Jakov Jozinovic Shows in Ljubljana Sparkle with Robe Moving Lights

	The FORTES did key lighting of Jozinovic and the band, with one rigged dead center in the mother grid and used as a dramatic vertical down-beam. Photo: Simone Di Luca Photography

Slovenian lighting and visual design studio Blackout created and delivered a 360-degree lighting show for Croatian singer Jakov Jozinovic, who played two sold-out nights at the Stozice Arena in Ljubljana.

The team was led by Blackout's Crt Birsa and included two of his colleagues, Klemen Krajnc and Anze Trstenjak, with only 16 days between getting a decision on the design from promoter Vigna PR and the first show. About to depart for a US tour with Lukas Sulic (formerly half of 2CELLOS), Birsa handed over the completion and delivery of the project to Krajnc and Trstenjak, who finalized everything, programmed the show and ran lighting. Krajnc did the effects, and Trstenjak the keys, white light and specials for both gigs.

Getting the gear at short notice was also a task. However, Slovenian rental company Intralite rose to the occasion and supplied the 13 Robe FORTES, 32 iESPRITE LTLs, complete with two iESPRITE LTL FS versions, 24 LEDBeam150s, 24 MegaPointes, 36 Pointes and 32 Spiider wash beams, together with other lights.

Four of the iFORTES and the two iESPRITE LTL FS versions were used on the two RoboSpot systems, each operator controlling three luminaires and ensconced beneath one corner of the stage adjacent to dimmer city. The Slovenian rental market has been very successful for Robe, thanks to the hard work and dedication of its Ljubljana-based distributor, MK Light Sound.

Stozice Arena's four-by-four central LED cube was utilized for IMAG video on these shows, and the cross-shaped floor comprised four square blocks of video with a center section that included a stage lift. Thrust extensions at both ends were complemented with staggered level risers left and right of the stage, utilised by the band and for technical areas.

The trussing above the stage used for the lighting positions also shared the same rigging points installed two weeks previously for an FNC (Fight Nation Championship) event.

Three box trusses provided the main over-stage lighting positions, hung below and within the outer borders of the LED screens, a setup that assisted in imagining the epic, wide-stage, extravaganza-style show.

The iESPRITE LTLs and MegaPointes were selected as the main effects fixtures, notes Krajnc, positioned across the three box trusses, and he constructed the show's building blocks relying on these two sets of fixtures.

It was his first time using iESPRITE LTLs, and he liked them for their power, brightness, and clarity, and thought that the two fixture types worked together very well. "These backbone fixtures really needed to be versatile and give us multiple different looks and options - and they did exactly that!" he says. MegaPointes have been a Blackout "favorite fixture" for a while.

The Pointes were used as general beam lights from the stage deck, providing contra-beams, plus plenty of eye-catching prism and gobo work. The highly compact LEDBeam 150s provided wash light across the stage centre and into the audience, also as support for the Spiiders when needed. The majority of the Spiiders were installed on the audience trusses and used to bathe the arena with glowing ambient light and sometimes in beam mode going onto the stage. Eight were positioned on the smallest box truss and used as front lights, specifically from that angle inside the cube, with four used as theatrical uplight below as the stage lift raised Jozinovic to the stage.

The FORTES did key lighting of Jozinovic and the band, with one rigged dead center in the mother grid and used as a dramatic vertical down-beam.

Robe's FORTEs "are potent and bright, even when in colors, the quality is fantastic, and they are great for front and top lighting," comments Trstenjak, adding that he appreciated the zoom and shutters in containing the light exactly where it was needed.

"When time is so precious, you need to know that the fixtures you are using will be reliable and consistent -- there is absolutely no room for error in situations like this," Birsa adds.

"As a programmer you must be extremely flexible and adaptable when under this pressure," Krajnc notes, "and also be able to accommodate changes to the show production right up until the last minute," which, on this occasion, included additional cryo, pyro and audience LED bracelets.