Pepsi Center - Mexico City
Mexico City’s Pepsi Center WTC is a busy multi-use venue located in the World Trade Center building complex in CDMX’s lively Nápoles neighbourhood – utilised for hosting conferences, trade shows and music concerts. The concerts are all staged in one 8000 (standing) capacity room, and are usually every weekend, Thursday through Sunday.
The venue, which opened in 2012, has recently invested in new Robe moving lights to enable them to continue offering world-class production values for anyone playing there.
The new lighting package, delivered by Robe’s Mexican distributor SHOWCO, comprised 16 x FORTES, 16 x Spiiders and 16 x MegaPointes, plus 2 RoboSpot base Stations complete with two FORTE FollowSpots.
These latest Robe products – together with other lights – replace the previous ones, which were installed in 2015 and also included some Robe, with Pointes and LEDWash 600s. “We needed to upgrade and ensure that we continue to offer our guests the best and most versatile options,” explained production manager John Gore.
“Adapting to what the incoming productions are now demanding drove the change,” commented production co-ordinator Manuel Medellin. Their comprehensive in-house production covers audio, lighting and video for all types of riders.
Manuel has worked there for two years, and John for eleven, so he was also involved with getting Robe into the venue in 2015.
The success they enjoyed with the previous Robe fixtures made them revisit the brand again 10 years on. “The quality of the products is outstanding, and Robe is an internationally recognised and respected name,” elucidated John. “It is what most of the international artists were asking us for, so it all made sense. Added to that, the service from SHOWCO is really excellent, and that’s also important.”
FORTES were chosen for being bright and a great multifunctional luminaire that can be a wash or a beam. “We absolutely love the FORTES here,” says Manuel.
Spiiders were picked as great wash lights with good colour mixing, and because of the excellent experience of working with the LEDWash 600s, they knew that all the characteristics would be spot on.
John also points out that the switch to using more LED fixtures has reduced their power consumption, which is always a bonus!
RoboSpot systems were chosen for their ease, user-friendliness, flexibility and for the improved camera technology, which allows the fixtures to be positioned anywhere. John thinks the compact size and power of the FORTE FS is ideal as it can be used as a follow spot or integrated anywhere in the rig.
John and Manuel are very enthusiastic about being able to work with such a wide range of different artist and band setups every week with this rig. With 90% of their incoming shows and productions utilising the house rig, it’s been a fantastic investment, and they are also constantly amazed by the engineering in Robe’s technology and how it is always improving and being innovative.
Artists will often bring their own specials and floor packages, but “they all love our rider,” confirms Manuel.
Pepsi Center WTC is one of the most popular venues in CDMX and Mexico, and Mexico City is generally known for its ebullient and fired-up audiences who generate loads of energy in the room, so that and the Robe fixtures combined make it a gig everyone is keen to play.
Five full-time lighting crew work there, together with two general techs and 13 stagehands, plus three regular freelancers on lighting and three on sound.
There is never a dull moment as the shows span an entire range of genres from reggaeton to death metal and EDM to pop. On top of these, there is a steady stream of conferences and parties, so John, Manuel and the team are constantly on the go.
Website - www.robe.cz
PHOTOS: Louise Stickland