Fermaten is a busy community-based live music and performance venue in Herning,
central Denmark, which has a lively entertainment programme encompassing
around 140 shows a year and a capacity of 700 – expanded from 500 eight years
ago following extensive refurbishment.

The venue has been running for 26 years and recently invested in new Robe moving
lights, with 4 x DLS Profiles, 8 x DL4X Spots – both from Robe’s powerful DL LED
range – and 16 x LEDBeam 100s, all supplied by Robe’s Danish distributor Light
Partner, which is also based in Herning.

Currently one of the top music venues in the country for technical production,
Fermaten has also built a reputation as a training ground and inspirational stepping-
stone for future industry professionals. Many now active and successful production
and crew individuals based around the Herning area have been involved in some
way or another.

Technical Manager Daniel Friis specified the Robe kit together with Light Partner’s
technical sales specialist Johan Kvartborg, himself an ex Fermaten volunteer. Friis
and venue manager Alex Nielson are full time and on the board of directors, but
most of the regular crew and staff are volunteers who either love the environment
or appreciate the chance to enhance their technical knowledge and experience.

The majority of the live shows at Fermatin are either lit by staff using the house
system, with some artists bringing in their own LDs and floor packages. They have
WYSIWYG facilities, allowing them to work in advance with LDs who want to
visualise and prep their shows, so they are very well set up in all respects.

Friis also engages in freelance work, so he stays abreast of the latest technologies
and trends and is well aware of the choices of moving light brand. Having worked
with Robe kit a lot via a local rental company, he knew first-hand it was really
reliable.

Having the new kit in place has made a huge difference to the way they can light
shows as the rig is hugely more flexible … and with that also comes the need for a
greater level of skills to be able to get the most and the best out of the rig.

Currently about 110 volunteers are involved in running all aspects of Fermaten
mostly living within a 50 Km radius of Herning. During Fermaten’s “dark season’ in
the summer, they organise outdoor concerts which this year included an event
headlined by Danish rocker Kim Larsen, in Søndre Anlæg park for 4000 people …
with the proceeds again being ploughed back into the venue and available to all who
want to be involved.

Alex, a former musician with a real passion for live music has been managing
Fermaten for six years now and he’s also expanding the venue’s scope for special
concerts and unique events and collaborations with various artists, all growing its
reputation further as a hotbed of rising talent!