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Vari-Lite’s VLHive Innovation Debuts on The Wombats Tour
As part of the creative brief, The Wombats asked Haigh – who’s worked with the band for over two years – to move away from video walls, while still delivering rich depth and high-impact visuals upstage. In response, Haigh harnessed the creative power of the VLHive 151 – a fully digital lighting fixture that merges high-output light, advanced beam shaping and digital image projection into a single compact unit.
Haigh employed six VLHive fixtures, evenly spaced upstage of a custom-made backdrop comprising sections of black gauze and used as a rear projection surface. They are interspersed with stage-wide, waves of brown fur, which provide a light responsive, textured backdrop – echoing the giant furry eye motif from The Wombats’ latest album cover.
Rosie Haigh
Business Development Manager, Vari-Lite
The VLHive 151, Vari-Lite’s newest innovation, is a digital FX powerhouse that combines 151 emitters, 45,000 lumens of output, pixel-level control and media server–like capabilities inside a moving head fixture. Designers can manipulate up to 140 shapes and 100 animations, layering video-like effects, gobos and color control without the need for additional gear.
With support for custom uploads, in addition to the broad set of built-in shapes and animations, Haigh has created numerous immersive narratives that delivered bold digital text cues including “1, 2, 3, Go!” and “Say No” rear projected across the gauze. By using rotating images, keystoning, polarization and color separation, Haigh also created layered scenes on a physical backdrop that include a blinking digital eyeball, with animation achieved using the VLHive’s all digital shutters.
To build a full-stage experience, Haigh paired the VLHive units with Vari-Lite VL2600 and VL3600 fixtures, supplied by Niclen Dry Hire via Adlib. These workhorses delivered sharp beams, saturated washes and rich animation effects, enhancing the overall atmosphere, while the VLHive projected the visual centerpiece upstage.
Despite the power under the hood, Haigh says the VLHive is straightforward to control. “The VLHive is intuitive to programme. Gobo, color, FX – everything is where you’d expect. Plus, the fixture only demands 84 DMX channels, which is wild given how much you can do with it.”
Haigh’s response to the VLHive has been enthusiastic: “I’ve got a long list of creative experiments I want to try. Designers will be excited to know this is a tool that evolves. It’s all digital, so Vari-Lite can easily implement new ideas from the field. This tour gave me a great opportunity to test the fixture’s creative potential, yet I feel I’ve barely scratched the surface.”
As The Wombats gear up for a packed summer of festival appearances, the VLHive 151 will be proving its value in real-world touring conditions. For Haigh, the debut is just the beginning: “I’m excited to show other designers what the VLHive can do and to hear their ideas. This fixture is an asset to any lighting creative’s toolbox – whether it’s touring, theater, broadcast or beyond.”
About Vari-Lite
Leveraging a rich legacy of innovation pioneering the entertainment industry’s most iconic lighting solutions, Vari-Lite offers an end-to-end portfolio of advanced, energy-efficient LED luminaires, data, architectural control, consoles, and power solutions that the world’s top lighting designers and consultants rely on to create unforgettable looks that amaze. This includes spectacular rock and roll shows, sporting events, moving dramatic performances, spiritual worship experiences, and memorable film and TV productions - at venues large and small.
Inventing the first modern moving head fixture for entertainment, Vari-Lite products have earned three Grammy awards, numerous patents and industry awards, and the devotion and respect of designers around the world. Our advanced, reliable, and intuitive solutions enable lighting designers to realize their creative vision.
About The Wombats
Formed in Liverpool, The Wombats are a chart-topping indie band known for their energetic performances and devoted global following. Their latest tour celebrates the release of Oh, The Ocean and sees them playing venues across the UK and Europe and festivals throughout the summer.
Vari-Lite Contact:
S. Kyle Davis
Sr. Manager, Product Marketing and Communications
Tel: +1 817 233 2961
E-mail: kyle.davis@signify.com
Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals, consumers and the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact systems and data-enabled services deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. In 2024, we had sales of EUR 6.1 billion, approximately 29,000 employees and a presence in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index since our IPO for eight consecutive years and have achieved the EcoVadis Platinum rating for five consecutive years, placing Signify in the top one percent of companies assessed. News from Signify can be found in the Newsroom, on X, LinkedIn and Instagram. Information for investors is located on the Investor Relations page.
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