All IP65-Rated CHAUVET Professional Rig Helps Justin Casey and HELM Projects at Hamilton County Fair

	Underhill used his versatile rig to give fans a full concert lighting experience at the county fair. Helping him create this rich variety of looks were 36 CHAUVET Professional fixtures.

Since 1989, tens of thousands of people have been capping off their fall by journeying out to Old McDonalds Farm in rural Sales Creek to the Hamilton County Fair. Aside from its colorful attractions and lively entertainment schedule, headlined this year by Diamond Rio, the three-day event held at the eastern edge of the Cumberland Plateau offers visitors spectacular views.

But with those mountain vistas comes some uncertain weather, especially as fall moves toward winter. Justin Casey and his team at HELM Projects were ready for whatever cards Mother Nature had up her sleeve. They outfitted their 40-by-40 stage with a 100% IP65 rated rig consisting of all CHAUVET Professional fixtures.

"The weather has always been tricky this time of in November," says Casey. "We wanted to eliminate the worry, so we went all IP this year. That, and the dedicated work of our Helm Projects team in setting this up were essential. It was a great way to start winding down our year."

Of course, there was more than peace of mind involved in putting together this rig. The Hamilton County Fair is a highlight on many local calendars, as it brings big name acts to the area. Casey and his team were committed to ensuring that the lighting production created an appropriately exciting atmosphere for the acts on stage. Their success in doing this was very evident during the performance by Grammy Award winning headliners, Diamond Rio, the company says.

From the moment the band took the stage and proceed to treat fans to a lively rendition of their hit "Unbelievable," their lighting designer, Willis Underhill set the tone sending fast-moving splashes of yellow and purple across the stage. Underhill turned things down for soft, heartfelt songs like "You're Gone," bathing the stage in deep monochromatic blue, and picked up the tempo with eye candy effects for songs like "Norma Jean Riley."

All in all, he used his versatile rig to give fans a full concert lighting experience at the county fair. Helping him create this rich variety of looks were 36 CHAUVET Professional fixtures including 16 Maverick Storm 2 Profiles, 12 Maverick Storm 2 BeamWashes, four STRIKE Array 4 blinders, and four Color STRIKE M motorized wash-blinders.

Underhill and the HELM Projects team members who lit the supporting acts, drew on the bright output of Maverick fixtures as well as their other features, like the sharp framing system of the Storm 2 Profiles to carve out distinct spaces for the performers on stage, while the Color STRIKE M unit's strobing capabilities and pixel mappable face opened the door to a variety of electrifying looks.

"This rig was great in terms of what it allowed the LDs to do," says Casey, who adds, "and since it was all IP65, we rested easier."