Tag Archives: club DJ

DJ Profile: Light & Sound

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Light & Sound, aka Samuel McGee and Cameron Hall, is a DJ/VJ duo who live in Meridian, Miss. and perform at house parties and venues throughout Mississippi and Alabama. They specialize in Electronic House and Dubstep and describe their shows as, “an intense array of lights and lasers accompanied by some of the grimiest bass known to mankind.” Read on and get to know more about this dynamic duo.

1. How and when did you get started as a DJ/VJ?
We started out in February 2012 when Hall (who is now Sound) tried to DJ and VJ at the same time. I (McGee) noticed he was having some difficulty doing both at the same time, so I asked if he needed help and here we are six months later having the times of our lives.



2. Is this a full-time job or something you do on the side?
This is not a full time job for either of us at the moment — though we would like it to be one day. Hall works as a safety manager for H&M Construction and I’m an assistant manager at Chance and Dooleys.

3. What fixtures are included in your setup?
Our setup includes the following CHAUVET® DJ gear: one MotionFacade™ LED drape, one Scorpion™ Storm FXRG and one Scorpion™ GVC laser, one LED Shadow™ blacklight, one Derby™ X and two 4PLAY™ effect lights, two COLORpalette™ wash lights, two Intimidator™ Scan LED 200 scanners and an Obey™ 70 http://www.chauvetlighting.com/obey-70.html DMX controller. We are hoping to add more lights to our setup so our shows continually change and grow.

4. What is your favorite fixture and why?
I like them all so much, so it’s hard to pick a favorite. However, if I had to pick, it would be the Scorpion™ Storm FXRG. This laser is perfect for electronic music and it demands attention. The strobe effect accompanies some of the snarling sounds you hear in Dubstep perfectly. 4PLAY™ comes in at a close second. This fixture allows me to match the strobe effect with the BPM in the song.

5. Best advice you can give someone just getting started in the industry?
Read the lighting manuals and practice as often as possible. There are many ways to control the lights — you just have to figure out what works best for you. Also, if possible, go with LEDs over halogen bulbs. Even though they are a bit pricier, you will find yourself saving time and money in the long run.

6. What are your top three most requested songs?
“Cage the Rage” by Zomboy, “Firepower” by Datsik, and “Hello” by Porter Robinson.

Status Update – Chauvet Showroom Makeover

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Remember when we announced our redesigning the showroom at Chauvet headquarters project? We have an update – the design is complete, the TRUSST® trussing system is secure and all 226 fixtures are mounted. The design features a combination of CHAUVET® DJ and CHAUVET® Professional fixtures. In addition to wash lights, pixel-mapping fixtures, moving heads and effect lights, the entire Intimidator™, Scorpion™ and SlimPAR™ Pro series, as well as the VIP™, COLORado™ and Q™ series all have a home in the showroom. Now that every fixture is in its place, all we have to do is program them…all 226 of them! In the meantime, check out some updated photos.

CHAUVET® DJ Stage at MBLV17 Showcases TRUSST® Kits

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Rob Base performs on the CHAUVET DJ Stage at MBLV17


During MBLV17, attendees crowded around the CHAUVET® DJ stage to see live
performances from celebrities such as Rob Base and Cupid.  The stage featured the new TRUSST® Goal Post Kit with the MotionDrape™ LED and five COLORband™ PiX-M mounted to it.

To create colorful aerial effects, six Intimidator™ Beam LED 350 moving heads were mounted atop six TRUSST® totems warmed with SlimPAR™ Quad 6 IRC wash lights. Check out some stage photos and tune in for a video explaining TRUSST® mobile trussing solutions.


CHAUVET® DJ Captivates MBLV17

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With little time to recuperate from The NAMM Show 2013, the Chauvet team packed their bags and traveled to Las Vegas for MBLV17. To best showcase the latest in LED technology and portable gear, the team built a 20-by-30 foot booth using nearly 150 pieces of TRUSST®.  Attendees got hands on with newly released gear including new 100% wireless Freedom™ wash lights, the battery-operated EZ™ series, Core™ 3×3 pixel mapping fixtures and the powerful LFS-75DMX framing spot. Additionally, Jeff Greene, owner of 84 West Studios, and the CHAUVET® DJ team delivered a seminar filled with tips for mobile entertainers to earn the most profit at every gig by upselling lighting and special effects. Check out a few photos we snapped at the show and click here to view the complete album.

