USA – Abbas Ritscher just couldn’t wait. The first shipment of the Chauvet Professional Color Strike M fixtures arrived at The Design Oasis right as he was about to head out to sea as the production manager of the 2022 Nursecon cruise. He was so eager to try the new IP65 rated motorised strobe/wash that he decided on the spot to add two units to the rig that he and lighting designer Joe Donnelly put together for the Royal Caribbean pool side party stage.
“The Color Strike M got into our warehouse, so it was the perfect excuse to get my hands on it,” said Ritscher. “Being on a cruise ship you need to load in fast. You also need fixtures that have a lot of impact for their size, and of course, everything needs to be able to take the weather, which comes in fast and hard. This fixture fit the bill perfectly.”
Ritscher and Donnelly positioned a Color Strike M on either side of the video wall at the pool side stage, which served as party central for the nurses-only four day cruise, which provided a well-deserved break for 3,500 healthcare workers, who spent the past two years dealing with a global pandemic.
Passengers on the cruise were treated to a wide assortment of entertainment options, including a “Nurses’ Got Talent,” show, performances by ten professional dancers, and an appearance by comedian Nurse Blake. Every night the poolside rocked with parties and live DJ shows, culminating with a special “Nurse Glow” affair on the last night.
Through it all, the Color Strike M delivered pulsating visuals; its strobing effects creating bright flashes that accented the music, and its colourful aerials shooting off in every direction. It was a potent display more reminiscent of a South Beach nightclub than a pool side deck on a cruise ship.
“Frankly, we were amazed,” said Ritscher. “We saw demos and videos of the Color Strike M, so we were expecting something impressive, but having it out at sea surpassed our best expectations.
“For only adding two fixtures, it was stunning how much we got out of them. Being on either side of the video screen, the fixtures became the focal point for the show. They filled the main pool deck up with a good saturated colour, and some great eye candy effects. Then, when we used the strobe or the white as a blinder it lit up the whole place brilliantly. I can’t wait to put a bunch of them on a big rig.”
