Beyond the Darkside achieving success under a Martin lighting rig

The show uses over 100 Martin fixtures and Lighting Designer Athol Sargood is looking to increase this number in the near future. Athol states, “Pink Floyd’s live shows are some of the more complex displays of Intelligent lighting and split second control of large numbers of fixtures. Combined with intense sequencing it makes for a visually exciting experience for the audience, perfectly in time with the music.”

In 1991, an ambitious and visionary production appeared on the Australian touring circuit that promised to recapture some of the immense magic of Pink Floyd. “Floyd the Concept”, masterminded by Birmingham-born Kevin Hunt, set out to recreate the visual and intense sensory dimensions of a Pink Floyd concert experience, in a three-hour multi-media extravaganza of light, sound and special effects.

In 1995, Hunt presented an all-new homage to Pink Floyd entitled Beyond the Darkside, a massive production based upon Pink Floyd’s awesomely-successful Pulse tour.

Martin fixtures used on the ‘96 tour included 56 RoboScan 812s, 52 RoboScan 518s and, 3 PAL 1200s coupled with programing on 2 Pentium 133 computers running 5 Martin 3032 cards to produce 568 Cues and 613 Sequences. Martin’s Australian distributor Show Technology secured delivery of the lighting fixtures.

Refering to the 1996 show, LD Athol Sargood stated, “Martin Fixtures are the only Intelligent lights which are small enough, but still punch enough and have enough reliable effects to hang huge numbers of fixtures and still be able to rig it safely. Only with Martin fixtures (first used in ‘94) can I be confident that the fixtures will operate the first time straight out of their touring cases. Be it 200 km or 20,000 km RoboScans keep working. (Our fixtures were trucked over 60,000 km around Australia over some of the roughest roads and still look and operate like brand new fixtures.)

“Beyond the Darkside” is Hunt’s most challenging and ambitious production so far, and now employs one of the largest digital light shows to tour Australia. With 114 digital moving light fixtures, videos, pyrotechnics and a 5-watt, fully computerized, air-cooled laser. “Beyond the Darkside” presents a stunning rendition of a live Pink Floyd concert.

Lighting Director, Athol Sargood, has invested much of his time programming the intricate computerized lighting system, capturing both the subtle nuances and theatrical climaxes of “Floyd’s” music, and translating them into a visual symphony.

“Beyond the Darkside” leads it’s mesmerized audience on a pilgrimage through the essence of all that is Floyd. The show includes a spectacular 4.5 meter diameter circular video screen, surrounded by digital lights looming over the stage.

For co-producers Kevin Hunt and Athol Sargood, this latest production of “Beyond the Darkside” is the culmination of many years of hard work and enterprise, a continual refinement and reworking of ideas in order to present one of the most exciting and awe-inspiring productions to tour Australia. It is the embodiment of all that is Pink Floyd - haunting, exalting, serene, and passionate, and it’s coming soon to take you to the Dark Side of the Moon ... and Beyond.