Philips Vari-Lite Celebrates 30 Years at PLASA 2012

	Genesis Abacab tour wowed spectators with the first Vari-Lite Series 100 system comprising 50 VL1 luminaires.

It's been thirty years since the famous "eureka" moment that saw the first ever Vari-Lite luminaires roll of the production line and onto the world's stages. This moment opened the creative lighting designer's door to a world of automated moving light and color-change technology. This year, PLASA 2012, at Earls Court in London, September 9-12, Hall 1, stand BV 1 F-50, will see Philips Entertainment premier brand, Vari-Lite mark three dynamic, innovation-packed decades of moving light development.

"Live entertainment has changed dramatically since Showco (the company set up by Rusty Brutsché and Jack Maxson in 1970 and which subsequently became Vari-Lite) pioneered the first moving and color changing fixtures," explains vice president of worldwide sales and marketing for Philips Vari-Lite, Bob Schacherl. "It's hard to imagine that before Vari-Lite, concerts typically demanded up to 3,000 fixtures, each of which had to be manually focused and colored."

It all began back in the 70s when Showco engineers looked to develop an integral color changer for a lighting fixture. This resulted in the use of internal dichroic-coated glass filters and metal halide bulbs. Then came the idea of adding two extra motors to automate the fixture's movement. This "eureka" moment facilitated an all-out bid to develop a fully automated lighting system. The result? The now infamous VL Zero prototype; launched in December 1980.

The engineering team then travelled to London to show the prototype to Showco client, Genesis, a band renowned for being at the forefront of cutting-edge performance technology.

Genesis immediately agreed to invest in developing the luminaire and 30 years ago, on the opening night of the Abacab tour in a bullring in Barcelona, Genesis wowed spectators with the first Vari-Lite Series 100 system, which comprised 50 VL1 luminaires and a computerized control console.

That demonstration heralded the "Genesis" of brand new company -- Vari-Lite -- coined from a suggestion by Genesis manager Tony Smith. This breakthrough enabled lighting designers the world over to create lighting environments that electrified the lighting industry and began a revolution that continues to this day.

Today Vari-Lite manufactures complete lighting systems that continue to arm lighting designers with the tools to add subtle nuance or brilliant spectacle to any event.

The 2012 PLASA show will also see Vari-Lite show off the latest feature rich VL3015, VL3015LT, and VL3515 Spot luminaires. Built on the product features that made the VL3000 Spot and VL3500 Spot two of the most in-demand luminaires, the new VL3015, VL3015LT, and VL3515 Spot luminaires use the high output, double-ended 1,500W lamp to deliver sharp, clean beams and easy, precise focusing.

VL3015 and VL3515 Spot luminaires each feature a 6:1 zoom optics system, while the VL3015LT uses a 10:1 zoom optics system, with both variable frost and a rotating and index-able five-facet prism. All incorporate CYM color mixing, variable CTO color temperature correction, gobo/effects wheels, and ultra-fast strobe mechanisms.