Band Lighting Rig

[MarkBarl]

I am looking for some lighting for a 3 piece blues band. It needs to be stand alone, possible foot switch control, preferably music controlled. I was thinking in terms of 2 T bar stands with 8 Par cans (4 a side) and some kind of controller. Budget is very limited around £200 although could possibly go a bit higher for the right kit. I am looking on Ebay and have seen a couple of sets that I am watching. Do you think that this is the correct lighting to go for? Are there alternatives I should consider? Is there anywhere else that I should be looking for them? Or am I dreaming on that budget?

 

Many thanks.

[Badger_Mushroom]

http://www.decks.co.uk/products/kam/LED_Pa...Lighting_System is the best bet, but that is going to set you back £579 (inc VAT), so well over budget. Saw these at PLASA and they all fold down into two little carry bags.

 

To be perfectly honest, for £200, unless you get something good second hand on Ebay like you say, it's not really enough to make a 'decent' lighting effect; but that is just my opinion.

[Smiley]

LED pars would be ok for effect but I think they would be poor in terms of illumination. Using these combined with some small gelled fresnel wash lights positioned to stay on and illuminate the band front & rear would help greatly maybe using 500 to 650w lamps. Standard par cans will illuminate greater than the LED's.

[adam2]

Suggest keeping the total load to 3,000 watts or less, since in many smaller venues a 13 amp socket may be all that is available.

If 8 pars are to be used, that means mainly 300 watt lamps with perhaps a couple of 500 watt lamps.

 

As others point out, LED PARs are not as bright, they do however use very little power, and if you go the LED route, then finance to puchase the lanterns is likely to be the limiting factor, not power.

[KidRay]

You could look at the NJD Quartet, they are about £300 a pair, but you may find them cheaper, or second-hand.

http://www.djkit.co.uk/product.php?id=2832&cat=282

 

Or, just to throw in a wacky idea, you could have a couple of decent LEDs for front lighting, and a couple of disco style effect lights at the back (Like the Acme MiracLed) which would certainly make your show stand out from the usual 8 parcan set up, although this would be much more effective with some smoke/haze (since the smoking ban pubs and clubs no longer come with built in haze!).