The result is one of the most technologically advanced nightclub lighting systems currently installed in the region, featuring high-impact beam fixtures, pixel-mapped effects, blinding audience hits, and a fully synchronised control system that allows the DJ to trigger looks in real time.
Installed and programmed by MDR Sound & Lighting, the system combines modern Chauvet Professional and Chauvet DJ fixtures with a powerful ChamSys MagicQ control backbone, delivering a club experience that feels more like a touring concert production than a traditional venue lighting rig.
The Hero Fixture: COLORado PXL Curve 12
The centerpiece of the installation is the COLORado PXL Curve 12, a premium curved pixel-mapping LED batten rarely seen in nightclub environments — and currently the only installation of its kind in New Zealand.
These fixtures are designed to create sweeping waves of colour, motion, and energy across the room.
Key Features
Curved LED Design
Unlike traditional straight battens, the curved architecture allows light effects to flow naturally across the room, creating movement that mirrors the energy of the music.
Individually Pixel-Mapped LEDs
Each fixture contains multiple individually controllable LED segments, enabling effects such as:
flowing colour waves
chases across the room
audio-reactive pixel patterns
animated gradients
High Output RGBW Colour Mixing
The fixtures deliver vibrant saturated colours alongside smooth pastel tones, ensuring every moment of the night has a visually rich atmosphere.
What This Means on the Dancefloor
Instead of static lighting looks, the Curves create dynamic visual motion across the venue. Patterns ripple overhead, colours pulse to the beat, and lighting effects move in sync with the DJ's music.
This type of pixel-mapped lighting is typically found in large touring shows and festivals, bringing a concert-level production aesthetic into the nightclub environment.
High-Energy Beam & Hybrid Fixtures
To deliver powerful aerial effects across the venue, the system features 24 intelligent moving head fixtures.
Intimidator Hybrid 140SR (x12)
These hybrid fixtures combine beam, spot, and wash capabilities in a single unit, allowing the lighting system to adapt instantly to different musical styles and moments in the night.
Highlights include:
razor-sharp aerial beams
rotating gobos for texture and patterns
prism effects for multi-beam looks
fast movement for high-energy drops
Intimidator Spot 360XIP (x12)
Supporting the hybrid fixtures are high-speed moving head spots, delivering:
crisp gobo projections
sweeping beam movements
tight aerial looks above the dancefloor
Together, these fixtures create layered beam structures across the room that move dynamically with the music.
Pixel Effects & LED Atmosphere
Complementing the moving heads are pixel effects and audience lighting fixtures designed to amplify moments of intensity.
Strike Bolt (x12)
These high-impact LED strobes deliver explosive visual energy during drops and peak moments.
Features include:
powerful white strobe bursts
chase effects across multiple fixtures
dramatic high-speed flashes synced to the beat
COLORstrip PIX ILS (x6)
These pixel-mapping fixtures extend the visual effects created by the Curve battens, allowing colour and motion to spread across different parts of the venue.
Shocker 2 Audience Blinders (x6)
Blinders are a staple of concert lighting, used to momentarily illuminate the crowd and create dramatic audience hits during musical climaxes.
When fired in sync with the music, they create unforgettable “hands in the air” moments on the dancefloor.
Eve P-140VW (x4)
These variable white wash fixtures provide ambient front lighting, ensuring the entertainers can be seen as the focal point to the show.
Intelligent Lighting Control
Behind the scenes, the entire lighting system is powered by a ChamSys MagicQ MQ control system, connected through Genetix GN10 network nodes.
This professional-grade infrastructure provides:
high-reliability networked DMX distribution
precise fixture control
scalable system architecture for future expansion
Beat-Synced Lighting
The lighting system is fully beat-mapped to the venue’s audio, allowing effects to pulse and move in perfect time with the music.
DJ-Triggered Effects
A touchscreen interface allows DJs to trigger lighting scenes instantly, giving them control over the visual atmosphere of the room in real time.
This means the lighting system becomes an extension of the performance, responding to musical builds, drops, and energy shifts throughout the night.
20,000 Watt Line Array
To deliver on the requirements for the Holy Grail to have an international level sound system, we installed a top of the line Celto Acoustique system as detailed below :
The system consists of Celto Acoustique IWAC210 dual 10" and IWAC118 1 x 18" flown line array cabinets in a Left/Centre/Right configuration to provide a even coverage throughout the venue. The line array's are complemented with Celto Acoustique CWS218 subwoofers ground stacked to provide Lower Frequency support
2 x Celto Acoustique D48 speaker management processors provide the signal processing to the amplifiers.
1 x Harvey Pro 8x12 programmable processor sits over the top of the system providing automation and control for the whole venue.
Total power output of the main system is 20,000 watts RMS - 80,000 RMS watts peak
DJ Control Equipment in the venue is top of the line Alpha Theta CDJ3000X players x 3 and a Pioneer DJM-A9 Mixer, full booth foldback is also installed consisting of 2 x Turbosound Milan M12 powered speakers along with a Turbosound Milan M15B powered subwoofer.
Bringing Concert-Level Production to a Nightclub
The lighting system at The Holy Grail demonstrates how modern nightclub installations can rival the production quality of touring shows.
By combining:
advanced pixel-mapped fixtures
high-output moving head beams
dynamic strobes and blinders
a powerful networked control system