 

 

CHAUVET® DJ Launches New Gear at NAMM 2013

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CHAUVET® DJ introduced nearly 30 new products designed for mobile entertainers at The NAMM Show 2013. The 60-by-30 foot Chauvet booth was contstructed using nearly 300 pieces of TRUSST® — the versatile, easy-to-use trussing system backed by Chauvet. Showstoppers included four new Freedom™ wireless DMX wash lights, the battery-operated EZ™ series, BEAMbar™, Intimidator™ Spot Duo and Intimidator™ Spot LED 450 moving heads, Core™ pixel-mapping fixtures, plus two mobile trussing solutions, TRUSST® Arch Kit and Goal Post Kit. Take a look at the photos we took at the show and click here to check out all the new gear. To view the complete photo album, click here – don’t forget to “like” us!

(L-R) SlimPAR™ 56, Freedom™ Par Quad-5, EZpar™ 64 RGBA, EZrail™ RGBA

Intimidator™ Spot Duo

 

Core™ 3x3 and Nimbus™

DJ Profile: DJ Kreations

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Kenneth “KC” Ham, aka DJ Kreations, is a 28 year old audiophile from Kansas City who has always loved music. He grew up playing the drums in a band, then joined some bands, tried recording, and moved on to DJing. He has a love for music that he enjoys sharing with people. Read on and get to know more about your fellow DJ.

1. How and when did you get started as a DJ? What types of events do you do?
While attending college at Missouri State University, I happen to play music and supply audio equipment during a large mansion party. There happen to be several promoters, as well as bar and club managers, in attendance who asked me to start working at their venues. After college, I moved back to the Kansas City area and started a career as a video editor. As my college friends started getting married, I was asked to work their receptions. This lead to more and more business and developed into what it is today. I do a lot of wedding receptions, private parties and corporate and non-profit events

2. Is this a full-time job or something you do on the side?
I have always worked the technical side of events including theater, live event, film, TV and some radio. DJing started taking up too much of my time so I have since made it my full-time job.

3. What fixtures are included in your setup?
My setup includes the following CHAUVET® fixtures: COLORdash™ Batten, Double Derby™ X, Derby™ X, two LED Techno Strobe™ strobe lights, one Hurricane™ 1100 and DMX-4 LED. I am looking to add a blue or purple laser and two more LED Techno Strobe™ strobe lights to my collection. I would also like to update all of my dance effect lights.

4. What is your favorite fixture and why?
My favorite fixture has always been the COLORdash™ Batten because of its size, output and versatility. I use this fixture the same way most DJs use a group of PAR can-style fixtures. It is programmed to chase and run programs. The output of the COLORdash™ Batten is amazing — it replaced all of my PARs so I only use one fixture on a light tree. Depending on the size of the event, I might add some additional fixtures to keep up with it.

5. Best advice you can give someone just getting started in the DJ industry?
Don’t cheap out on used, out-of-date equipment. These days, equipment is cheap enough that you can constantly add as your income allows you to. I wasted a lot of money changing equipment, so do your research, get quality equipment, and take care of it because it will take care of you.

6. What are your top three most requested songs?
My top three most requested songs currently are “Sexy and I Know It” by LMFAO, “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz and “Back in Time” by Pitbull.

DJ Bill Lyons and his Intimidator™ Movers

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Bill Lyons is a DJ in the Bangor, Maine area who recently added two CHAUVET® DJ Intimidator™ Spot LED 150 moving heads to his setup. He owns his own business, DJ Bill Lyons, and caters to the area from Bar Harbor all the way up to Millinocket. He specializes in weddings, but holiday parties, school dances and clubs make up a lot of his gigs. Read on to see why this DJ added Intimidator™ Spot LED 150 moving heads to his setup and how he feels about their performance.

1. Why did you select a CHAUVET® DJ fixture?
I have always trusted Chauvet. I have quite a few CHAUVET® DJ fixtures in my setup including: two Intimidator™ Spot LED 150 moving heads, 12 CHAUVET® DJ SlimPAR™ 64 wash lights, two CHAUVET® DJ LED Pinspot™ 360 fixtures and two CHAUVET® DJ Hurricane™ F-800 fog machines. To create effects, I also have a CHAUVET® DJ Cubix™, two CHAUVET® DJ Derby™ X, two CHAUVET® DJ Obsession™ LED and two CHAUVET® DJ Slasher™ effect lights. I use an CHAUVET® DJ Obey™ 40 DMX controller to control all my fixtures, but I would love to have the CHAUVET® DJ ShowXpress™ software.

