Spotlight (Tír na nÓg album)

Spotlight is the second live album by Irish band Tír na nÓg. It contains recordings from the BBC archive including some tracks from the John Peel Sessions with the band.

Track listing

Recording and broadcast details

Track 1 recorded 4 September 1972 at Playhouse Theatre, London.

Tracks 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 recorded 16 September 1972 at Playhouse Theatre, London.

Tracks 12 & 13 recorded 15 January 1973 at Langham 1 studio, London.

Tracks 2, 3, 4 & 5 recorded 23 October 1973 at Langham 1 studio, London.

Personnel

Spotlight (theatre lighting)

A spotlight, sometimes known as a followspot, is a powerful stage lighting instrument which projects a bright beam of light onto a performance space. Spotlights are controlled by a spotlight operator who tracks actors around the stage. Spotlights are most commonly used in concerts, musicals and large scale presentations where highlighting a specific, mobile, individual is critical. Spotlights are sometimes located overhead on catwalks. In some theatres, they may also be located in the control booth or purposely built "spot booths" in addition to the catwalk. Spotlights may be arranged in a variety of patterns for coverage. For example, they are aimed at the stage in front of them in theaters, located to the back or rear. This location can become problematic due to fan noise and/or any communication by headset communication from the spot operator speaking into his headset microphone. In circus and/or sports, spotlights may be arranged around the facility covering both sides and the ends. In a concert setting, they may be in a position FOH, while other positions may have the spotlight upstage used as back and/or top light. Some concerts use truss spots on a truss downstage but closer than catwalk spots in an amphitheater style catwalk layout. In other places, spot locations are at the mercy of the architect who designed the space.

Stage lighting instrument

Stage lighting instruments (or lanterns / Luminaires in Europe) are used in stage lighting to illuminate theatrical productions, concerts, and other performances taking place in live performance venues. They are also used to light television studios and sound stages.

Many stagecraft terms vary between the United States and the United Kingdom. In the United States, lighting fixtures are often called "instruments" or "units". In the UK, they are called "lanterns" or "luminaires". This article mainly uses terms common to the United States.

Components

Stage lighting instruments all have the following components:

Housing

The lamp housing is a metal or plastic container that serves as a body for the entire instrument and prevents light from spilling in unwanted directions. It comprises all of the exterior of the fixture except for the lens or opening. The housing may be designed with specific elements that help reduce heat and increase the efficiency of a lamp. Older instruments were made from rolled and machined steel or aluminum; however, with the advent of the Source Four, many lighting instruments are being made from die cast metal. Die casting allows for one single, light-weight body that is more economical to produce and use. The first lantern to make use of die castings was the Strand Pattern 23 designed by Fred Bentham in 1953, this small mirror spot enjoyed a 30 year production run and found its way into most British schools, halls and theaters. Some instruments are made from plastic, such as the Selecon Pacific.