The lighting equipment was selected and installed by Bristol-based company Utopium.
The latest addition to Academy Music Group’s extensive UK live venue network, Leeds Academy opened to the public in October with a performance by local heroes Kaiser Chiefs. Under the terms of a subsequently announced deal with O2 and Live Nation, the venue will be renamed O2 Academy Leeds in January 2009 (click here for more on this story from IE’s sister publication, Pro Sound News Europe).
“We really wanted to put production values at the top of the agenda here, so I chose leading brands with proven track records for reliability,” commented Utopium’s Angus Chinn. “They offer a flexible, dynamic creative package to benefit all the events and shows that will be staged in Leeds Academy.”
At the top of the considerable specification list are the first two Robe Digital Spot 7000 DTs in the UK. The new moving light/video projector fixture is said to offer the dual functionality of digital projection and LED-based colour washes. According to Chinn, the 7000 DTs are “absolutely brilliant fixtures”.
Other lighting equipment installed in the venue’s 2,000-capacity main room includes eight Robe ColorSpot 700E ATs, eight ColorWash 575E AT Zooms, six Robe ColorSpot 250E ATs, 10 Martin Professional Atomic strobes, eight bars of six PARs, four 8-lite Moles, four Robe 4-cell REDBlinder 2•48s, eight ETC Source Four Juniors, and Look Solutions Unique hazer and Viper atmospheric effects.
All of these fixtures are controlled from an Avolites Diamond 4 console. The venue also features an Avolites Pearl Expert at side-stage in the main room, and an Azure in the basement club and bar area.
Leeds Academy also makes extensive use of Anolis LED equipment. The ornate stone frontage is highlighted with a grand total of 28 Anolis Arc 36 exterior LED fittings, while the bars throughout the venue have frosted backs and are illuminated with Anolis Link LEDs. Anolis ArcLine 36 LED strips have also been deployed to colour wash the walls, roof and under-balcony areas in the main room.
In addition, selected corridors are lit with ArcSource Twin Wall 3 up and down lighters, while an ArcSource Outdoor 36 highlights the circular stained glass window above the main entrance.
