NBA All-Star Game and Jam Session

The National Basketball Association’s annual All-Star Game is a growing spectacle and one of the most watched sporting events of the year. Over the years it has grown into much more than a basketball game however with associated events, activities and parties spanning an entire week. This year’s game, broadcast on television station TNT, took place in Denver, Colorado on February 20th with an associated All-Star Jam Session surrounding the game.

NBA All-Star Jam Session
The All-Star Jam Session, presented by Nokia, was held at the Colorado Convention Center over a six day period and featured interactive basketball activities and the opportunity to rub elbows with legendary and current basketball stars.

Lighting company Upstaging provided Martin MAC 2000 Profiles and the ease of a Martin wireless DMX setup for several areas, as well as other gear. Upstaging representative, master electrician and programmer Steve Wojda used the Martin WDMX system together with Martin Ether2DMX boxes at the entrance to the Jam Session area to connect and set up the lighting system. Above the red carpet entry at a trim height of 28 feet hung 12 MAC 2000 Profiles used to project custom made NBA, Jam Session and Denver Nuggets logos. “The Martin WDMX system allowed us to save on money by not having to rent other desks and by reducing the amount of cable involved,” Steve commented.

A Martin WDMX system was also used at a

Center Court

area, again with 12 MAC 2000 Profiles with custom gobos, as well as at an Autograph Stage and

Dream Court

area. The entrance to the

Center Court

also featured automated lighting with custom gobos. Steve reports that the event went smoothly and the whole system - including control from a Martin Maxxyz with Maxxyz Wing - worked well with no hiccups.

NBA All-Star Game
The All-Star competition itself was much more than a basketball game. Held at the Pepsi Center in Denver, pre-game and halftime shows featured elaborate player introductions and top entertainers like LeAnn Rimes, Beyonce and Destiny’s Child, and Big & Rich. 4Wall Entertainment (4Wall) equipped the NBA with a complete lighting rental package of 56 MAC 2000 Profiles and 69 MAC 2000 Wash as well as other automated and conventional fixtures.

Larry Sedwick (Production Manager), Rob Baxter (Production Electrician), Rodd McLaughlin (Programmer/Lighting Director), and a fantastic crew delivered an all-star performance to bring the lighting designs of Randy Nordstrom to the stage. Rob, who has been involved in the NBA All-Star Game for over a decade, commented, "We used four trussing systems for the event with Martin gear spread out between them. There was a huge rectangular rig over the court blasting all fixtures down onto the court with the MACs washing the court, doing audience effects and ballyhoos. On top of that were three diagonal trusses around the arena, each about 50 feet long. There were two 180 ft long trusses that ran the side of the building for lighting the court with Pars and automated lighting. Plus we had a stage rig in the corner where they did the introductions.

“We used the Martin MACs to doll up the entertainment either on court or in the intro stage. Also, when cheerleaders ran out onto the court at commercial breaks, we used the lighting to keep the crowd moving. We also used one MAC as backlight for the player intros, blasting through the intro tunnel. The gear rocked. There were no maintenance issues to speak of.

“And 4Wall Entertainment simply came through. They have demonstrated on this NBA All-Star Game, in no uncertain terms, that they are ready and willing to take the next steps necessary as they grow into becoming a large scale lighting vendor. Not only did they meet the expectations of a lighting company many times their size, they exceeded all expectations for any company, big or small. Over the course of one week, besides the parbar focus, we went to the trusses just twice...once for two burnouts and once to replace one fixture...I repeat, ‘one’ fixture... out of 230+ active. There were virtually no breakdowns, no wrong gobos, no bad colors, no ‘brownies,’ no bad DMX, no bad mults...you name it. In 14 years of NBA All-Star, this level of excellence has never been matched. 4Wall's attention to maintenance, performance, and service is unparalleled. The NBA could not be more pleased!"

NBA All-Star Game:
Lighting Designer: Randy Nordstrom
Production Manager: Larry Sedwick
Production Electrician/Power Management: Rob Baxter
Follow Spots and ALD: Rick Pettit
Lighting Director/Moving Light Programmer: Rodd McLaughlin
3200k Lighting Programmer: Henry Parks
Asst. Prod. Electrician/Data Management: Pete Campbell
Catwalk/Moving Light Lead: Peter Acken
Catwalk/Power Lead: Chip Foody
Arena/Moving Light Lead: Mike Prosceo
Arena/Static Fixture Lead: Dean Brown
LED's/Deck Lead: Chris Szabo
House DMX Interface/Deck Asst.: Rolf Lee
House Electrician: Brian James
House Followspot Tech: Dusty Powell

NBA All-Star Jam Session:
Programmer, Board Operator: Mark Powell, Upstaging
Technician: Mike Tonfiglione
Technician: Todd Rodewald