Solar Prism Lights

My first sight of Light Shows was at UFO on Oxford St, the home of the Blarney Club and many bands played there, Soft Machine, Pink Floyd to name 2.

It then moved to Covent Garden, named the Electric Garden, Softs Lightshow from Mark Boyle & Joan Hills was just incredible and they were my favourite band for a long time. Electric Garden soon became Middle Earth.

Seeing the magic of a light show, I started to experiment myself, projecting onto house walls opposite, as I had a photographic interest already, using the Aldis 500 and a Kodak Carousel.

I then expanded my line up to work with some local musicians, using Colour wheels made with Meccano and Cinemoid. With frosted glass discs on a motor (mounted on a tin can, placed over the front turret,
managed to get some effects I liked.

I did not really get the hang of liquid slides of Mark’s quality so went in a different direction, using wheels with blackout sections, and different colours. I remember one gig where I was on a balcony and a 3 foot colour wheel sailed away, luckily not hurting anyone.

I then started to work with one band, with a fair bit of travelling, to venues large and small, even getting to the mythical Eel Pie Island, and on the 7th floor of the Dorothy in Cambridge. Using a ramshackle set of trestle tables to set up, with plywood boxes to add height and store all the gadgetry.

In my home town of Bletchley a brilliant Youth Leader, Barrie Field, started to organise music events at the new Youth Centre, a Friday Night Disco, and on Sunday’s Esmerelda Club, showcasing bands that later became big names. I did the Lightshows for both nights, getting a bit of coin, and seeing bands like
Genesis, Kevin Ayers, Caravan, Wishbone Ash, and so many more.

Bands that played in Bletchley - https://www.45worlds.com/live/venue/bletchley-youth-centre

I then started making Effect wheels to sell in the Melody Maker, and invested in more equipment, Tutor 2’s a cine projector, a Kodak Carousel from memory. One of the DJ’s on Friday provided sounds on Sunday, a terrific guy named Colin Freeman, who loved having a visual show.

We decided to team up, moving home, and expanding my set up considerably.
Had a proper gantry, and 4metres across, and built console boxes with sockets, slide, cassette and wheel storage, which by that time was extensive.

Ended up with Solar 250’s from Optikinetics, with Neil and his partners creating lots of new magical things, which I used.

I made wheels for them as well, so formed a great bond. I had splashed the cash for a Mode 10 Controller, and we used to set up 4 strobes in the corners of the venue, bubble machine in the ceiling (tricky to mount) and had a formal programme, with special set pieces.

We used a enormous white cotton screen, stapled onto the wall behind Colin, and this made so much difference to the lightshow. One venue we went to had a sprung floor, and the gantry bounced up and down, so I had a few scares.

Another couple of nights come to mind, one at a house party, where I overloaded the electrics, and blacked everything out for a few minutes, and another where I had to edit my visuals for the very young audience.

Optikinetics, just turned 50, expanded the product range in so many areas, I still keep in touch with Neil Rice, who has done occasional lightshows, one I photographed was at the Barbican, with Sun Ra Arkestra.

My lightshow never reached the dizzy heights of some here, but I had a lot of fun producing what became an organic multi media show, before the advent of computers and all those lovely motion lights.

Dave Hone - December 2020

Esmerelda Club, Bletchley

Wilton Hall, Bletchley

Esmerelda Club, Bletchley

Wilton Hall, Bletchley

Bletchley Youth Club