SGM Fixtures Turn Up the Heat at Igloofest

Each year, hundreds of thousands of music lovers brave the unforgiving Canadian winter for four consecutive weekends, to join the largest outdoor party in Montreal. The combination of electronic music, icy décor, powerful architectural projections and a program feauturing the best local and international DJs, makes Igloofest at Montreal's Old Port the place to be during January and February each year.

In 2016, for the 10th edition of Igloofest, design firm 4U2C in Montreal decided to use luminaires from SGM for the first time to create a beautiful lighting sceneray evolving around a backdrop design element of painted shipping containers, also functioning as shelters for people attending the event.

Le Groupe Spectre Sonore supplied rental company Solotech with six G-Spots, six G-Profile moving heads and 24 compact G-1 Beam moving heads. Solotech also installed 55 X-5 white LED strobes.

"The main concept was to make winter a part of the design, creating a mind-blowing expereince for the crowd. Therefore, the sea containers were all painted white and the lighting design supported the vision," said Karl Gaudreau, Lighting Designer of design firm 4U2C.

With temperatures ranging between +10° and -30° Celsius and heavy fluctuations in snow conditions, the biggest challenge at Igloofest was the weather. Additionally, the gear had to endure the elements of the outdoors for long periods of time. Utilizing SGM LED equipment turned out in their favor and proved a perfect fit.

The G-Spots and G-Profiles were used for the main stage outrigged from the containers.

"Not having to rigdomes or enclosures was a huge plus, as they would have blocked the view and given us unwanted reflections. Another issue is that in extreme cold weather, the inflatable domes are very hard to use as they crack and break. Using G-Spots and G-Profiles made the use of domes redundant," said Marc-André Turgeon, Sales Representative for SGM Light in Canada.

The new and ground-breaking G-1 Beam was put to harshest environmental test at its debut in Canada at Igloofest.

"For the G-1 Beams, the idea was to make snow trees of light close to the crowds. Again, no domes were needed and the small and compact size of the moving heads made it blend in very well with the design," said Gaudreau when declaring the G-1 Beam passed with flying colors.

The powerful X-5 strobes were deployed for the main staging area as washes and blinders, greatly appreciated by the lighting team due to their size, output, and features. As the only SGM fixture at the event without the IP65-rating, the equipment provider Solotech had designed enclosures for them, making the X-5 a true workhorse at Igloofest.

After five full weeks in the freezing Canadian winter, the new G-1 Beam proved just as reliable and robust as the rest of the SGM product portfolio and underlined the significance of working with a worry-free LED luminaire.