Smart lights for a record tour: K3 returns to the stage with Track-It by Follow-Me

The comeback tour of the original K3 lineup, a phenomenon in Belgium and the Netherlands that has sold more than 700.000 entries, Strengthen your lighting design with the help of Track-It from Follow-Me, artist tracking system supplied by Painting with Light that enhances the viewer experience and allows spotlight operators to engage in “more creative tasks”.

K3 is a popular Belgian female pop group, originally formed by Karen Damen, Kristel Verbeke and Kathleen Aerts, and managed by Studio 100. After achieving enormous popularity in Belgium and the Netherlands, The original line-up retired more than 16 years. The meeting, How could it be otherwise?, has awakened a great enthusiasm: fans who grew up with the original trio, now in my thirties and forties, They have flocked to the concerts.

Studio 100 has made a significant investment to offer an experience that lives up to expectations: a live band, a wide cast of dancers, a huge stage of more than 30 meters and large LED screens, which include a gigantic “K” and a “3” in 3D built entirely with LED panels that can rotate and move around the stage. PRG supplied lighting and rigging, while Painting with Light provided the system Follow-Me Track-It.

A single system to manage 100 devices

The scale of the implementation of Follow-Me, led by lighting designer and founder of Painting with Light Luc Peumans, was significant: more than 100 devices were connected to the Track-iT system, of a total of approximately 1300 light sources. Besides, were distributed around 34 anclajes Track-It, all over the stage.

The three artists wore Track-It labels, that allowed the lighting crews to follow them throughout the show, even during a particularly demanding sequence in which they flew over the audience on a flying stage from the main stage to the front of the house. The data PosiStageNet (PSN) of the flight system were sent directly to the Follow-Me system and integrated “seamlessly”.

“The alignment and calibration of the devices was carried out without problems and, now, with the function that allows you to create presets on the console and transfer them to the Follow-Me system, it worked perfectly. Let's say no one had to wait for us. Once configured correctly, works very well. Does not fail and, in my opinion, It is more stable than a medium follow focus operator. The great advantage of Follow-Me is that you can design the lighting for each scene so that it integrates into the show as a whole.. Allows you to choose the right device in the right position for the right song, which gives you much more creative flexibility”, explains Peumans.

The challenges of K3 lighting

A notable challenge of the K3 concerts were the wardrobe changes. The artists changed clothes approximately every three songs, which required close coordination with the wardrobe department to effectively integrate Track-It labels. “Girls have to feel comfortable with it.”, so you don't want it to be a bother to them. We had a good team that collaborated with the wardrobe department to make quick changes and integrate the trackers. This shows that tracking requires a different kind of skill and attention behind the scenes to make it work., notes Peumans.

Even the most complex moments of staging did not pose any obstacles for the system. At a key moment of the concert, The three artists sit on top of the gigantic 3D “3” as it moves towards the center stage and towards the audience. According to the lighting designer, tracking works correctly even in these difficult situations.

"In general, it gives me more creativity. It seems very stable to me. As used in some long running shows, It also has a financial impact: fewer trailhead operators need to be hired. It's not just about replacing trailhead operators, but to release creative possibilities that we have never had before”, concludes Peumans.