Auckland-based Spot-Light Systems – now part of the NEP Group – has added 24 Robe MegaPointes, 12 Tarrantulas and 20 ESPRITES to its inventory of Robe lighting fixtures.
With around 400 Robe moving lights onboard, Spot-Light Systems’ stock includes ESPRITES, BMFL Spots, BMFL Blades, MegaPointes, Tarrantulas, LEDWash 600s and LEDBeam 100s and 150s – making it the largest concentration of Robe moving lights in New Zealand.
“Robe is ubiquitous in New Zealand and elsewhere, so that offers great value for money, firstly for servicing our own shows then as a cross rental item when available,” stated Spot-Light Systems Head of Lighting, Matt Tong. “Robe products work hard and offer great performance, and everyone is happy to use them.”
The ESPRITES were ordered quite soon after the acquisition of Spot-Light Systems by NEP Live. The mother company also owns broadcast lighting and video rental specialist, Big Picture, which, conveniently for continuity, also has Robe moving lights in stock. The brand has a strong presence in New Zealand thanks to the proactivity of distributor, Jands New Zealand.
“We needed a general purpose ‘workhorse’ LED moving light that was bright, quiet, had great colour mixing and was lightweight,” Tong said. “ESPRITE basically ticked all our ‘essential’ boxes and more, like Ethernet connectivity, framing shutters and a good menu system that’s straightforward for technicians to set up plus many other refinements.”
The quest to produce more sustainable events was also a consideration in choosing an LED source which needs less cooling and heat management, reducing electricity consumption in addition to that saved by light engines themselves. The benefits of Robe’s TE (TRANSFERABLE ENGINE) technology, allowing different or new LED engines to be swapped in and out the fixtures in less than five minutes to cover different applications, were also of interest.
ESPRITES are also tied into the prolific broadcast, TV and awards show work covered by Big Picture, and now in the house, they can move between the two companies to maximise use. “All 20 ESPRITES are out most of the time,” Tong remarked.
Spot-Light Systems’ ESPRITES were recently put to the test on George Thorogood’s latest tour and have featured on countless other productions, while BMFLs – which Tong referred to as the “light that keeps on giving” – along with MegaPointes and LEDWash 600s featured on a lighting rig for George Ezra’s appearance at Spark Arena.