Hangup Entertainment Services Ltd, based in the south island of New Zealand, send their gear out both locally and nationally. With their own lighting, ground support, rigging structures, trucks and specialised crew, Hangup work from their base in Christchurch across any type of live event. With big things on the go, it’s the little things that matter, and that’s why Hangup have purchased a diminutive but powerful High End Systems HedgeHog 4X.
“We have a High End Systems Road Hog 4, and we bought a HedgeHog last year,” said Hangup’s Managing Director Andre Goldsmith. “The HedgeHog is a really handy size, and it’s spent so much time out of the workshop, we’ve had to pick up another one with more bells and whistles. There’s a lot of growth going on in Christchurch, and we’re finding ourselves spread across multiple simultaneous gigs. Our HedgeHog was going on tour for a month, and we needed something to fill gap.”
The tricked-out HedgeHog 4X adds extra features compared to the base model including HogNet networking, two more universes via Art-Net/sACN, the ability to run two extra DMX Widgets, and external touchscreen support. “The big one for us is being able to use Hog4PC to work wirelessly,” expounded Andre. “The extra universes are like having a bigger console in a smaller space. We like using it in environments like corporate, where table space is at a premium, and we’re doing lights up, a few dance floor looks, a table break-up, and entrance and exit specials.”
With a 12.1-inch multi-touch monitor, ten faders and four encoder wheels, the HedgeHog 4X puts powerful control into almost any situation. “Christchurch is a Hog city,” reported Andre. “It’s easy to find operators. There are schools here that have Hoglet 4 controllers running Hog4PC, so you’ve got young operators coming up. There’s a transference of knowledge across a spectrum of the community. It makes it easy to bring a Hog desk into any gig. The Hogs suit Christchurch from a business perspective.”
Andre is convinced of the Hogs importance to Hangup’s bottom-line. “In terms of bang-for- buck, the HedgeHogs are very, very good,” he confirmed. “For our day- to- day gigs, we can’t beat them. We’ve done the sums, and it was an easy decision to put another HedgeHog in our inventory. Our staff know them and like them, and so does the community. Our HedgeHogs have totally earnt their place on the workshop floor.”
Hangup have been ably looked after by Simon Garrett at High End Systems reseller Oceania, who are in turn supported by New Zealand and Australian High End Systems distributor Lexair. “Lexair New Zealand and Oceania are both great to deal with,” Andre concluded. “We regularly deal with Simon at Oceania who is prompt, up-front, and helpful.”
