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Thread: Queen w/ Adam Lambert

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    Default Queen w/ Adam Lambert

    I don't know who is doing the lasers for Queen with Adam Lambert and hopefully this won't offend them. I realize that in the US you've only got so much to work with but, I saw the show last night. First off... if you get the chance, go. Having recently seen the Stones, Elton John, Bon Jovi and now Queen, let me just say that old guys can still rock! Brian May is still sheer magic.

    Anyway... they had... some lasers. Now, to give you an idea... it was quite a bit of time before I realized they even had any. Seriously... I'm watching the show and then thought to myself, hum.... I wonder of that's a laser. I really had to study for a bit to figure it out. I know you're all familiar with the Chinese twinkle red and green laser. You know the one... diffraction grating that blows it up into a bazillion little slow moving points that every dj has and aims on the dance floor. Yup. It was like that. it was far too bright to see any beams most of the time but the audience positioned directly in front of the stage in the back had the tell tale green and red diverged dots slowly moving around from time to time. From where I sat, they looked to be about 6" in diameter. They were used a few times during the show. They also used 445nm for it too but much less than red or green. It's possible the grating snapped into place because at a few other times there was a solitary white (or red) beam coming from the same apparent source but terminating in about the same fixed spot on the concrete between the upper deck and lower level.

    The other effect was 5 projectors with scanners. They did a basic wave pattern during one song. But get this.... the only two colors were red with white accents AND all the lighting on and around the stage was red! I'll try to upload some pics when I get to work but, seriously... stage all lit with red washes and LED spots and stuff and then essentially a red fan/sheet with what looked to be about 3-5 watts tops. It's hard to gauge in an arena that size and compare it to with known powers you've seen in smaller venues but, there is no way they were putting out much more than 3 of white. Barely even perceivable by the audience. I saw confirmed 20 watt projectors in that same arena a few weeks back with Lady Gaga.

    Anyway... underwhelming. Poor choice of color with red on red. We KNOW greens and blues were possible since they made white. It felt all a bit like seeing Chauvet DJ lasers on steroids and if I were the operator and under the direction of a lighting designer having to put that on, I'd really feel a bit deflated and wonder why I was on the tour.

    Here are a few pics:

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ID:	44024 The red twinkle type landing on the audience.

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ID:	44025 Wow!! Look at the beams!!

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ID:	44026 Finally, the way the "sheets" terminated.
    Last edited by Bradfo69; 07-24-2014 at 15:17.

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    Default

    Wow, Brad, I was at this show on Thursday night! And in section 211, almost the same seats and view as you.

    I don't know much about lasers (yet) but had ALL the same thoughts as you did. A really lame laser performance. I also was half way through the show wondering if they were ever going to use lasers? Seemed like a natural effect they would use, especially during "Killer Queen" with the lyric "Dynamite with a laser beam".. But.. uh, nothing!

    I was wondering about the fixed laser beam effects that were static on the crowd in the back of the arena for quite a long time at some stretches. I guess it's far enough away not to be a problem for those people? Still seemed pretty bright from where I was sitting.

    Still, a great show!

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    Bright yes but divergent as hell. Sort of that fat beam technology to begin with and, once it travelled the length of the arena, what was hitting the audience was huge. I said six inches in the first post but, I'm guessing it was much larger. That's why I almost was thinking a narrow beam LED rather than a laser initially.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bradfo69 View Post
    I don't know who is doing the lasers for Queen with Adam Lambert and hopefully this won't offend them.
    http://www.er-productions.com/

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    Thanks Aage! That was rather interesting to read about the actual lasers used. I'm willing to bet that they were required to turn down the power or something, being in the US. 650 red says a lot about the RGB beam bursts. Admittedly I was on an angle perpendicular to the beams so I couldn't see anything remotely looking like their picture but still.... they truly were not particularly impressive. I'm sure perhaps in the UK or other countries on the tour, it would have looked distinctly better.

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    The other think Hank, that had me wondering a bit was, that entire circle of truss with the RGB Beam Burst projectors moved during the show. Twice. The entire thing was lowered over the band so it was almost flat and then, raised back up into position. Following that, later in the show, the only real "hot" beams that night all were focused and terminated in about a 4' x 6' advertising sign area at the back of the arena surrounded on all sides by live audience. That's some damn precise movement by chain motors and such to get that kind of size and weight consistently back in exactly the same spot so the targets set by the laserists earlier in the day are hit exactly right during the show. An inch off on the stage then magnified across the entire Wachovia center has got to equal significant movement on the termination end.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bradfo69 View Post
    ......I'm willing to bet that they were required to turn down the power or something...I'm sure perhaps in the UK or other countries on the tour, it would have looked distinctly better.
    Second the bet.. they prolly saw what we have to go thru with the 'Cee-Dee-Arr-Ayech' for getting AS-approvals, and said 'Aaah, uck-it-fay', and turned everything down to 5 milly-whats.. ER Prod's do quite the kickin-show.. when they can..

    j
    ....and armed only with his trusty 21 Zorgawatt KTiOPO4...

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