For over a decade, production studio Light Action of Wilmington, Delaware, has provided full-service production services for a string of legacy acts on Rock Legends Cruise, a floating rock festival with a cause that sails the Caribbean every February. For years, they have relied on Elation Lighting to illuminate multiple stages, and this year, they turned to newly acquired Proteus Lucius LED profile fixtures to raise production even further.
“Gigs don’t get much better than this one,” stated Brian Market, COO at Light Action. “We have a great client in the Native American Heritage Association. It’s a great cause, and there is literally a boatload of rock talent on board. People love it so much they come year after year, and we help keep it exciting for them with top-level production on three stages.”
Proceeds from the four-day cruise support the Native American Heritage Association, a non-profit organization that provides necessities to families living on Reservations in South Dakota.
For Rock Legends Cruise XI, which took place February 22-26, Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas served as a floating rock venue for over 20 legendary artists and 4,000 seafaring fans. Light Action served as an all-inclusive production house for the event, providing a complete AV and production package, including all staffing.
Guests enjoyed rock ‘n roll shows featuring legendary acts like Sammy Hagar, Bret Michaels, Jefferson Starship, and many others. The shows took place outside on a main stage on the Pool Deck and inside the Royal Theater and Studio B, all with Elation fixtures. IP-rated Proteus Lucius featured on the outdoor stage, a multi-functional CMY fixture that Light Action had recently acquired to replace Artiste Picasso units of previous years, which were moved to the indoor Royal Theater.
Light Action works closely with The Healy Group to stay current on the Elation portfolio. This includes demoing Elation gear, often at Pine Box Studios, a 24,000-square-foot production rehearsal space adjacent to the Light Action building. Whenever they want to see how a fixture compares against another manufacturer, Brian says they’ll get demo units in and throw them 100-150 ft to a far wall for comparison, as they did with the Lucius.
“Not only was it bright, but with its multi-functionality, it looked like the ideal unit to service the many different kinds of jobs we do, from corporate AV to rock and roll. We’re real fans. Actually, we’re fans of all our Elation fixtures. It’s one of those brands that you never have to apologize for when you place them on a gear list.”
The compact brother to the famous Proteus Maximus, the IP65 Lucius is fully loaded and can be used as a profile, beam, or wash light, reducing the need for variant fixtures. Market says that because their work at Light Action is so varied and often takes place outdoors in the wet U.S. Northeast, investing in outdoor-rated IP gear is an increasing focus for the company.
“A great thing about Lucius is that it can take a beating,” he stated. “At sea, for example, it’s not just rain, but it’s wind-blown rain that comes in from every direction and angle. We’ve had some years with really rough seas as well, so there’s a lot more than just rain to deal with. Then, of course, there’s the sunlight and heat. You want something that can handle that kind of environment.”
Light Action handled most lighting design, programming, and operation for the bands while collaborating with specific acts and their lighting personnel onboard. The Proteus Lucius proved to be an indispensable fixture, functioning as a reliable workhorse on the outdoor stage. According to Market, lighting directors were impressed by its versatility and greatly praised it.
“It’s exceptionally bright with gobos across three gobo wheels, good color rendering, impressive speed, and a range of capabilities from spot to beam,” he said of the 33,500-lumen moving head. “We can’t say enough good things about it.” Joining the Proteus Lucius on the outdoor stage were Elation Rayzor 760 LED wash fixtures, DTW Blinder 700IPs, and SixPar 300IPs.
Meanwhile, on the indoor Royal Theater stage, the Artiste Picassos were joined by other Elation gear. At the same time, in Studio B, existing Elation Fuze Spot and Fuze Wash fixtures were supplemented with a Light Action floor lighting package.
Ready to experience the Proteus Maximus in action? Book a demo today and see how Elation can meet your unique lighting needs.
Lighting Crew - Rock Legends Cruise XI
Andy Rougvie
Scott Humphrey
Darrin Bruce
Ryan Ward
Sebastian Kern
William McConnell
John Flanagan
Josh Barnes
Kevin Hiddleson
Patrick Thompson
Alan Hughes
