Classic Gear Live!

First launched at PLASA 2023, our annual shop window for historical and interesting equipment and systems was at the PLASA show at Olympia from 1-3 September 2024

We were at PLASA again this year, from 7-9 September 2025 at Olympia in London, on stand K109 on the upper gallery.

On Display:

Betty – Strand System CD – courtesy Historic Stage Lighting Collective

Strand
System CD 120 Channel - Betty  (1956)
From Jim Laws Collection

Thorn Q-File – courtesy Broadcast Engineering Museum

Thorn Lighting
Q-File  
From Broadcast Equipment Conservation Group

ETC Microvision – courtesy ETC

Electronic Theatre Controls / ETC
ETC Microvision  (1990)
From ETC Museum Collection

ETC Obsession 2- courtesy WL

Electronic Theatre Controls / ETC
ETC Obsession 2  (1997)
From ETC Museum Collection

PanCans – courtesy HSLC

PanCan
Pancan  
From Historic Stage Lighting Collection

Patt 263 cutaway – courtesy HSLC

Strand
Pattern 263 Profile Spot - Cutaway  (1965)
From Jim Laws Collection

Altman 360Q – courtesy WL

Altman 360Q  (1975)

Source Four – number 5 off the production line – courtesy ETC

Electronic Theatre Controls / ETC
ETC Source Four  
From ETC Museum Collection

GoldenScan – courtesy BHC/WL

Golden Scan HPE  (1995)
From Backstage Heritage Collection

PAL1200 – courtesy Martin

Martin
Martin PAL1200  

VL1 – courtesy PRG

Vari*Lite
VL1  

Every issue of LSi ever published – courtesy PLASA

40 Years of LSI  

Lighting Plans – courtesy BHC / Theatrecrafts

Drawing board, stencils, pens

Cut-away Verlinde chain hoist – courtesy Chris Higgs

Verlinde
Verlinde Litachain Hoist  
From Chris Higgs Collection

Pitching Digital Light Curtain – courtesy WL

Pitching Digital Light Curtain  

Revox B77 – courtesy Autograph (with provision to record, play and edit tape)

Revox B77  
From Autograph Sound

WEM Copicat tape-based echo machine, courtesy Mike Walker/Loh Humm

Copicat  
From Mike Walker Collection

Steeldeck decking holding it all up! 

Steeldeck
Steeldeck Platform  (1985)

New for 2025 – The Projection Space

You can also explore stand K82, the Projection Space, new this year!

In action: Aldust Tutor, Tutor2 projectors, Optikinetics GoBoShow and K2 projector – psychedelic projection
Strand effects discs and projectors (including clouds and flames, of course, but also many others – rain, snow, smoke, plants, dots, skeletons….)

With thanks to key supporters:

And huge thanks to those who’ve loaned equipment:

  • Historic Stage Lighting Collective (HSLC)
  • Technical Theatre Preservation Group (TTPG)
  • Broadcast Engineering Museum
  • ETC
  • PRG
  • Martin
  • Backstage Heritage Collection
  • Theatrecrafts.com
  • LSi / PLASA Media

Past Classic Gear Live events

PLASA 2023
PLASA 2024


Keywords: PLASA 2024 PLASA Collection 2024