Aktuelle News & Schlagzeilen

Zignia Live invests in RoboSpot systems

Zignia Live - a Mexican promoter of large-scale national and international events and operator of three key arena venues in Monterrey, Mexico City and Guadalajara - has invested in twelve Robe RoboSpot systems and twelve Fortes Follow Spot moving lights, with four supplied to each arena.

Arena Monterrey’s production manager Abraham Barrios oversees all things technical and production-related in the venue, which has a 14-17,000 capacity depending on the configuration. The RoboSpots were delivered by Robe’s Mexican distributor Showco. Arena Monterrey stages around ten large shows and concerts a month, which can double to twenty or more during the main seasons, plus indoor sports like arena football and basketball.

Most of the music shows will be in and out in a day, around fifty percent will have production supplied locally, with the others bringing in their own kit, and the vast majority using the house follow spots. The decision to purchase the RoboSpots was made by senior technical manager and production director Francisco Paz Botello in conjunction with Barrios and his crew, who also solicited opinions from their regular freelance lighting techs. Several options of modern follow systems were considered before deciding on Robe.

The traditional old 2.5K follow spots that Arena Monterrey owned have been replaced, while the 22,300-capacity Arena CDMX in Mexico now has its own in-house system for the first time. The RoboSpots can be moved to suit each production’s specific needs. In Arena Monterrey, their most popular position is rigged between the FOH and the scoreboard at around ten metres high, with a throw distance to the stage of around twenty metres.

The operators can work either stationed at FOH or deployed backstage, again according to different show needs. Showco provided training sessions where the local follow spotting team learned the operating philosophy, with some also having a bit of prior RoboSpotting experience, either through incoming productions or touring with artists bringing in their own.

Barrios, who started his industry career as a follow spot operator, first saw RoboSpots in action whilst working at the Auditorio Telmex in Guadalajara. Another early impression from there was from a show where MegaPointes were utilised as manual follow spots. He progressed up the ranks to stage management, rigging and then production management, so he doesn’t engage in the art of follow spotting anymore, but is still aware of the key elements that can improve the efficiency and working lives of follow spotters.

Barrios has just been appointed as production manager at the new 20,000-capacity Arena Guadalajara, opening on April 25, 2025. This venue, designed by KMD architects and inspired by Guadalajara’s local landscapes and colourful materials, has been equipped with new RoboSpots as well.

Pictured (left to right): Showco’s sales manager Estuardo Zárate with Abraham Barrios. (Photo: Louise Stickland/Paul Clarke)

www.robe.cz

© 1999 - 2025 Entertainment Technology Press Limited News Stories