Lighting designer Arnau Pardo from LARRY'S SCCL created a highly versatile main stage using Infinity and Showtec lighting equipment at Manga Barcelona 2025, one of Europe’s leading festivals dedicated to Japanese culture.
The equipment, supplied by Soiart Sound & Lighting Hub, played a key role in supporting the event’s wide-ranging programme, which included live music performances, interviews, theatrical shows, and cosplay competitions.
Manga Barcelona attracts more than 170,000 visitors annually and brings together multiple disciplines on a single main stage. This places major demands on the lighting design, which must quickly adapt to different formats while maintaining a strong and fresh visual identity year after year. According to Pardo, one of the venue’s main challenges is its limited height and fixed stage structure.
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The physical setup remains practically the same every year, so the challenge is to create the feeling of a new stage each time. To achieve this, we rethink the lighting design and the LED screen content, allowing the audience to experience a new visual world despite the limitations, he explains.
Another crucial factor is the cosplay competition, a central element of the festival. Winners qualify for the European and World Cosplay Championships, meaning the stage must meet strict performance and presentation requirements. In addition, the large crowds during peak audience moments, such as headline concerts or cosplay finals, demand excellent visibility and synchronization between the live action, relay screens, and audio systems.
For the 2025 edition, Pardo and his team chose to rely on Infinity and Showtec lighting fixtures, selecting a setup that combined power, precision, and flexibility. The rig included Infinity Furion P602 Profile fixtures, iW-W741 wash fixtures, and Showtec Xpression 2000B beams, as well as Power Spot 9 Q6 Tour and Sunstrip fixtures.
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The addition of the Furion P602 Profile fixtures was a decisive factor this year. They gave us the versatility needed to handle both high-impact concert atmospheres and precise theatrical scenes. Output power, shutter precision, and motor accuracy are essential when working with a large number of sequences and very limited rehearsal time, says Pardo.
The Infinity iW-W741 fixtures provided a solid colour foundation on stage. Despite their compact size, they delivered enough power and speed to complement the larger fixtures.
The Showtec Xpression 2000B fixtures were used to create crisp ACL-style lighting effects on the floor and stage structures. “They were a real surprise in terms of value for money”, notes Pardo. “Even with a 150 W LED engine, the beams are extremely sharp and visible, with or without haze”.
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Additional colour fills were handled by the Power Spot 9 Q6 Tour, chosen for its silent operation and low power consumption, while the Sunstrip fixtures were used as blinders and decorative pixel-mapped elements, adding depth through multiple visual layers.
With such a tight schedule — one day for setup and the event, and half a day for teardown — reliability was essential. “There is very little room for error”, explains Pardo. “Precise pan and tilt positioning, together with consistent shutter performance, make a huge difference. The reliability of the fixtures eliminates the need for constant live corrections”.
The long-standing collaboration with Soiart Sound & Lighting Hub also played an important role in the project. “Their advice, responsiveness, and close communication with Highlite allow us to choose the right tools for each production”, says Pardo. “That level of support is invaluable, especially when last-minute changes are unavoidable”.
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Although the lighting system had to remain flexible for all programme elements, the cosplay competition continued to be the central focus. At the same time, performances by international artists demanded tailored lighting approaches, ranging from energetic J-Pop and rock shows to more refined jazz and big band performances.
Our goal is always to help the audience ‘see’ the music. By emphasizing musical accents and instantly adapting to different styles, lighting becomes an integral part of the performance, concludes Pardo.
Photography: Dani Sierra
