Elation Professional LED moving heads and LED PAR cans are part of the venue refurbishment that has created Volt, a new night spot in Sittard, the Netherlands, which opened in March.
In order to rebrand and expand the venue in order to attract bigger-name bands, the refurb was a total rebuild that saw only the outer walls remain. Installation of the Elation gear was by BOS Event Support, a full-service event production company located in Sittard.
BOS Event owners Jamie Borger, Davy van Onna and Dennis Siemonsma handle projects collaboratively, choosing equipment and suppliers carefully based on the needs of each individual project. “Eventually for the Volt install we chose Elation because of its favourable price/quality ratio,” said Siemonsma. “Because this project was a public tender where price was decisive, it was important to choose a brand that offered a wide range of products at an attractive price. The assessment panel also knew the brand well and those factors led to the choice of Elation.”
Three main spaces are equipped with new Elation lighting: a 600-capacity main performance room, a 200-capacity room and a café/bar area. For Volt’s main performance stage, BOS Event installed Elation Satura Spot LED Pro (which are also capable of graphic projections) and LED-based Platinum Wash ZFX Pro moving heads with full colour mixing. Elation EPAR QW LED PAR cans lay down washes of colour, working with the moving heads.
“The output of both the Satura Spot and the Platinum Wash ZFX Pro is remarkably high,” commented Siemonsma. “Furthermore, it is a big advantage to have the EPARs in RGBW and RGBA. Overall, we’re very satisfied with Elation and the functionality of the fixtures fits perfectly to the wishes of the venue.”
As bright as a traditional 575W discharge fixture, the Satura Spot LED Pro consumes roughly half as much energy (300W) and its LED engine lasts 80 times longer. The Platinum Wash ZFX Pro houses a 285W LED engine that produces an output similar to a 700W discharge wash fixture. Both fixtures are located above the main stage and spread across a down-, mid- and upstage truss. The EPAR QW fixtures are located above the main stage and on the second stage with the EPAR QAs colouring the entrance hall and bar area. DMX distribution in both the large and small rooms is via Elation Opto Branch 8-way DMX distributors.
BOS Events also services the new lighting rig. Siemonsma explained: “We deliver the technical professionals to operate the shows in combination with the volunteers at Volt. We work out the technical riders of the artists, provide the staff and equipment, and provide much of the service and maintenance. We’ve used Elation’s service and support very little so far but when we have contacted them, any problem was solved quickly and adequately.” When service is needed, Volt’s close proximity to Elation’s European headquarters in Kerkrade, just a 30-minute drive away, makes any service issues even easier.
Working with BOS Events on the install was venue head Marike Peters, who has expressed her satisfaction with the new lighting system. “The different musical acts at Volt are now supported in a very professional way with the new lighting equipment and it has also improved the visitor experience,” she said. “For us, the new lighting system provides both a cost and energy savings and of course the fact that it is LED lighting makes for a longer lifetime. Guests come for the bands and DJs but it is also the ambiance created by the Elation lighting that is an attraction.”
