A unique experience – Donny Montell pushes the boundaries with Cameo

One thing has been certain for many years: Donny Montell’s concerts are unique experiences. Following “2057” (2022) and “360” (2023), the Lithuanian pop superstar returned to Kaunas, Lithuania, at the end of 2024 to play another groundbreaking show in front of 10,000 spectators at the Žalgiris Arena. Once again on board: Baltic Production Service (as overall technical service provider), Marfa Lights (as stage, video and lighting design studio) and 350 Cameo lights.

“A Donny Montell concert cannot be reduced to a standard formula – every show is unique and distinctive,” explains Andrius Stasiulis from Marfa Lights. “Donny only plays one big show every year. As such, he wants to push the boundaries anew with every production and eclipse everything that has gone before.” For the latest production, Marfa Lights and Baltic Production Service created a multi-level stage design that combined huge LED surfaces, sophisticated visuals and a diverse lighting set-up to create depth on multiple stage levels. “We arranged the visual elements on the stage on several levels to create an immersive environment: a large LED screen in the background, the musicians in front of it, then a transparent LED screen, Donny Montell and the dancers in front of it and, as the foremost level, the interplay between the lighting design and the audience.”

“A Donny Montell concert cannot be reduced to a standard formula – every show is unique and distinctive.”
Andrius Stasiulis, Marfa Lights

Marfa Lights & Cameo

In recent years, Marfa Lights has repeatedly relied on Cameo lights to turn some sensational lighting designs into reality: the open-air opera “The Flying Dutchman” (2022), the closing ceremony of Kaunas as European Capital of Culture (2022) and the impressive Fashion Infection runway show (2024). However, with 350 Cameo units, the new Donny Montell Arena production is not just a new milestone in terms of numbers: “Cameo played a decisive role in the realisation of our lighting design,” explains Andrius Stasiulis. “We positioned the fixtures at strategic points to emphasise the depth of the stage design and make the visual impact as strong as possible. Each model has a specific task and was selected by us in advance precisely for this purpose.”

Long PIXBAR lines

Marfa Lights arranged a total of 90 Cameo PIXBAR SMD IP G2 SMD LED bars into two 40-metre-long, continuous horizontal light lines across the entire width of the stage to give it even more structure and depth, with chase and pixel mapping effects synchronised with the video content. “The PIXBARs were one of the central visual components of the show and more than impressed us with their combination of technical precision and creative possibilities,” comments Andrius Stasiulis.

Another eye-catching element was the OPUS H5 beam spot wash hybrid moving heads. These were arranged on both sides of the stage in a large grid formation and framed the set with balanced lighting accents, dynamic beam movements and sharp transitions between individual lighting moods. The OTOS B5 beam moving heads acted as a kind of “bridge” between the stage and the audience. With their enormous light output and flexible beam angles, the OTOS B5s filled the Žalgiris Arena with powerful beams and also ensured that even darker colour palettes were clearly visible from all spectator areas. The Cameo moving lights in the lighting design by Marfa Lights are rounded off by eight OPUS X PROFILEs, which were used as powerful and precise side lights to emphasise individual performers or objects on stage in isolation.

“The PIXBARs were one of the central visual components of the show and more than impressed us with their combination of technical precision and creative possibilities.”
Andrius Stasiulis, Marfa Lights

3D experience

However, the ZENIT W600 and W300 LED wash lights, which were arranged in a box-shaped structure above the stage, made the biggest contribution to the visibility and illumination of the stage. “In combination with the ultra-wide LED screen, the ZENIT W600 and ZENIT W300 transformed the entire set into a three-dimensional experience,” says Andrius Stasiulis. “It felt like the stage extended into the audience and merged seamlessly with the hall.” To set the scene for the central catwalk, Marfa Lights also placed 24 ZENIT W600 SMDs on the sides of the catwalk, which were operated in full-pixel mode, enabling them to be flexibly synchronised with the stage visuals and audience lighting.

Perfect partnership

The new Donny Montell show is the latest proof that Baltic Production Service (BPS) and Marfa Lights form a perfect team when it comes to realising special events. For Romas Michailovskis from BPS, the reason for the successful collaboration is obvious: “We share the same views when it comes to the quality, planning and realisation of a production. It’s not only fun, but also extremely effective.” Andrius Stasiulis adds: “The BPS team always makes the impossible possible and delivers outstanding results, even when deadlines are tight. With BPS as a partner, we can simply rely on stable production processes, including the flawless execution of the lighting. The exceptional reliability of the Cameo products also contributes to this.”