When artists Ice Cube, Zedd and Kaskade performed during the 2018 X Games at Minneapolis Armory, the lighting would play key roles in each musical act. X Games producer ESPN turned to integrator Slamhammer which, in turn, delivered memorable stage lighting with Harman Professional Solutions’ Martin Lighting Fixtures.
[related]The 2018 Summer X Games were held at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis and boasted three nights of official concerts at the 8,400-capacity Minneapolis Armory. Slamhammer was tasked with deploying a world-class lighting rig on the Geico Music Stage at the Armory.
Slamhammer selected a full complement of Martin Lighting Fixtures for their versatile features, reliable performance and vibrant colors.
“Zedd’s lighting designer uses 200 or more fixtures for his show, so it’s a real testament to Martin Lighting Fixtures that he was able to get everything he needed from a fraction of the lights he originally requested,” says Marty Lesmeister, Slamhammer.
“It’s a privilege to be involved with an event as iconic as the X Games for the second year in a row,” says Marty Lesmeister, lighting department manager, Slamhammer.
“ESPN asked us to put together an impressive lighting rig that could handle the demands of a high-energy concert at an extreme sports event, while staying within a reasonable budget.
“We went with the Martin rig because it’s flexible and powerful enough to deliver impressive results with a modest number of fixtures. Everyone was really satisfied with the rig.
“Zedd’s lighting designer uses 200 or more Martin Lighting Fixtures for his show, so it’s a real testament to Martin fixtures that he was able to get everything he needed from a fraction of the lights he originally requested.
“These performances were fly dates for all three acts too, so it was crucial that the lighting designers were comfortable with the Martin Lighting Fixtures and could get in and get out without sacrificing quality and speed on the programming and performance side of things.”
Slamhammer supplied the Geico Music Stage at the Armory with a Martin rig consisting of:
- 12 MAC Viper Profile spot fixtures
- 30 MAC Aura wash fixtures
- 21 Atomic 3000 DMX strobe fixtures
The flexibility, programmability and reliability of these rider-friendly fixtures are highly valued by lighting designers throughout the industry, enabling the Slamhammer team to satisfy the lighting requirements of all three headlining artists without having to make changes to the rig between performances, according to a Harman press release.
“We basically used the same lighting rig for all three artists—the only things that moved were floor packages on the actual stage,” says Patrick O’Brien, lighting technician, Slamhammer.
“Everyone was really happy with the Martin rig in the air, so the trusses stayed the exact same each night, which makes our job that much easier. That’s the great thing about working with Martin—they’re extremely well-known and have a solid reputation for doing the job well. We know that every lighting director will have zero problems when they walk in and see Martin Lighting Fixtures on the rig.”
