Popular, chart-topping German teenage rockers Tokio Hotel have completed an extensive tour of the country using Robe ColorWash and ColorSpot 1200E AT fixtures at the core of their lighting rig. This has been promoting the launch of their energetic first album, "Schrei" (Scream).

The 24 ColorWash 1200E AT, 12 ColorSpot 1200E ATs, plus eighteen Robe StageBanner 10 ATs were specified by lighting designer Gunther Hecker. Hecker - also the inventor of the StageBanner - developed an attractive, flexible and unusual design with the 18 StageBanners, with each holding a reversible screen – black one side and white the other. The screen banners, each measuring 1 metre wide with a 10 metre drop, were all rigged off the back truss.

This overall design created a projection screen for custom produced video content that could either be displayed on a "standard" black background or onto the banners set at 90° - which had the effect of greatly increasing the perception of stage depth.

The design was based on three asymmetric, raked trusses, one on stage right and two on stage left, forming an ‘X’ shape, plus a straight front truss These all had ColorWash’s rigged on their undersides. The idea was to make the stage visually stimulating. The raked trusses also had the practical effect of creating an extremely dynamic focus and effects zone in which the moving lights directly attached to them could operate.

The ColorSpots were used on the front truss for highlighting and key lighting the band and for audience looks and other effects.

In some songs, where no visuals were used, the onstage truss fixtures washed the rear screens in different colors. The three asymmetrical trusses where also covered in screen material that took projections, and – as scenic pieces - they where illuminated by the ColorWashes on the rear truss.

Hecker comments that the Robes are very bright, have a good selection of colours, a fast strobe and are generally very reliable.

Hecker originally had the idea for the StageBanner towards the end of 2004 when he was planning the second part of a tour with Stuttgart-based hip hop band, Die Fantastischen Vier. He then approached Robe Show Lighting to produce this product for their 2005 tour – and Robe’s MD Josef Valchar immediately recognized its potential.

Lighting was programmed and operated by Lui Helmig and Marc Lorenz for the Tokio Hotel tour, using two Hog iPCs - for lighting and video. The video content was stored on an Arkaos media server and replayed via the lighting desk Three 10,000 ANSI lumen SHARP LCD Projectors were rigged at the FOH-Position for projection.

All lighting and visual equipment was supplied by Satis & Fy from Ascheberg.

For more press information contact marketing department ROBE Show Lighting on e-mail: [email protected]