If “mayday” doesn’t mean more to you than a word for an emergency distress signal then you may have just missed out on one of the biggest parties of the year - Mayday 2010 - the largest German indoor-event for electronic music.

During the evening hours of April 30th, more than 23,000 ravers gathered in Westfalenhalle in Dortmund and danced the night away to over 50 top national and international acts. This year’s motto was “You make my day” with four large dance floors packed with partiers peacefully welcoming in May 1st.

Responsible for setting the scene for the spectacular event was assigned, for the first time, to EBS Lights of Limburg. Mario Kommorofski, project leader at EBS, came up with a terrific design, shaping the front light as discontinued circular elements and the overhead light as a gigantic propeller, completed by circles and side lines. Light circles composed of large “energy spools” floated up and down and back and forth above the crowd. The circles were the main lighting element and encompassed more than 300 fixtures.

“My first choice, of course, was to rely on Martin fixtures,” Kommorofski commented. “First of all, because we carry a large stock of moving heads, strobes and other equipment from Martin Professional and the brand is largely available on the German rental market. Secondly, because the fixtures not only look good with their fantastic design but are also robust and reliable and able to do their job many hours in a row without a breakdown.”

More than 150 Martin fixtures gave the impressive rig its special shape: 36 MAC III Profiles™, 24 MAC 700 Washes™, 38 MAC 700 Profiles™, 24 MAC 250 Entours™, 24 MAC 250 Washes™ (some were MAC 250 Beam™ upgrades), 12 Atomic 3000™ strobes, 16 Atomics with Atomic Colors™ scrollers, and 24 MAC 401 Dual™ LED washlights.

Kommorofski explains, “About the MAC III, besides its gobo range and the effect engine, I especially appreciate its brightness and light intensity. This fixture really enlightens your space! On the other hand, with a MAC 250 Beam upgrade kit you can easily transform a regular MAC 250 Wash into a beamer with a very fine beam. Other advantages are the low cost and reduced weight and also the fast moving head of the MAC 250 Wash. I had a special application for these fixtures.”

One of the newest members of the Martin moving head family, the MAC 401 Dual LED washlight, makes all new looks possible with an innovative double-sided design for use as a double washlight or beam reflective mirror.

“I chose the second possibility and spotlighted the mirror side of my MAC 401s with the MAC 250 Beam,” Kommorofski says. “In so doing, I was able to alternatively have a fast wash light or a strong profile coming from the same spot in the rig. This, of course, is a fantastic effect by itself and I didn’t need to use some of the other features of the MAC 401 Dual like the individual LED segment control.”

The gigantic, free-floating energy spools, a large energy field behind the DJ, an impressive laser show, perfect sound and last but not least, the music all created a very special atmosphere and unforgettable event for the animated crowd. Performers included superstars Svän Väth, Paul van Dyk, Armin van Buren, as well as newcomer Markus Schulz and many others.

Concept, Design, Management: EBS-lights Veranstaltungstechnik GmbH
Content design: looplight GmbH
Technical management & design: Mario Kommorofski (EBS)
Project assistant: Andreas Schommer (EBS)
Sound management: Tim Ehrenfried (EBS)
Light management: Jan-Philipp Pryss (EBS)
Operator / Light: Benedikt Moser (EBS)
Operator / Video: Matt Finke, Timo Weinhold (LL)
Rigging: Eric Schumacher (EBS) in Zusammenarbeit with Fa. DART
C1 technology / Operator: Sven “Jimmy” Lange (Cyberhoist/RCL)
Stage setting: Markus Hofmann (EBS)
Video technology LED System: Jens Heubach (curveLED®/tennagels)
Laser technology: Daniel Brune, Laserfabrik
Organizer: i-Motion GmbH