PRG Distribution Helps Deep South Productions Expand Clay Paky inventory

Located on the Gulf coast, Deep South Productions (DSP) of Sulphur, LA was founded in 1994 by Marvin Simon and George Pattison. DSP provides audio and lighting support for concerts and events from Mississippi to Texas. In that region, they are also active in the house-of-worship market where clients include the Creflo Dollar Ministries in Atlanta, GA and Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, TX.

Deep South, whose lighting inventory already included Clay Paky Stage Zoom and Stage Color 1200 fixtures, recently purchased Alpha Spot 700 HPE fixtures through PRG Distribution.

In the fall, DSP provided production services including audio, lighting, truss and backline on the popular Dog Jam 09 rock festival at the Ford Pavilion in Beaumont, TX. Headliners included The Black Crowes along with Sevendust and Saving Abel. Dog Jam gave Rich Quinn, DSP's head lighting designer and programmer, the opportunity to put the new Clay Paky fixtures through their paces.

Quinn is very enthusiastic about the Clay Paky lights. "They have the best optics in the world, bar none. They are so small, so quiet and so fast," he said. "I feel that the Alpha 700s are as fast as a mirror unit."

Houston-based lighting designer Lee Pair, who works as a liaison with DSP for programming and design work, has lit many bands using Clay Paky units; including Saliva; Candlebox; the Beach Boys; and Kenny Wayne Sheppard. "I love the Clay Paky fixtures," commented Pair. "They are definitely my fixture of choice. It is one of the first fixtures that hasn't compromised saturation for brightness. The head speed on them is phenomenal and they recall positions with precision. This is especially true of the new Alpha line."

"Eric Mueller and the guys at PRG Distribution go above and beyond," said Pair. " I have always been a Clay Paky person, but in my experience dealing with PRG Distribution, the support has just been great. John Mayer is absolutely on top of the service. I have been in this business a long time and there are not too many people who treat their new dealers the way PRG Distribution treats DSP."

Simon concluded that, "They have excellent service after the sale. Working with them has been a great experience."