Describing GLP’s award-winning X4 Bar 20 as “one of the greatest fixtures ever designed”, E2i Design’s Josh Holowicki had no hesitation in specifying it as an essential component in a major technological upgrade at Church of the Highlands’ Grants Mill broadcast campus in Alabama, USA. His decision was backed by Broadcast Lighting Director, Griffin McCravy.

E2i has been a partner with the Church since 2012, providing solutions for their broadcast and extension campuses with lighting and LED video technology. But this latest project was a year in the making due to their determination to select the very best fixtures and build flexibility within the already constructed worship facility. In their determination to create a ‘tour grade’ technical infrastructure, the visual upgrade to the stage space is an exciting and ongoing process.

“Ultimately the technical and visual directors of the Ministry wanted the ability to re-configure their stage design any way they wanted without limitations,” Josh Holowicki explains. “This would allow for virtually unlimited possibilities … and the style of the system we designed, which essentially is a portable rig in a permanent space, allows for just that.”

Church of the Highlands is described as “a high impact worship environment that embraces the active use of technology to help create and support an exciting experience”— and therefore utilising the latest lighting and visual technologies was essential.

Within this context, the X4 Bar 20s are more than just ‘eye candy’. “They provide incredible visual punch for the stage,” Holowicki enthused. “At this point we have 18 units on stage with the hope of adding additional units in the future. They are used in a variety of ways to add the necessary visual pop to the stage designs—often incorporated into the LED video wall designs and used as an enhancement, as well as stand-alone lighting requirements.”

E2i has been a partner of GLP for many years. “We love the products offered and use GLP solutions whenever possible. We have deployed [impression] X4, X4S, X4 Bars, X4 atom, as well as Scenex and Cosmic truss solutions.

“As for the X4 Bars, these are a step above anything else offered on the market. The quality of the construction, light output and control capabilities are unmatched. The entire concept of a moving bar fixture is unique and offers very innovative solutions for design. There is nothing quite like seeing a row of X4 Bars creating a ‘wall of light’ in a stage design.”

The technology will be used within the facility on most days, with the focus on weekend services and Ministry special events. Meanwhile, the technical team are still coming to terms with its potential. “Certainly once the system was put into place the organization was able to begin realizing unforeseen benefits, enabling them to open up their design concepts to further maximize the potential it offers,” concludes Josh Holowicki.