The fixtures – which include 95 of Robe’s brand new ROBIN Pointes, together with  52 x LEDWash 600s, 40 x LEDWash 300s, 12 x LEDWash 1200s, and 50 x MMX Spots – were delivered by Robe’s Mexican distributor Vari Internacional – and constitute the biggest sale yet of Robe fixtures to Mexico.

Robe’s Sales Director Harry von den Stemmen, Regional Sales Manager for Latin America Guillermo Traverso and Bram de Clerck from Benelux distributor Controllux all played key roles in making the deal happen, demonstrating great international teamwork and reinforcing the excellent service for which Robe is renowned.

Procolor’s CEO Javier Barba had been considering an investment in Robe fixtures for some time for the company’s rental stock, several demonstrations had already taken place, and both he and his technicians were very impressed with Robe’s latest technology.

They then landed the contract to supply technical production to the massive Fernandez world tour – scheduled to run for at least two years. Barba is also part of Fernandez’s production team, and had been impressed with Corthout’s work on a number of other high profile Latin American artists including Juanes, Miguel Bosé and Juan Luis Guerra, so asked him on-board to design lighting for the tour.

Alain Corthout teamed up with designer Ignace d’Haese and creative practice Arf & Yes (also from Belgium) to produce the show’s stunning visuality and develop all the different custom elements.

Very serendipitously, Corthout and d’Haese had also specified a rig containing ALL Robe moving lights following demos from Controllux!

Originally they had planned to use a competitors product, but after seeing the newly launched Pointe perform ‘in-situ’, they were convinced that this was the key fixture they needed to make the design rock.

The fact that it has a good zoom and can be a beam as well as a spot fixture with multiple possibilities … was the deciding factor.

They then replaced all the other wash lights on the rig with Robe’s LEDWashes for continuity.

Says Guillermo Traverso, “Procolor is a reference company for everyone in Mexico and not only in the lighting industry – they are making a serious statement with this purchase! It also reflects  the general growth and perception of Robe in Latin America and is the achievement of much hard work and foresight on the part of Vari Internacional”.

The 95 Pointes were delivered to automation and stage technology solutions specialist WiCreations in Belgium where they were built into a series of lighting pods which are integrated with a Kinesys motion control system.

Each Pod carries three Pointes, and a total of 30 pods – each in drops of five deep - are integrated into six moving elements which change positions constantly – up and down and cross-tracking - throughout the show.

Three of the Pointes have been modified and are used as follow spots on the show, one mounted over-stage on the truss and two at the FOH position, with the iris and colour change functions controlled from the main lighting console. All the operators have to do is point. 

All the LEDWashes and MMX Spots were freighted directly to Mexico.

Robe and Vari Internacional arranged comprehensive training sessions for all of Procolor’s technicians and crew, and Robe’s Technical Support Manager Steve Eastham visited the tour’s production rehearsals in Guadalajara to ensure that everything ran like clockwork ahead of a truly amazing first gig last week at the Telmex Arena in Zapopan, Guadalajara.

José Alberto García Ramirez, Lighting Sales engineer from Vari Internacional comments, “We are all very excited and really proud that Robe is on the tour.

This will provide a worldwide showcase for the products as well as Procolor setting standards for other rental companies in the country to follow”.

Harry von den Stemmen concludes, “I am delighted that Alain and Ignace specified the Robe products and that Procolor chose to invest in them. All the lighting professionals in Mexico are now looking at this tour and it will enhance Robe’s presence enormously. Vari have done a brilliant job from the commercial aspect, in constructing the deal and shaping the package, sorting the logistics and supporting the client locally”.

Photo Credits: Efrain Alvarado