity.
The main stage moving light count broke down to 20 Robe BMFL Spots, 26 Robe BMFL Blades, 48 Robe MegaPointes, 40 Robe Pointes, 48 Robe Spiiders and 42 Robe LEDWash 600s.
These were spread out on trusses and metalwork all over the architecture of the stage and wings, which was a 15-metre-wide a StageCo structure, extended by 3 metres on the front elevation by a purpose-built aluminium Ultra logo.
Robe BMFL Spots were scattered around the stage in front of the DJ booth, and the BMFL Blades were hung on the 3 overhead trusses above the Main Stage.
The Robe LEDWash 600s were behind the DJ booth on truss frames.
Robe MegaPointes were also rigged on truss frames left and right of the stage. Their power, potency and the sheer range of effects clearly made a big impact.
Robe Pointes were hung above the first row of truss frames on both sides, while the 6 BMFL Blades were ordered for back key lighting of the DJ booth.
“The design was clearly and intelligently thought through” commented Hrg, “Enough presence … but sensible numbers so that each light source had a proper job to do” He added that the Robes were a “perfect unit” to use. Miro is also an LD in his own right and uses Robe frequently in his designs.
For main stage control, 3 MA Lighting grandMA2 full-size consoles were used, with another full size and full pre-viz running in the onsite previsualization suite, an invaluable facility in which each artist’s operator had an automatic slot, of which the vast majority took advantage.
The lighting design was based on the ten automated hexagonal trussing pods clad with video panels and rigged with an assortment of lightsources. Andy Hurst himself operated them each night, with some added Robes at his disposal – 14 Robe CycFX 8s, 28 Robe MegaPointes, 20 Robe BMFL Spots and 8 Robe LEDWash 600s.
Performance collective Arcadia’s crew built their well-known Afterburner set – a 360-degree stage complete with flaming central spire and dance platforms radiating outwards, rings of fire-shooting torches, gas tanks, smoke machines. They frequently bring quantities of their own kit, but this year Promo Logistika topped up their lamp count with 22 Robe Pointes.
In addition to these 3 areas, Promo Logistika also provided lighting, sound and video for 2 full VIP areas, north and south, of the stadium, utilising more Robe MMX Spots, Robe CycFX 8s and Robe LEDBeam 150’s. A special custom designed VIP area was lit with Robe PATT 2013s and 2017s.
The event utilised pretty much all of their vast equipment stocks and consumed around 300 crew across all departments for the duration of the build and show, together with over 500 square metres of LED screen and at least 70 trucks of kit.
Hrg concluded: “For the industry in Croatia and the region it is really important to collaborate with leading organisations like Ultra who want the very best for their global brand. It’s great that they have faith in us to deliver everything to full international standards, and we are all very proud to be part of Ultra Europe team”.