Jenni Vartiainen on Tour with SGMFinnish pop singer Jenni Vartiainen rose to fame after winning the talent show Popstars in 2002 -- as part of a band -- and later launched her solo career in 2007. Now she is among the 50 best-selling recording artists of all time in Finland, and by the end of 2014 she will have performed more than 100 concerts this year alone. Lighting designer, Pasi "Pasu" Koivistoinen, has worked with the artist for four years. Latest project is her new album Terra, with the live tour that started in November 2013 and reached a staggering 33 summer festival gigs this year. In early 2013, Koivistoinen first approached local distributor Noretron Communication Ltd and its CEO Timo Kunnas to test some of SGM's fixtures in order to assess his possibilities regarding special strobe effects. These tests influenced rental company Uudenmaan Kiertuetekniikka Ltd to invest in six XC-5 RGB LED color strobes, ten P-5 wash light for the tour (and further eight TLD-612A touring LED drivers with Art-Net and 200 LB-100 LED Balls for different stage setups), while also supplying special integrated road cases and truss solutions for easy transport and set-up. By operating the SGM units for Jenni Vartiainen and stretching his creativity as designer, Koivistoinen now has nearly two years of experience with the unique LED fixtures. This is his perspective: "I am sort of a 'semi' old school guy when it comes to lighting, and the P-5 and the XC-5 were actually the first LED fixtures that I really wanted to have with me on tour." "The XC-5 is a perfect touring buddy. It doesn't consume much electricity and it obeys my commands. It changes the color when I tell it to, no more messing around with scrollers!" "I like to create big looks on stage with lots of colors; the P-5 is perfect for that job. They are pretty much the backbone of the show, providing the color and pulsating. The even spread and brightness that my six floor units, washing the drapes, are able to give is somewhat jaw dropping, while the four front/side P-5s, with narrow lenses, are perfect to color-wash the band and to give dramatic looks that I like." "The brightness of the white LEDs, while not having them in my colour mixes, allows me to use the P-5s almost as a two different fixtures -- for example having a smooth dark blue chase and on top of that a sharp beat with white LEDs. At the same time I do not have to worry about the rain at open air concerts as they are IP65 rated." "At every club, festival, or concert hall that we visit, I find my fellow lighting designers -- and even sound guys -- showing an interest in this product." 
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