Townsville based production company Wild Gravity caters to a wide variety of clients with events ranging considerably in size. Consequently managing director Noel Anthony decided to invest in a ’family‘ of lighting control consoles and with its ease of use and visual interface the Vista was the ideal choice.

The company already owned a Vista M1 Control Surface and an S1 Control Surface when Noel decided to purchase a Vista I3 Console late last year. The Vista I3 is a mid-range console with two video outputs suitable for pen-tablets, touchscreens, or standard monitors.

“It‘s the same platform for us whether we‘re taking out our little M1 with five faders on it or a larger one – you only have to learn one system to do small or large jobs,” commented Noel. “We just love the whole time line aspect of the Vista consoles and the fact that they are very visual. I sold one to a mate a couple of years ago and it has never broken down on him so I thought that‘s good enough for me! He‘s travelled all around the world with it and it has been rock solid.”

Noel particularly likes the Vista‘s fixture editor which lets him create and add new fixtures to the library especially as he recently purchased some fixtures from a new supplier. “In fact I made a library for a fixture before it even arrived and the minute I plugged it in it worked perfectly,” he said. “I was very impressed by that. All its attributes were as they should be and it‘s very easy to edit your own fixture.”

Noel also says that his operators are usually very keen to learn about Vista especially as they “don‘t have to choke on a manual to get some basics done on it‘!”

Norwegian Lighting designer Roy Arne Wold is using a Jands Vista T2 console, with the next generation Vista v2 software, to control lighting and video on the current “Hellbillies” tour.

The Hellbillies are a country rock band – with slightly more emphasis on the rock than the country – and among Norway’s most popular recording artists, with 12 albums under their belts and a large and loyal live following.

Just before embarking on the tour, Roy decided to upgrade to the new Vista v2 software, which he says “takes the entire Vista control system into a whole new league”.

On this year’s tour, they are carrying a ‘specials’ package of lighting and video, which is supplemented with each days locally provided house rig.

The touring rig consists of eight Robe ColorSpot 700E ATs, twelve Robe ColorWash 575AT Zooms, four Martin Atomic strobes, eight Active Sunstrips and eight panels of 30mm pitch LED screen, together with 48 dimmer channels.

At each venue, they connect the house rig into the T2 and use Vista v2‘s second generation generic fixture model to automatically swap the show programming to fit that days fixture types, saving time and ensuring that they are able to consistently deliver the same high quality show.

The T2 is also triggering the touring Hippo Critter media server which stores and plays back all the content for the video panels.

One of the many features that Roy particularly likes about Vista v2 is the way the console interfaces seamlessly with media servers, with all the media clips displayed as easily viewable thumbnails on the desk. “It’s great to be able to see and do everything on the desk, and not have to refer to the server at all” he says.

Other v2 highlights for Roy are the ease at which you can add split timings to a cue, and the powerful search functions, whereby you just type in the first digits of what you are looking for and it will be found instantly.

“I love the layout” he says, referring generally to the v2 interface. “I can see so much information simultaneously and can create my show so fast”.

Roy and his company Raw Light‘s investment in the T2 has proved to be an excellent commercial move for an independent LD, and guarantees that he can have his desk of choice on all his shows!

Roy comments that he has always experienced excellent, knowledgeable and helpful service from both Jands and their Norwegian distributors Norsk Sceneteknikk As.

Vista v2 was designed from the ground up to allow all levels of user to get the most from whatever mix of technology they have available, whether lighting, LED, or media. Available in a wide range of hardware Vista v2 offers both the simplicity to work quickly, with the power to control the finest details, so everyone can focus on creating a great looking show rather than on programming a desk.

Jands Europe‘s Neil Vann said “Shows of all sizes and styles really benefit from using Vista v2. It has the right balance of power and simplicity to ensure that it is fast to use, while allowing the user to create exactly what is demanded on stage. Take a look for yourself and see what this exciting next generation of control can offer you.”

A Vista T2 lighting console running the new v2 software was used to control all the moving, conventional and LED lighting on the main stage at the 31st Vienne Jazz Festival in France. A Vista i3 console, also running the v2 software, acted as a tracking backup.

The main stage for the glamorous 31st edition of the legendary two week Jazz festival was located in the magical Le Theatre Roman, a near 8,000 capacity amphitheatre in the centre of the picturesque town, formally one of the largest urban theatres of the Roman Empire.

The eclectic line up featured high-profile international touring stars including Jamie Cullum, Bootsy Collins, Sonny Rollins, Al Jarreau, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, the Brooklyn Funk Essentials and many more.

The lighting equipment was supplied by Lyon based rental company GL Events. The main stage production lighting design was created by Christophe Paillet and Matthieu Aufort, with Christophe acting as the main programmer and operator.

With the stellar musical line up, the pressure of daily live TV broadcasts from the festival, and many season ticketholders attending multiple shows, the lighting design had to be versatile and variable enough for each artist to have a distinctive look and feel to their set.

It was the first time that GL Events had used the Jands Vista platform, having only recently taken delivery of six new consoles from Jands’ French distributor – Montpelier based ESL. After a little training, they were confident that the time was right to use the speed and flexibility of the Jands Vista v2 software on this high profile event.

Says Christophe, “Each day Vista v2 helped us in our creative process. The effects in particular that are available with Vista enabled us to effectively have a new lighting rig each day.” He adds that even after two weeks of solid re-programming, he and his team were not running out of either ideas or options, and the Vista kept delivering precisely what they were looking for.

GL Events were ready to place an order for new consoles with another manufacturer until ESL suggested that they should take a look at Vista v2. After they had a demo, and then conducted some in depth tests with the Vista, they were so impressed that they ordered two Vista T2 consoles and four Vista I3s. They are delighted with their choice. “It is very powerful and is intuitive, quick and easy to set up and programme” says Christophe of the version 2 software.

Christophe further comments that the service from ESL and also from Jands themselves has been excellent. ESL were “super-active” in ensuring that GL Events received their consoles in time for the Vienne Jazz Festival – for which they also supplied lighting to several other stages and venues.

The lighting rig for the Le Theatre Roman stage was a mix of moving heads from Clay Paky, Martin Professional, Robe and VARI*LITE – about 70 in total. There were 20 Starway MiniKolor LED units and 12 LED PARs, plus a wide selection of generics including 2Kw fresnels, assorted profiles and 20 Sunstrips – all controlled from the Vista T2.

Christophe really enjoyed working on the Vista consoles and comments, “The v2 software really gives the Vista range the potential to become one of the most specified and successful consoles, especially if Jands keeps developing its software along this same trajectory. It is so quick and easy to programme.”

Olivier Torres from ESL adds, “Vista v2 is indeed a huge jump forward. You can now control moving heads, conventionals, LED and digital sources, and all types of video and media inputs in the same style and with the same functionality – very quickly and straightforwardly!”

Jands Europe‘s Neil Vann says “The guys at GL Events are so pleased that they took a look at Vista v2 before buying anything else, and we are not surprised that they were so impressed with what they saw. Vista v2 offers the power found in top level consoles, but the simplicity to make it accessible. This gives companies the freedom to get the most utilisation from their consoles on a wide range of style and scale of show with multiple levels of operator.”

GL Events is delighted with its Vista purchase. After the success of the Vienne festival they are already specified on upcoming high profile events including EQUITA, a huge equestrian and agricultural show in October, and the world famous Lyon Fêtes des Lumières (City of Light) festival taking place in December.