Lighting designer Aaron Attarzadeh created a high-impact and visually precise design for DJ Dimension’s performance in downtown Los Angeles, using a full Elation Professional system supplied by SLX Productions.
As a designer with Bending Lite — the team behind artists and events such as Deadmau5, Tiësto and Insomniac — Attarzadeh adapted the aesthetic of Dimension’s UK tour to the outdoor setting of Factory 93.
Aaron, who tours with Dimension across the United States, worked closely with the artist’s creative team, his manager Aaron Goldberg, Dimension himself, and Ariel Afar, founder and creative director of SLX Productions. Since Dimension does not perform frequently in the United States, the project held special significance for the entire team.
This show was very important to us. We’ve been friends for a long time, we all love drum and bass, and we wanted to replicate what Dimension does in the UK as closely as possible while adapting it to this venue and this market, says Aaron.
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Precision, not excess
The designer explains that he prefers fixture flexibility over excessive variety and enjoys running shows dynamically during the performance. That philosophy guided the lighting design from the very beginning.
“We don’t like to throw random elements into shows”, he explains. “We prefer large quantities of clearly defined fixture types. Keeping the design tight and coherent means that when someone captures that special moment, everything looks consistent: beam divergence, color temperature, the entire system”.
The lighting system included 36 PROTEUS RAYZOR BLADE S, 26 SMARTY MAX moving heads and 16 SŌL I Blinders from Elation. SLX, a full-service production and rental company based in Los Angeles, also supplied haze, fog and moving LED panels.
The data network was managed through NETRON EN12 and NS8 nodes for communication between the stage and front of house, operating with three VLANs for lighting, video and show control.
Design developed with Capture
The design process began in Capture and Vectorworks, where Aaron and his team previsualized the concept in great detail. “We love Capture because it allows us to present a design to the client very quickly”, the designer explains. “Then we build a complete 3D virtual environment for the artist in Depence and use it as a presentation tool. Everyone can immediately see the vision of the show”.
Iconic visual moments
Working with Dimension’s creative direction team in the UK, the crew focused on preserving the artist’s signature visual moments, with the PROTEUS RAYZOR BLADE playing a key role.
We like to approach shows by thinking about what makes the artist look the coolest. In Dimension’s case, it’s when he’s smoking a cigarette. That’s his signature moment. So the question was: how many ways can we make him look cool while smoking a cigarette? We used a ‘God light’ from above along with different variations of the RAYZOR BLADE fixtures to highlight him in multiple ways. That was the original vision behind using the BLADE fixtures, says Aaron.
Multi-purpose fixtures
Arranged in a straight line behind Dimension at neck height, the RAYZOR BLADE fixtures proved ideal for this show as they function like three fixtures in one. “You have two lines of white LEDs acting as a strobe, the RGBW LED engine, and additional white LEDs for a ‘twinkle’ effect. Everything is more concentrated and efficient, yet still dynamic”.
This multifunctionality allowed the team to create high-impact effects without overcomplicating the rig. “The BLADE fixtures allow us to do more with less”, he says.
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Ariel Afar adds: “The RAYZOR BLADE fixtures are extremely versatile. They allow us to create a wide variety of looks from a single fixture, resulting in a cleaner-looking rig. At SLX we’ve used them on everything from Coachella to Ja Rule’s 2025 tour. Their IP rating is also very important, especially when the setup happens the night before”.
A living rig
The designer made extensive use of the SparkLED background effect of the RAYZOR BLADE fixtures to create a glowing grid behind the artist. “I’m a big fan of twinkle-style effects”, he explains. “I left them at 30–40% for most of the show so the rig would always look full from any angle. It’s not bright enough to overpower the show, but just enough for the rig to feel alive through the haze. In any photo or from any viewpoint, the rig always looks active without stealing the moment”.
The wide zoom range of the BLADE fixtures was also key in shaping the atmosphere of the show. “Again, they’re very versatile. You can tighten them to get a defined beam, but I opened them all the way and projected them down onto the crowd from the stage. It looked like the audience was glowing under UV light”.
Power and beam variation
Mounted at the same height as the BLADE fixtures, the SMARTY MAX moving heads delivered tight, focused beams that added punch and contrast to the rig.
Aaron relied on the fixture’s hybrid design for its optical precision and flexibility. “LED sources don’t provide the same beam quality”, he explains. “The arc source delivers a more condensed and precise beam that cuts through the haze. With two stackable prisms and dual gobo wheels, you can achieve a lot of variation without overbuilding the rig”.
Using the 16-facet prism, Aaron created effects resembling fine laser-like beams radiating outward. “That arc source is key when projecting through a prism like this”, he adds. “It’s about clarity and control, not just brightness”.
SŌL I Blinders and atmospheric effects
The SŌL I Blinders, with their compact housing and full-spectrum RGBL+AW LED engine, were placed behind a translucent video wall to create a glowing under-stage effect. “From the sides of the stage, the blinders cut through the haze to create UV, warm white, red — whatever was needed to match the visuals”, explains the designer.
Entourage fazers (ADJ) placed beneath the stage turned the haze into an active element of the show.
SLX expertise
For Ariel Afar, founder of SLX, Elation fixtures have become a regular element of the company’s inventory. By combining versatile equipment with design expertise, the company develops unique staging solutions that are flexible and quick to deploy — an approach that proved essential for this project.
“Ariel and his team at SLX made the load-in very easy”, says Aaron. “They prepped everything at the warehouse and had the system show-ready in just three hours, from unloading the trucks to the start of programming”.
A trusted partnership
The designer concludes by highlighting the importance of strong vendor relationships in modern touring productions.
Our relationship with Elation is essential to executing these shows. Having local support, quick turnaround times and people who understand how fast the entertainment industry moves makes a huge difference. Ariel’s relationship with Elation played a key role in the success of this show, he states.
Photos: Kurt Miller
