Case 01 Lighting + iPad control Poynton WMC 2026

Intelligent lighting,
controlled from
an iPad.

From conventional to intelligent. We returned after nearly a decade and transformed the concert room's lighting from a traditional desk to a bespoke intelligent system, controlled from an iPad, that anyone behind the bar can run.

fixtures

289

DMX channels

scenes & programmes

Poynton WMC concert room lit by intelligent fixtures

a decade of evolution

From a desk in 2016, to an iPad in 2026.

October 2016

The original installation.

During the club's refurbishment we installed a traditional, non-computerised lighting system on a conventional desk. It served the venue well for almost a decade. The world of lighting, in the meantime, had moved on.

2026

A complete refit.

The original system replaced with a modern intelligent rig: 13 fixtures, 289 DMX channels, controlled entirely by our bespoke ShowControl software. Club staff operate the whole thing from an iPad.

the rig

What we installed.

fixtures

289

DMX channels

DMX universe

Art-Net

protocol

Moving head wash

// Stairville SonicPulse 1208s

Three wash moving heads with dual-ring RGBW LEDs, 540° pan, 270° tilt. Built-in macros, calibration, and per-fixture aiming.

Qty: 3
19 ch each
RGBW

Tungsten sunstrip

// Showtec LED Tungsten Blinders

Two 10-segment blinder bars with warm and cool white LEDs per segment. Used for houselights and audience washes.

Qty: 2
20 ch each
WW + CW

LED bar

// Stairville LED Bar 240/8 RGB

Eight 8-segment RGB bars distributed across the venue. Effects, sweeps, beat-driven looks, and per-segment colour.

Qty: 8
24 ch each
RGB

the control system

The whole rig, on an iPad.

The entire rig is driven by ShowControl, our bespoke web-based lighting control software. Club staff don't open an app: they open a browser tab and tap the look they want. No app store, no install, no training session.

Visiting professionals get the bits they want too. Art-Net out, full patch documentation, fixture identify, and no proprietary hardware standing in their way.

Learn about ShowControl →

designed for everyone

Two audiences. One system.

for club staff & volunteers

Easy Mode

The default interface presents large, clearly labelled buttons that anyone behind the bar can use without training. The "show" runs itself.

One-tap presets (Houselights, Cabaret, Party Mode)
Automatic Live Mode for audio-reactive looks
Master dimmer for the whole room
No training, no app to install

for visiting professionals

Pro tools

Visiting techs get the open standards they expect. The system runs on Art-Net, alongside LightKey, QLC+, MA Lighting and anything else they bring.

Art-Net standard, no lock-in
Complete patch documentation
Fixture identify on every fixture
No proprietary hardware to bypass

capabilities

Key features, briefly.

One-tap operation

Common looks one button away.

17 static scenes

Bar, cabaret, dance, breaks, more.

25 animated programmes

Continuous looks, beat-driven and timed.

Live Mode auto-pilot

Audio-reactive without anyone touching it.

Beat detection

3-band FFT, tap tempo backup.

Moving head calibration

Tuned to the room, stored persistently.

Per-lamp sunstrip control

Each segment addressable individually.

Crossfading

Smooth transitions between every look.

Fixture identify

Tag and locate any fixture on the rig.

next up

Phase 2: full room control.

scheduled

House lighting integration

Bringing the bar and front-of-house dimming into ShowControl alongside the stage rig, so the entire room is one tap away.

scheduled

PA & sound system upgrade

The audio side of the venue, modernised to match. Same operating philosophy: usable by the people actually behind the bar.

← previous Marple Social and Forces Club the software → ShowControl

Intelligent lighting,
controlled from
an iPad.