BalloonBooth: A case study by New Nostalgia

BalloonBooth schematic: a grid of mylar balloons across a back wall, curving forward at both ends, with a standing figure silhouetted in front of it

Erika’s Birthday Bash was a party hosted by San Francisco collective Program that featured a lighting installation by New Nostalgia centered on the DJ booth. Chrome mylar balloons lined the side fence and back walls, while two trusses — each rigged with four moving head fixtures — framed the booth, directing light over the crowd or onto the DJ. Panels mounted on the trusses faced the balloon wall, casting shifting color environments across its reflective surface.

Erika at the decks with four white moving-head beams crossing above her, the mylar balloon wall lit red behind — Erika in front of balloon wall installation view. Cross-section of moving heads pointing down towards DJ

The mylar balloon wall lit magenta, a grid of curved nodes filling the back wall between two moving heads — Full mylar balloon wall installation view

Mothbot and Technopagan at the decks in red light, the balloon wall and truss towers behind them over the heads of the crowd — Mothbot and Technopagan DJing with fixtures pointing red volumetric light straight down in parallel lines

Erika silhouetted at the decks against the balloon wall glowing hot pink, truss towers standing on either side — Erika in front of installation view

Technical Overview

Erika’s Birthday Bash was designed as a temporary lighting intervention within an existing venue ecosystem. The space features a permanent overhead lighting system composed of LED tube bars spanning the entire ceiling across the dancefloor. For the majority of the event, the venue lighting remained active, maintaining the room’s familiar visual identity.

1. Truss & Fixture Layout

Two 7-foot freestanding truss towers were positioned symmetrically, maximizing vertical presence beneath the venue’s 8-foot ceiling.

Each truss supported a vertically layered lighting configuration:

Elation Dartz 360Three Rockville Stage Panel 864One Rockville Battery Strip 24

Behind the DJ, a grid of 45 Mylar balloons was installed across the back wall, forming a reflective surface composed of individual curved nodes.

The Stage Panel fixtures were aimed directly at this balloon grid. When linear chases were executed, the motion appeared replicated across each balloon surface, visually multiplying a single programmed gesture dozens of times. Large full-output flashes converted the entire balloon wall into a luminous field, creating strong silhouette moments behind the DJ.

2. Lighting Control

All fixtures were connected via DMX and operated from a single ADJ Wolfmix WMX1 lighting controller.

The system prioritized live performative control, with emphasis on chase-based programming and timed flash accents. The moving heads were grouped independently to allow beam sweeps above the dancefloor and focused DJ highlights, while the Stage Panels functioned as a cohesive reflection engine.

The Rockville Battery Strips were used sparingly for short silhouette strobes and accent hits.

A single ADJ MegaFlash 800W provided high-intensity strobe moments reserved for peak transitions.

3. Atmospherics

Atmospheric density was generated using one Chauvet Hurricane 1800 fog machine positioned beneath the DJ booth and directed toward the back wall.

Rather than filling the room evenly, fog accumulated behind the performer, enhancing beam visibility from the Dartz fixtures and softening reflections across the balloon surface.

This localized atmospheric approach preserved clarity on the dancefloor while increasing perceived depth behind the DJ.

5. Gear Summary

Lighting & Rigging4× Elation Dartz 3602× 7 ft freestanding truss towers6× Rockville Stage Panel 8642× Rockville Battery Strip 241× ADJ Wolfmix WMX11× ADJ MegaFlash 800W

Scenic Element45× Mylar balloons

Atmospherics1× Chauvet Hurricane 1800 fog machine