“La Banda,’ the new contest to find singers for the next Latino boy band, just
wrapped its first season on Univision wowing audiences with the talent of young
competitors from across Latin America. Clay Paky Mythos and Sharpy lighting
fixtures amped up the excitement of the live show.
“La Banda’ was created by Simon Cowell and produced by Ricky Martin.
Contestants hailed from South America, Central America, Mexico, Puerto Rico and
the Caribbean. The two-hour, seven-week elimination competition featured guest
performances by top Latino entertainers. The five winning contestants will form the
new band called CNCO, which landed recording contracts with Cowell’s Syco Music
and Sony Music Latin.
“The show had many set changes between acts that usually had to be completed
within a minute of video tape packages to introduce a performance that gaffer Don
Winters would coordinate,’ says lighting director and programmer Craig Caserta.
“It involved lots of choreography and a total of 136 performances.’
Lighting designer Tom Sutherland created a very layered look for the show that
enabled him to have lots of options. “It’s tough to keep things looking fresh when
you have a seven-week series, so that was a great challenge to take on,’ he notes.
The lighting rig and main console were supplied by PRG Orlando.
Eight Clay Paky Mythos fixtures were mounted in overhead truss and another eight
were positioned in a curved wall of light. Four truss towers each housed two Clay
Paky Sharpy wash fixtures plus 10 to 24 Sharpys and one additional Mythos on the
floor depending on the demands of the performances.
“The Mythos were used as air effects, texture, fill and key light, as well as musical
accents,’ Sutherland explains. “The fixture is so versatile and can be used for so
many things. When you have many musical numbers over a series you need a
fixture that can offer you a world of wonders. The Mythos was this for me.’
Sharpys were used for air and beam effects; the Sharpy wash filled in the holes
between video walls when in home base then provided air effects and backlight
when the towers moved on stage.
A.C.T Lighting is the exclusive North American distributor for Clay Paky.
