Aarhus Musikhuset

Aarhus Musikhuset has recently invested in Robe PAINTE moving lights and TX1 PosiProfiles for three of its halls. The Rhythmic Hall (Rytmisk Sal) also known as the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall has 8 x PAINTES, the Small Hall (Lille Sal) has 7 x TX1, with another 8 x TX1s – four with gobos – for the 1,172-capacity Symphonic Hall (Symfonisk Sal).

The lights were specified by the Musikhuset’s head of lighting Henrik Hambro and his crew, and delivered by Robe’s Danish distributor, Light Partner.

The venue is a cultural and entertainment beacon at the heart of Denmark’s lively second city and stages over 1400 shows and productions annually. Originally opened in 1982, it was substantially expanded in 2007 to over 40,000 square metres of facilities offering seven differently sized and styled performance spaces including the three mentioned above.

A diverse and action-packed programme embraces music, dance, comedy, and all forms of live performance from the experimental to the classical and areas of the Musikhuset are also hired for business and private events.

Henrik has been working there for the last 15 years and runs the lighting department comprising six full time staff, who were all involved in the final decision about which lights to purchase.

The eight PAINTES in Rhythmic Hall are providing front light, so high CRI was top of the features wish-list for this, and this space is frequently used for chamber music concerts, so low noise was also important. Henrik likes the punch of the PAINTES, the size fits perfectly with the lower trim height, and this fixture is also perfectly suited for the music and performance genre of this Hall.

In the larger Symphonic Hall, the lighting team wanted to be able to do some creative and funky lighting with colouring and texturing on the ceiling and walls as appropriate, so that’s why eight of the TX1s were delivered with the gobo module.

It was initially intended to place the TX1 PosiProfiles – ideal for when a fixture needs some features of both moving and static light sources – in a tight position in the roof at the sides of the Symphonic Hall as they don’t need additional space for re-setting / calibrating.

The intimate 314 seat Small Hall is truly multipurpose and used for business events, cultural shows, unplugged concerts, lectures, meetings and conferences and sometimes as a cinema – it has a large screen upstage, so the TX1s were a great choice for general lighting.

The quality of the light output of both fixture types was tested and researched thoroughly including against different coloured shirts, faces and skin tones and colour checkers.

Robe’s TE (TRANSFERRABLE ENGINE) technology was also instrumental in the final choice of PAINTES.

Henrik explains that – obviously – any new lighting needed to be LED and as sustainable as possible, but Robe’s whole TE philosophy really impressed them in offering all the practical benefits of extending the fixture’s longevity with a TRANSFERRABLE ENGINE light source that can be changed at any time.

“This greatly increases the product’s sustainability value and enhances its adaptability as the engine can also be swapped out for a light source with different characteristics at a later date if requirements change – without having the swap the entire fixture,” commented Henrik.

“To us that makes total sense – why wouldn’t you!”

He noted that both the PAINTES and the TX1 Profiles are also quiet enough for the designated environments, and that shows at the Musikhuset are frequently filmed or televised, so access to all the camera-friendly features like the flicker free lamp operation and plus / minus green were also a big plus.

Fast, accurate shutters were another consideration for the PAINTES as they are primarily used for front light, together with the zoom that does not cause any aberrations. Henrik mentions that it’s clear Robe has taken the whole concept of front and key lighting considerations very seriously.

“Robe was the clear winner out of all the brands we considered with similar luminaires especially with the noise element,” he revealed, underlining that PAINTES and TX1s give them the most options to be adaptable.

Aarhus Musikhuset already had 78 x Robe Spiiders in action across different venues, so having had a good experience already over some years, Robe is a brand they will always consider and trust.

Many of the incoming shows will have their own lighting designers or directors and any that don’t will be lit by the house team.

Henrik’s own experience is further informed by touring projects with various Danish bands which are additional to the work he does at Aarhus Musikhuset, and take him to other parts of Europe, Asia and further afield.

The first time he saw Robe fixtures in action was some years back at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

He also mentions the outstanding service from Light Partner, with whom the Musikhuset has enjoyed a good relationship for many years. “They are great, and totally get that ‘the show must go on’ … if we ever have an issue, they will be fixing it immediately or providing a light we can use in the meantime!”