GUADALAJARA, MEXICO – It is fitting that Conjunto Primavera was officially founded on the first day of spring, the season of fresh beginnings when all things seem possible. That was back in 1978, and in the ensuing five decades, the Grammy-winning norteño-sax band has eagerly embraced the spirit of this hopeful season, always welcoming new ideas, as they’ve expanded their genre.
Reflecting the boldness and spirit of this iconic band on their current 47th Anniversary Tour is a sweeping, boundary-pushing lighting and video design by Arturo Sanchez Jr. that features 156 CHAUVET Professional fixtures supplied by PROled.
Like the band itself, Sanchez’s design for this tour leaves familiar expectations behind to explore new idea. In the process it has created an unforgettable visual journey that takes fans to surprising new places. This was beautifully evident at Conjunto Primavera’s magical June 28 show at Teatro Telmex.
Throughout the show there were captivating images on the 30-meter wide video wall, which was divided into three sections — a larger center, flanked by two sides. Video panels also lined the 14-meter band riser and 5-meter percussion riser. Each song in the concert had its own dedicated video content, featuring imagination-bending images, such as butterflies fluttering their colorful wings in the eyes of a beautiful woman, multicolored fluffy flowers floating in space like floral celestial bodies, a delicate angel in chains, and a young ancient god head bowed as if in prayer looking down at the performers below.
The vision unleashed on the video wall was matched by the vivid and dynamic lighting displays that transformed the 20-meter wide stage with richly saturated washes, sweeping beams and aerial effects.
“I designed the lighting and video and carefully coordinated both,” said Sanchez. “Not only were they matched in terms of colors, but we also made the intensity and movement of the light fit the video images.”
Collaborating with his team members: Production Manager Arturo Sanchez, FOH master Luis Vega; monitor engineers Omar Cano, Rf. Luis, and Fernando Marin; and drum tech Felipe Avila; as well as stage hands Fofo Olivares Luis Perez, Sanchez drew on a robust rig to create his seamlessly coordinated show.
Key to tying lighting and video together in their fantastical dance were the rig’s 30 COLORado Pixel Curve battens, which were used at various times to frame video walls and the risers, engendering a uniform look throughout the stage.
The rig’s 46 Maverick Storm 2 BeamWashes, and 50 Maverick Storm 1 Hybrids were also instrumental in creating the intense, dramatic looks that ran throughout the production “The Storm fixtures were placed inside and outside the stage floor,” said Sanchez. “We used the Storm 1 units to give texture to the stage — most of the time they were used as a spot. The Storm 2s did great as a wash and eye candy effect.”
For added impact, Sanchez relied on his 30 Color STRIKE M fixtures to generate powerful strobing effects. The rapid-fire strobes accented pivotal moments in the vibrant show, breaking through the stage with quick intensity, much like the sudden storms that often accent the beautiful fertile season of spring, when new flowers and new bands come to life!
COLORado PXL Curve 12
Maverick Storm 2 BeamWash
Maverick Storm 1 Hybrid
