RETAIL & HOSPITALITY 41
Upstairs at Ronnie’s plays host to an increasingly diverse array of artists, so ensuring the venue had impeccable lighting was a key priority, despite the building’s spacial limitations
but also dynamic enough to support high-energy contemporary shows. Nothing too specific then! “The combination of small, quiet, great colour at low output and movement capabilities is not an easy thing to find,” notes Dale. The solution: GLP’s X5 Series, installed by Steve Myers Ltd, which handled the design, infrastructure, wiring and fixture supply during the project. Eight GLP impression X5 Compact fixtures form the moving-light backbone of the rig. Each unit incorporates seven 40W RGBL LEDs producing up to 3980 lumens across an expansive 3.6° to 66° zoom range, with 540° pan and 236° tilt. GLP’s iQ.Gamut colour calibration system ensures consistent colour reproduction and particularly accurate skin tones – a subtle but significant advantage in a venue where audiences sit just metres from performers. The pixel-mapping capabilities of the X5 Compact also allow designers to generate movement and visual interest without relying solely on physical fixture motion, helping maintain a refined aesthetic during quieter performances. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the installation, however, isn’t listed on the standard spec sheet. In recognition of the venue’s notably low ambient noise levels, GLP developed bespoke fan modifications specifically
lighting and different looks without having to rely solely on movement.”
for Ronnie Scott’s, reducing operating noise below the already-quiet standard specification without in any way compromising output. Completing the package are six X5 Dot Wash fixtures. Comparable in size to a traditional MR16 Birdie, each delivers up to 550 lumens via a manual 16° to 68° twist zoom, making them particularly well suited to close-range positions where the fixtures themselves need to remain visually discreet. “Keeping everything in the X5 range meant that colour matching between fixtures is very easy,” explains Dale. “The X5 Atoms and the X5 Dots are compact and silent, which means that they don’t disturb our intimate shows and are visually unobtrusive above the stage. The X5 Compacts, once GLP had made some custom fan modifications for us, gave us the best combination of small fixtures that are quiet. And with the pixel-mapping ability, they allow us to have dynamic
VERSATILITY AT ITS CORE The first performance in the remodelled venue featured Vula Malinga with special guest Nao, and it demonstrated what the redevelopment set out to achieve. On top of that, the venue has continued to prove itself across a diverse programme of performances since relaunch. “We have had nothing but compliments from artists about how good Upstairs sounds,” enthuses Dale. “Having pristine audio for our artists is a key priority for us, so every act can be confident that they can produce the show they want to put on to the highest standard possible. “The club knows that the most important aspect of the night is the live show, so they invested in the best equipment they can to reproduce and highlight the talent of the musicians on stage,” he concludes.
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