Dutch House DJ Fedde Le Grand recently played his GRAND 2016 event at
Amsterdam’s 20,000 capacity Ziggo Dome, which was completely sold out and
featured a spectacular lighting design by JJ Rotte from Dutch lighting and visual
creative practice Light Image … and over 200 Robe moving lights.


Rotte has been Le Grand’s lighting designer since 2013. When the first GRAND live
concept was staged in 2015 he came onboard to evolve the lighting, and asked Bas
van der Poel and Jeroen van der Velden of Light Image – both of whom he’d known
for some years – to assist in what was a complex design process. He joined the
imaginative lighting design, programming and operating practice based in Utrecht
full time at the end of last year.


Rotte started with the set which was designed by Sightline Productions – chosen by
Le Grand and show director, Sjoerd van Schooten of RTL Live Entertainment, and
the idea was to transform the Ziggo Dome from a standard arena venue into an
immersive, dramatic theatrical space for the evening, reinforcing the set
architecture which was based on arches and curves.


With the spherical theme in mind, the lighting positions were created using lots of
circular trussing, rigged with 43 x Robe BMFL Spots, 65 x Pointes, 64 x LEDBeam
1000s and 48 x CycFX 8s. The circles also looked good as a structural sculpture for
guests when looking up onto the celling, and the fixtures reached all over the stage
and audience area, getting the light exactly where it was needed.


The BMFL Spots were the primary key lights. They were required to cover a
plethora of dancers, acrobats and performers onstage and lots of action throughout
the evening.


The Pointes were dotted all around the trussing and the floor, chosen for their
speed, versatility and tight beams, all of which made them perfect for this gig and
catching some of the more off-stage dance routines. Rotte comments that the frost
filter is very helpful for extending the Pointe’s wash coverage.


The CycFX units were used as specials, with the flat beams creating an eye-catching
wall of light that contrasted well with the other fixtures.


Rotte programmed the show using a grandMA2 full size console assisted by Van der
Velden, while Van der Poel from Light Image project managed the lighting elements
of the show. The grandMA was chosen as the best desk for the GRAND show set up,
although Rotte’s usual go-to console for running Le Grand’s touring shows is a PRG
V276 Faderwing.


All the lighting kit was supplied by leading Dutch rental company, Ampco Flashlight
and their crew were Juan Neele, Anco Stielstra and Christiaan Shutte. Ampco
Flashlight is currently rapidly expanding its Robe stock to keep pace with the
demand of LD’s like Rotte.