Cadence Design Systems, Inc., the world’s largest supplier of electronic design automation technologies and engineering services, holds a truly eye-poping sales meeting for its top executives.

Each year, the Cadence show grows more spectacular, while the audience size remains relatively unchanged – around 500 people. Although the location and scale of the sales meeting varies, the recent event hosted at Caesars Palace, in Las Vegas, NV, stands out.

Held in a temporary, boxing ring structure behind the main casino building, the multi-day Cadence event featured a completely themed environment with break-out stages and side booths as well as a central arena. Despite changes in production companies and the exponential growth in the show, UVLD have consistently provided lighting design services year after year.

Lighting the Las Vegas Cadence show was UVLD founder John Ingram as lighting designer and UVLD’s Paul Sharwell as associate lighting designer / programmer. The enormous lighting rig consisted of 22 Martin Mac 2000 Profile fixtures, 72 Vari*Lite 2000 wash and 64 VL 2000 spot fixtures as well as a plethora of conventionals, UV Fresnels, scrollers, strobes and on-set practicals.

The central element to the entire show was the ‘nacelle,’ a large, donut-shaped set piece that framed the main rear projection screen used throughout the three day event. “This was an incredible show to be part of,” comments UVLD’s Paul Sharwell. “Not only did John work his magic with the lighting design, but Rick Goodwin really came through with a fantastic set design. Of course, Rick made our lives difficult by having projection everywhere, but controlling light to a very precise degree is something that we are used to dealing with.”

The lighting for the Las Vegas Cadence show featured an Ingram trademark – complexity. Not believing in making his job simple, Ingram created an intricate design by blending subtle, elegant touches with the truly spectacular. “The staff can get very jaded in the corporate theatre world,” remarks Sharwell. “I think everyone involved in this project, however, had to stand back at least once and say, ‘Wow, this is cool!’”