Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (Glasto), presented a diverse
melting pot of music, performance, entertainment, culture and fun from around the
globe descending on the massive Worthy Farm site at Pilton in Somerset.

Bristol based lighting and visuals specialist Fineline Lighting supplied lighting for the
Acoustic Stage, Astrolabe Theatre, Cabaret and Circus venues and also the WOW
stage in the Silver Hays dance area.

Acoustic
Fineline has built up the decor element of the stage to include lush red drapes, and
masking around the stage and in the ceiling, which enhances the theatricality of the
space.

This year, the Fineline team designed and custom fabricated a special chandelier
with 40 spiral filament lamps to complete the deco elements.

With a line-up of artists keen to show their talent in an acoustic environment, stage
lighting was designed by Rob and Fineline site crew chief Stu England. Based on
three trusses spanning the 40 x 22 ft. ground support system was also installed,
trimmed at 9.5 meters.

This was rigged with 10 bars of PAR 64s and some ACLs, together with Martin MAC
Quantum Spots on drop bars on the back and mid trusses. Quantum Wash moving
lights on the mid truss were used to create the general stage washes, while MAC
101s on the back truss served as effective tab “warmers’, highlighting the
sumptuous red drapage.

On the mid truss MAC Aura XBs and XB Plus’s provided the beam work and rear key
lighting, supported by Robe LEDBeam 100s for effects. Avolites dimming and a
Sapphire Touch control completed the lighting package.

Lighting in the Astrolabe theatre tent was co-ordinated by Hal Himsworth.

A substantial amount of trussing was rigged in the roof to create a usable theatre
grid and most of the base washes were created by static LED wash lights.
The rig incorporated all the performer specs, together with specials and extras as
needed and featured about 80 fresnels, profiles, floods and PARs which were re-
worked and often refocussed and re-gelled between acts.

An Avo Pearl Expert with a Wing ran the lights, with Avolites dimming throughout.

Circus
Lighting had to fill 12 metres of headroom and a 3D space about 8 metres square.
The upstage truss was horizontally hinged at approximately 45 degrees along the
sides to form an arc around the stage, supported from this truss, at the mid stage
ends, and were vertical trusses for side lighting positions.

Additional lights were on the floor and rigged to the tent king poles and flown
trusses suspended from the king poles and cupola. A mix of Robe 600E Spots and
Chauvet Rogue R2 wash lights on the deck were combined with LED battens serving
as knee kickers. These were joined by a good selection of generics – PARs, profiles
and fresnels.

All the shows were rehearsed, pre-programmed and cue-stacked on the console – in
another gruelling schedule – so everything triggered at the right times, with an Avo
Sapphire Touch console and Avolites dimming.

Cabaret
Fixtures were rigged on a 4 x 2 mere box truss built around the king pole to give
FOH and audience positions, and on two trusses over the stage, with two vertical
trusses on the downstage edge for booms.

Fixtures compromised about 60 PARs, 20 Source Four profiles for gobo projections
plus fresnels. The moving lights were 10 x Chauvet Rogue R2 Beams and eight
Rogue R2 washes.

Fineline’s Wingnut also created custom paper globe lanterns that lit with special LED
rods which were strung up throughout the space adding depth and a bit of visual
scenery to the otherwise black void above the audience. A bespoke mirror ball was
also created and installed at the rear of the stage.

A variety of kits including 10 x Chauvet R2 beams, six Robe LEDBeam 100s, eight 2-
lites, Atomic strobes and Chauvet Nexus 7×7 panels, PARs and ACLs was used. The
funnel billowed with smoke courtesy of a Gem Roadie smoker.