Train Tours with G-LEC's Solaris+

The pop rock band Train recently toured North America with Maroon 5. Always on the lookout for new products and equipment, Train's lighting designer Brock Hogan wanted a wall of light at the front of the set while at the same time creating an entrance for the band from the center piece.

Hogan discussed his ideas with Craig Mitchell at LMG Touring, who took up the challenge to find a low-resolution video product that allowed the band and crew to walk through it. When he was shown G LEC's Solaris+, he knew he'd found the right product for his purposes.

Hogan says, "I wanted to position the wall of light at the front of the set so that backline techs would be hidden from the audience, yet able to see their musicians. My idea was to keep the look simple for this particular show, and Solaris+ allowed me to select subtle single layers of color to complement the other set lighting, yet also stream layers of content during more chaotic moments of the show."

Consisting of "ropes" of 40mm diameter LED balls, the 360-degree nature of Solaris+ offers a texture that would not be possible with flat screen or net type LED products, the company says. Plus, its flexibility is such that it can easily be adapted to particular shapes. For Train, LMG provided 25 header units for a total of 100 ropes, each of which was a custom length to conform to the slope of the set.

Mitchell says, "The spheres are bright enough to punch through all the video and lighting elements in the show and have an impact as well. This is the first time we've had Solaris+ out on tour and it's been great to work with -- a really reliable product. In terms of schedule, Rick at GLP went above and beyond to make things happen on a really tight time frame."

Hogan adds, "Although this is the first time I have used Solaris+, I definitely didn't utilize it to the full - its design potential is endless."