Nature 1 is the very well known rave party that enlivens the German summer each year, and has some of the highest attendance figures of any open air party in Europe. The party is held in August on the grassland of the Black Forest, and during the weeks beforehand dozens of vehicles converge to deliver audio, lighting and stage equipment, as well as all the other structures needed to accommodate the crowds that become more and more numerous every year, with many arriving from various different countries, in the best tradition of rave parties.
In 1999 more than 40,000 people attended the event, which lasted for two days, and part of the party was televised live on MTV. DJs from all over the world took part, taking turns at the console from late afternoon until dawn the following day.
The Lighting Designer Martin Kuhn used 72 GOLDEN SCAN HPEs and 8 STAGE ZOOM 1200s as well as other washlights and conventional floodlights. Martin Kuhn, who was doing his third Nature rave, is a keen supporter of Clay Paky products, as he himself says: “I have been a big fan of this Italian company since the time of the Golden Scan 1! I have often found Clay Paky’s products to be superior to any other product from a number of aspects. Two of the most important for me are the high quality of their optics, which guarantees a uniform beam as well as faultless projection and focus; and dependability, which gives me the confidence always of having the best available equipment to work with saves me a considerable amount of money at the same time…”.
The stage was covered by a huge pyramidal structure 40 metres in diameter by 23 metres high.
This was fabricated from a number of tubular scaffolding structures, each weighing 4 tons.
A crane was used to erect them and the work was completed in a record time of just under two days. The 72 Golden Scan HPE fittings were mounted in line on the three corners of the pyramid, from where they dominated the stage and the entire surrounding area.
The Stage Zoom 1200s were set on the ground with the gobos projecting onto the fascia that ran along the three sides of the pyramid, and onto the “hemisphere/eye” suspended from the topmost point of the structure and reaching down to a level 8 metres above ground.
Martin Kuhn studied the structure carefully, so as to maximise the graphic possibilities offered by the Stage Zoom 1200. He made extensive use of the optical glass gobos typical of this unit, which give a “frosted effect” across the entire expanse of the illuminated surface, especially when combined with colour.
As Khun says: “Nature 1999 was certainly the most successful event so far, both in terms of the great number of people that attended and for the impressive use of scenery and extensive use of lighting and audio effects.
Personally, I believe that I have given this event a distinctive character with my light show, not just as an acid music showcase, but a really big effort on the organisational and coordination fronts, involving all contributors to the artistic project.
I have always used Clay Paky projectors at previous events, and this year I also had some Stage Zoom 1200s, which are without a doubt the most powerful and versatile moving body spots currently available on the market. I would like to thank Lightpower in Paderbom in particular.
As distributors of Clay Paky products in Germany they have supported me in making this choice and have given me every possible assistance in providing the best lighting for the show.”
Technical details:
Name of event: NATURE 1 RAVE PARTY
Place: Germany
Attendance: 40,000 people. Broadcast by MTV
Production and Rental Company: TLC
Lighting Designer: Martin Kuhn – The Light Concept
Lighting Equipment:
72 Golden Scan HPE
8 Stage Zoom 1200
Various washlights and conventional floodlights.