Onedot Warms Spirits at Artikfest with CHAUVET Professional

	"Any equipment we use at this festival had to be waterproof and reliable in the cold. This is one reason why we chose a lot of Chauvet products," says Guilmette. Photo: Annie Dufresne

Temperatures hovered around one degree (-17C) that morning. It felt even colder because of the wind, -11 degrees according to official tabulations. Things warmed up a bit by the time the first performers took the stage, but still, conditions were far from ideal for an outdoor music festival, at least by conventional standards. But few things about Artikfest are conventional. Held each February, the EDM event, which just marked its fourth anniversary February 19-21, is a joyful defiance of winter. Every year, thousands crowd Rue du Fleuve on the banks of the St. Lawrence River to embrace the cold and enjoy the music, which this year included performances by international stars like Lost Frequencies and Zomboy.

Warming their spirits was a festival lighting design by the Onedot team, led by technical director Pierre-Antoine Lesage, featuring 99 CHAUVET Professional fixtures supplied by Audi-C.

The Onedot team, which ran all the artists' shows, except Lost Frequencies' performance, relied on these fixtures to create a seemingly endless variety of looks that engaged the crowd throughout the three-day festival. There were the color washes and strobe effects from the rig's 25 Color STRIKE M motorized strobes; the beams created by the 24 Rogue Outcast 2 Beam units, which were positioned on SL and SR, as well as the rainbow of colors from the 24 COLORado Panel Q40s and the 27 COLORado 2 Solos.

These fixtures were valued for more than the looks they generated; there was also IP65-rated dependability in this tough winter climate. "The outdoor rating of the fixtures was absolutely essential," says Jean-Sebastien Guilmette of Onedot. "Any equipment we use at this festival had to be waterproof and reliable in the cold. This is one reason why we chose a lot of Chauvet products. They proved to be highly reliable. We experienced no issues throughout testing, programming, or the show itself."

The very structure of the festival setup also served dual functions. Its high, vertically oriented stage and exposed truss structures created an intense industrial vibe that fit the music being performed on stage. "The verticality of our setup helped amplify the visual impact without increasing the physical footprint," Guilmette says. "With the addition of pyro, we especially appreciated the visual continuity created by the straight flames and comet effects, which naturally extended the lines of the screens and reinforced the overall design."

At the same time, the stage was also designed to help fans protect themselves from the elements. "With the festival located at the Port of Trois-Rivières, wind speeds can become quite intense, and ensuring attendees stayed warm was a top priority," Guilmette notes. "We achieved that in a simple way with festival prints in the metal bays and video tiles. We also wanted to tap into everyone's inner child by creating a giant 'snow fort' structure. The idea was simple: invite people to embrace the winter setting, play in the snow, and come together for an unforgettable experience featuring incredible DJs."