Clay Paky delivers ‘unbelievable brightness’ to Formula One weekend
Bahrain – Lighting designer Sonu A.B has used a wide array of Clay Paky fixtures to deliver vibrant festival-size looks for the huge Formula One Gulf Air Grand Prix weekend in Bahrain.
Taking place at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, the two-day event saw Showtech Bahrain hire Sonu as head of lighting for the event, supplying 30 Clay Paky Mythos, 48 A.leda B-EYE K10 and K20, 30 Alpha Spot HPE 700, 40 Sharpy, 12 Alpha Beam 1500 and six Alpha Profile 1500 for his versatile and bold design. On the first day there were Arabic music performances from such world-class artists as Abdull Rowaishaid and Amar Zain whilst Brazilian pop sensation Pitbull headlined the whole weekend.
“My brief was to design a rig that worked for each of the bands’ requirements and that would make a massive impact,” explains Sonu. “It was an international event showcase with the aim of really putting Bahrain on the map so I chose fixtures that I knew would deliver some huge looks.”
Sonu rigged the Clay Paky fixtures, including the award-winning Mythos and B-EYEs, in the large curved roof of the outdoor stage, keeping in mind the varying angles.
“The Mythos were perfect for this project, with their unbelievable brightness and wide beams which meant they really held their own against the giant LED screen,” continues Sonu. “In addition, I love the wide array of gobos they offer and their colour definition is unreal.”
The Mythos is a highly advanced form of hybrid light. For this event, Sonu used it in its 470-watt spotlight mode which produces an outstandingly large light beam, featuring a zoom that ranges from 4° to 50°.
“I used the B-EYEs’ rotating lens effects for general eye-candy and to add that extra oomph to the LED screen,” says Sonu. “I have always been a big fan of Clay Paky products, it is a brand based on true innovation and quality with the fixtures never failing to provide smooth fades and amazing colour mixing. The Mythos and B-EYE really made Bahrain F1 shine on the world platform.”