VOLUX Phantom at Train's North American Tour

	"The zoom is amazing -- you can go from massive to minuscule," he says. "Honestly, it's a really beautiful, versatile fixture." Photo: Maggie London, @maggielndnphoto

When lighting and show designer Joel Wojcik was looking for a versatile wash fixture for Train's recent North American tour, a recommendation from LMG executive director of touring Craig Mitchell led him to the VOLUX Phantom. After seeing a demo, Wojcik recognized the potential in a fixture that could do more than simply put a beam of light in the air.

With 68 Phantoms in the rig, the fixture became part of a shared touring production that demanded flexibility, straightforward operation, and enough output to remain visible during daytime focus sessions at outdoor amphitheaters.

"One of the things that's really beautiful about the fixture is that it's really bright," says Wojcik. "When you have to focus -- and we were often in sheds in daylight -- it's easy to see what you're doing and where you're going with it. A lot of other fixtures, you're kind of hoping."

The Phantom's versatility was another draw. Initially looking for a wash with options beyond a conventional beam, Wojcik was interested in the possibility of pixel mapping. The fixture's extensive zoom range and additional effects capabilities offered creative possibilities within the constraints of the production.

"The zoom is amazing -- you can go from massive to minuscule," he says. "Honestly, it's a really beautiful, versatile fixture."

The Phantoms were deployed in multiple positions throughout the rig, including vertical arrays of U-Torms behind the LED screen, where their output could contribute to the layered visual design. The setup had to accommodate the opening act as well, making flexibility and ease of operation important considerations.

Wojcik also singled out the Phantom's GLODOT feature, which uses additional RGB LEDs around the main LED pixels to create a distinctive glow and expand the fixture's pixel-effect possibilities. "The whole GLODOT section is amazing," he says.

Getting started with the fixtures was straightforward. "Easy to use right out of the box," Wojcik says.

That accessibility mattered on a tour where he was responsible for both lighting and show design. With a demanding workload and limited time to experiment, he kept the console programming relatively simple rather than risk putting the fixtures in situations he hadn't had time to explore fully.

"I didn't have as much time to work with the Phantoms as I would have liked," he says. "Next time, I hope to have more time to really explore what they can do!"

The IP65-rated fixtures handled plenty of wet weather during the tour without missing a beat.

Wojcik also expresses his appreciation to the teams at LMG and VOLUX for their support.

For more information, visit www.voluxlighting.com/phantom.