The G-4 Wash-Beam Invented on Request from Robbie Williams' LD

When creating the plot for the Robbie Williams Heavy Entertainment Show Tour, or for that matter any other lighting design, lighting and production designer Mark Cunniffe is very much driven by the artist, for whom he is working.

"I try to achieve something out of the ordinary and wherever possible something thought provoking, but at the same time I stay clear of any approach that could be considered to be overpowering the performance. I still believe very strongly that the role of a lighting and production designer is to be supportive and sympathetic as opposed to overpowering. I consider myself to be nothing more than a support act for the main attraction," reports Cunniffe.

For this show, Cunniffe needed a reliable small moving head, but was unable to find the perfect match. In dialogue with SGM, visiting their headquarters in Denmark, he expressed his need, which set into motion an immediate development plan headed by CEO Peter Johansen.

"I needed a small, bright, PC lens wash light that would give me a great beam of light while in a IP65-rated housing. I have an aversion to light inside domes in outdoor situations, and the G-4 Wash-Beam was the perfect answer to my design parameters," Cunniffe states.

The technology was already created as the foundation of the majority of SGM's product portfolio, however, Mark Cunniffe's request brought the strings together for this product novelty.

"Our R&D department loves a challenge. We strive to make the perfect tools for lighting designers to create pieces of art. In this particular case, it was a great pleasure to fulfill Mark's need and a gap in the market. Seeing the result of his design vision, I am proud that SGM has played a small part as a means to accomplishment," comments Johansen.

When Robbie Williams is currently on his Heavy Entertainment Show Tour, his stage is packed with powerful SGM luminaires. All of them are based on LED technology, and even though Cunniffe has always embraced LED technology with both hands, it was not the reason why he chose the SGM luminaires. "I chose them because they are bright, reliable, and IP65-rated," he says.

"Outdoor touring in Europe is fraught with difficulties, not least weather related issues. I wanted a majority of my lighting fixtures to be IP65-rated and that's why 70-percent of my fixtures have this feature," he elaborates.

To accomplish his vision for the show, Mark Cunniffe deployed a staggering 170 G-4 Wash-Beams, 180 SixPacks, and 196 Q-7. As for where they are mounted, the answer is clear: "Everywhere!"