Followspots Archives

Canto USA Launches NEW Aurora X1- Game Changer for the Live Event Industry

March 2, 2022 by Jason Reeves

Canto USA announces the arrival of Aurora X1. A revolutionary LED followspot designed specifically for large venues and arenas. The Aurora X1 is Canto USA’s first LED arena followspot and it packs quite the punch. This X1 is equivalent to a 3,000 watt Xenon followspot and is the brightest LED followspot in its class.

It comes equipped with 6 +1 color changer that incorporates an integrated independent single frame gel holder that can be used for specialty effects such as CTO or frost. Also included are built in rigging points, a heavy duty stand with fine adjustable pan knob handles on both sides for ease of use and carrying. The X1 is also modular and upgradeable, allowing for the LED module and lens tubes to be swapped out quickly and easily. It is available in short, medium, or long throw options.

“Weighing less than 160 pounds, the X1 is the lightest and brightest LED followspot on the market that is manufactured in the USA. It’s so bright, seeing is believing.” -John Luhrs

Here at Canto USA, we strive to provide you with the most revolutionary lighting products that will bring your venue to life, and we have done just that with our new Aurora X1.

The Aurora X1 is now available for purchase.

Contact your local rep or dealer for additional information.

The Aurora X1 Line of Followspots

Canto USA Aurora Followspot X1 Product Photo

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About CantoUSA

Founded in 2013, Canto USA is a manufacturer of houselight retrofits and followspots. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to our mission: “Our customers come first. In order to do this, we continuously train our team on the latest trends and needs of the industry, while at the same time becoming a trendsetter in the development of new products and technology that no other company has available.”

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Filed Under: CantoUSA, Followspots Tagged With: Aurora X1, CantoUSA, Followspots, X1

The Art of Followspot Operation

April 15, 2019 by Jason Reeves

Linford Hudson, nicknamed “Mr. Followspot,” recently received a special recognition Olivier award for his fifty years of followspot operation at the London Palladium. The full article on him can be found here by “The Stage.” It is an enjoyable read, rich with history that Mr. Hudson witnessed firsthand with all the artists he worked with and shows he was part of. At 72, he is no longer at the Palladium, but still lighting shows, and doesn’t have any signs of slowing down.

Linford Hudson receiving the special recognition Olivier from Andrew Lloyd Webber. Photo: David Levene

CantoUSA got its start with followspots, and we can appreciate and relate to the fondness with which Mr. Hudson spoke of them. We offer tungsten, ceramic, LED, and HID styles of light sources. We strive for ease of operability and maintenance, and always look forward to how can we produce better and brighter followspots. Between followspot operators, deck electricians, board operators, board programmers, lighting designers, house electricians, and stage electricians, there are so many roles within lighting a show or event, and we want to make the job as easy as possible.

Brian Moon, VP of Product Development, commented that, “I’ve had the pleasure of working with some very fine followspot operators who were still operating carbon arcs. This was only 2006, so thirteen years ago, and these were still their primary followspots at arenas across the country. Operating those can be extremely tricky due to changing out carbon rods between intermission, as well as having the feed motor crap out in the middle of the show, and manually having to feed the rod in order to maintain the arc.”

As for what makes a good followspot operator, Mr. Hudson said in “The Stage” article: ‘Concentration, finesse, and feeling. My lamp is my baby, it becomes a part of me. That’s my living. Some guys think it’s just a job. But doing it and doing it properly are two different things. You also have to know how to improvise.’

When a followspot is run correctly, you never notice. When it isn’t, you can’t help but notice. Picking up an actor on a completely dark stage takes a lot of practice and timing. Followspot operation takes a great deal of focus, and you have to follow the performer you’re lighting up very carefully. We at CantoUSA appreciate what you do, the work you put in, and are always listening to end-users’, operators’, and designers’ feedback. We aren’t the ones operating equipment every day, so your feedback is invaluable to us as we create more models for your use.

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Filed Under: CantoUSA, Followspots Tagged With: CantoUSA, Followspots

What Makes Our Products Innovative?

April 8, 2019 by Jason Reeves

The mission statement of CantoUSA is “Our customers come first. We encourage and listen to their feedback in order to continue to develop the most innovative lighting products on the market. In order to do this, we continuously train our team on the latest trends and needs of the industry, while at the same time becoming a trendsetter in the development of new products and technology that no other company has available.” We talked with our Eastern Sales Manager, Shawn Harmon, and VP of Research and Development, Brian Moon, to discuss what specifically makes our products innovative.

Shawn connected the innovation back with our clients, by saying, “I think the first thing that sets us apart is customer service. We do far and away more for our clients than anyone in the followspot or house light world.”

Brian agreed that we talk with our customers about many subjects, especially to find out the gaps they are experiencing in the industry. “But, more importantly, we listen. We hear what people are leaning towards, and bounce ideas off them in terms of different ideas for solutions to those issues. I also used to be an end user myself, and in some regards I still am in terms of determining which parts and pieces go into our products. I want to select high-quality parts so that our customers will have a high-quality experience for years to come while using our products. We don’t want to make disposable products—we want them to be as upgradeable and long-lasting as possible.”

For example, our ASTRO series of LED followspots are built with the intent of future upgrades. With some simple removal of screws, the LED engine can be removed and upgraded with the latest technology. The beauty of the followspot itself is that the operation doesn’t change. The same goes for the RETRO series. Everything was designed to be able to field-repairable as well as upgradeable if the customers desire. The LED driver and LED array assembly are modular so that it’s easy enough to maintain, upgrade, and replace based on changing needs.

A common theme from both Brian and Shawn was that we are future-oriented. Shawn brought up that “We are looking down the road at technology and not relying on designs from 20, 30, or 50 years ago.” Our focus is on LEDs, and seeing if we can replace everything we currently use in the industry with LED versions. We are always working on new and innovative lighting solutions. Brian emphasized that listening, researching, and keeping up with current and upcoming technology is key. “I think we maintain a creative edge in our products, as we are not trying to create copycat products. We are focusing on original aesthetics and features. We are trying to look at a problem and solve it in such a way that might be different or easier in most cases than what currently exists out there in the marketplace. ‘R’ for ‘R & D’ is all about Research, and I spend a lot of time reading about what new technology is coming around the corner and how we might best apply that to the products that we design.”