Congratulations to our November Facebook Fan of the Month, Nick Pignetti. Nick is originally from Baltimore, Maryland and is the owner of Event Pro Live, a multi-spectrum design, production, and entertainment firm that handles a wide range of events in the greater Baltimore area including private and corporate functions, live music events, showcases, bars/clubs, weddings and more. Read on and get to know more about our loyal fan!

1. Favorite CHAUVET® light/product:
I really enjoy using fixtures in the “COLOR” line from Chauvet®. When I’m putting together a design for a client, these are really my “go to” tools. They may not be as glitzy or as much of an attention getter as a laser, or “intelligent” lights, but they are the foundation of any well thought-out design. The range of beam spread throughout the line is fantastic. I always have the right tool for whatever the design calls for: from a focused narrow beam of light to highlight a specific feature, to a wide wash to bathe a room in light, and everything in between.

The 1-watt and higher diodes give me the brightness I need for even the largest of venues, and the color mixing of the fixtures (especially those with 3-watt, tri-colored diodes) is extremely smooth. A fantastic light display always starts with a good color wash foundation; without it, all the moving heads, lasers, and effects in the world just don’t have the same effect.

2. Favorite CHAUVET® YouTube video:
“Word Up with Chauvet.” It’s nice to see an install that uses a wide range of fixtures at varying price points that is clean and effective. It shows that a huge budget isn’t always necessary to put on a quality light show. They used lights from the CHAUVET® Club/DJ and Pro lines and combined them in a way that really complemented each other. Sometimes, the right tool for the job is a $100 light; sometimes its $1,000+ light; the difference is knowing “when” to use “what.”

3. Favorite DJ:
My favorite DJs are of course the ones I work with. They are a fantastic group of people and I’m honored to have a personal and working relationship with every one of them.

New talent is being discovered every day, but to open the pool up a bit to those DJs I’ve had contact with: from a technical standpoint, DJ Impulse and Joe Maz of Discotech are both phenomenal DJs. Both have different styles, and are what I would definitely call “masters of their craft.” Most importantly, they are both stand-up people and I have the utmost respect for them.

For showmanship, I would say Kay-Jay and Older Skool. They put on some of the most “fun” shows I’ve experienced and there’s never an empty dance floor when they are behind the decks. Also, two of the nicest people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in this business.

4. Favorite event/nightclub with lights:
Any that do it “right.” The electronic festivals seem to have it down: E.D.C. and Ultra come to mind. The U2 360° Tour was groundbreaking on so many levels. Many of the larger clubs I’ve been to have some awesome displays too: Tao in Vegas, Space and Nocturnal in Miami, Shrine in the MGM Grand at Foxwoods—mostly the events/venues with the budgets that allow for it. I do have to give a mention to The Get Down in Baltimore. Not because it’s where I’m from, but because it’s by far the best lighting display in an “ultra lounge” I have ever seen. Walk in and you would never know that at one point, it was a couple of row homes in the city.

5. Favorite tip for new CHAUVET® DJs:
This is definitely an extension of what I was talking about in the first question, but my tip would be to start with a wash when designing your first lighting rig. I know it is tempting to buy a bunch of effects, but it will leave you with a sub-par show. Get the basics down first then add the gingerbread. I would also say that haze is a must—not fog. Haze has a longer hang time and is much less obtrusive. Finally, it is better to save and buy fewer, higher quality lights, than a lot of cheaper ones. They will serve you better, last longer, and you won’t have to re-buy everything once you realize you needed quality lighting all along.

6. Complete this sentence: A show without lights is like…
Watching a movie with no sound. It’s called audio-visual for a reason! Victor Wooten answered this question with “one-dimensional” and he was dead-on with his answer. An exciting show stimulates more than one sense. There are no exceptions.