2. Why did you decide to add Intimidator™ Spot LED 150 moving heads to your setup?
It was exactly what I was looking for — a bright moving yoke that was compact, lightweight and not too heavy.

3. What specific features were you looking for?
I wanted a moving yoke that would work perfectly in the venues I play in. I wanted it to be easy to control and operate with amazing coverage.

4. What do you like best/least about Intimidator™ Spot LED 150?
I like the size and speed of the moving yoke. If I was able to add a feature, I would like this fixture to include changeable gobos.

5. Do you feel it’s easy to operate?
These fixtures are very easy to operate.

6. Would you recommend this fixture, why or why not?
Absolutely. They are the main focus of my light show. I really love all the effects this light projects. They are bright, fun to use and I never get bored with them.

CHAUVET® DJ Transforms the Blue Room

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The owner of a multi-million dollar beachfront estate in Laguna Beach, Calif. enjoys entertaining so much that he transformed one of the rooms in his home into a miniature club. Nicknamed the “Blue Room,” the miniature club features an enormous flat panel TV for video, movies and karaoke, a state-of-the-art audio system, an automated touch panel control system, a wine cellar and bar, an underwater view into the patio hot tub, priceless ocean views and a light show created with CHAUVET® DJ gear.

Red Fish Illuminations lighting designer Doug Northeim specified a Scorpion™ GBC laser, an Intimidator™ 1.0 scanner and a DIAMONDstrip™ strobe light to transform the 25-by-25 foot space. To meet the owner’s needs, Northeim created a high energy dance club effect that can play all night long without getting monotonous — all with the touch of a button.

“Architecturally speaking, the room is clean lined and pure, so the simplicity lends to a wide range of energy states,” Northeim said. “It can go from a soothing underwater glow and ripple effect, complete with actual ocean waves from the beach outside brought in via microphone, or it can be a high energy dance club with a fully automated video, audio, and lighting system. The CHAUVET® DJ fixtures transform the space. The innocently simple space, which might be used for a formal wine tasting party, can instantly transform into a high energy club when the guests are ready to take the party to the next level.

Update – MiN™ on the Move

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Do you recall the post about Justin Polachek and the laser show in his car? To create the show, Polacheck initally installed MiN™ Laser RGX and MiN™ Laser FX lasers in his black, tricked out 2010 Scion xB.

Since the original post, Polacheck added a third MiN™ Laser and a Hurricane™ 700 fog machine to enhance his laser show. The additional laser projects effects onto the dashboard and can point out any of the four doors or rear hatch. The spot-mounted Hurricane™ 700 fits perfectly under the front passenger seat and operates off of a 1,000-watt power inverter. Additionally, he spent more than 150 hours hand soldering  RGB LED strips. The strips, which are mounted in 3/8 polycarbonate tubing, are located under the dash, as well as the front and rear seats, to light the footwells. He also installed LED strips in the two central AC vents located on either side of the stereo where a solid mirror creates an infinity LED effect. Check out the latest photos below.

Viva Las Vegas with CHAUVET® DJ

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Are you attending The Las Vegas DJ Show September 9 – 12 at the Las Vegas Resort Hotel and Casino? Make sure you stop by the CHAUVET® DJ booth (417) to see the latest, must-have DJ gear in action. Check out the powerful wash emitted by the 100% TRUE wireless Freedom™ series, which features battery power, infrared remote control (IRC) capability and built-in wireless DMX, and watch as the Nimbus™ professional dry-ice machine floods the show floor with thick, low-lying clouds.

On September 10 at 1 p.m. in Pavilion 2, grab a seat as Randy Bartlett, producer of The 1% Solution series, and Mike Anderson, Wedding Entertainment Director™, deliver How’d They Do That ?, a seminar filled with tips to create effects that will wow your clients and guests. The duo will share their ideas and help you stand out from the crowd of typical DJs. The seminar incorporates the easy-to-use Freedom™ series as well as a Nimbus™ demonstration.  Don’t miss out.