NEW ZEALAND: Auckland Live, Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest performing arts platform, has expanded its production capabilities with the addition of up to 24 Ayrton Rivale Profile IP65 fixtures, fulfilled by Show Technology Australia & New Zealand. The move, according to Auckland Live, strengthens its ability to deliver high-performance lighting across a diverse portfolio of venues and event formats.

Operating some of Auckland’s most prominent cultural and event spaces — including Auckland Town Hall, The Civic, Bruce Mason Centre, Queens Wharf, the Viaduct Events Centre, and the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre — Auckland Live requires a lighting inventory capable of adapting seamlessly between theatrical productions, corporate events, and large-scale live performances. The decision to invest in Ayrton Rivale Profile units followed an extensive evaluation process.

“We conducted a lot of shootouts with various other LED-based fixtures,” says Glenn Border, Manager Technical Lighting & Staging, Auckland Live & Auckland Conventions. “We looked at eight or nine different alternatives for our A-rig moving head profile stock. Our criteria were based on an LED fixture with shutters, and a local provider with good backup and after-sales service. Rivale delivered all of that, plus the bonus of being an IP-rated fixture.”

A key factor in the selection was the balance between size, weight, and output. Compared to other fixtures evaluated, Rivale offered a more compact and lightweight form factor while maintaining the performance required for larger venues. This versatility allows the fixtures to be deployed across a wide range of applications.

“They do move around,” Glenn adds. “They go from the town hall to concert chambers, they go into corporate situations to event dinners, award evenings and big corporate sort of shows in large venues and into our premium venue, which is the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre.”

Glenn highlights the fixture’s performance and feature set as decisive advantages. “Not just because the light itself is an excellent build quality, but it was the other things as well, such as the local support that we have with Showtech and the IP rating that gives us the ability to put them outside if we need to. There are some other cool features, such as infinite pan and tilt rotation, which is a point of difference to a lot of other movers. Our guys have been using that for more party-oriented events.”

Precision control is another critical requirement, particularly for front-of-house applications. The Rivale’s framing system allows accurate positioning of each shutter blade across the full beam, with ±90° rotation, enabling precise shaping of light on lecterns and scenic elements. “The shutters are brilliant, especially as the Rivale are often placed out front to light lecterns and set pieces, and being able to shutter them down is very useful,” Glenn notes.

Operational efficiency has also been enhanced through features such as mobile app-based addressing, simplifying setup workflows. “You can just open the app and point the phone at the light and address it that way. And they’re only 30 kg, which is reasonable for a punchy fixture. I also really like the gobo set.”

The fixtures’ compatibility with broadcast environments further strengthens their versatility. Glenn points out that the refresh rate performs reliably for camera applications, with no flicker issues observed during use with iMag systems and similar setups; as he concludes “I’ve had good comments from everyone who’s used them, and we’re very happy with them.”