Classic Gear Live returns with landmark lighting and legendary touring consoles

Classic Gear Live returns to PLASA Show for the fifth time in 2026, opening its treasure chest of vintage entertainment technology for another celebration of the equipment, designers and engineers that helped shape the industry.

Taking place on The Gallery (stand K62), the popular feature will bring together a collection of historic lighting and production technology with an extensive display of rare audio equipment from CH Vintage Audio, led by Chris Hewitt.

Named after the long-running Classic Gear column for LSi magazine, the feature places landmark technology from across the decades alongside the latest innovations being launched at PLASA Show.

Celebrating 50 years of the National Theatre

This year, Classic Gear Live will mark 50 years since the opening of the National Theatre on London’s South Bank.

At the time of its opening, the National embraced new technology in a way no other British theatre had, introducing power flying, the famous Olivier Drum Revolve stage, the pioneering Lightboard lighting console and much more.

Visitors will be able to explore an array of lighting control systems used throughout the building’s history, from Lightboard and Galaxy to the Strand 500-series and an original ETC Eos running the version 1.0 software from its 2006 debut.

Also on display will be the original automation console from the Olivier Theatre and the prototype model of the Drum Revolve. A dedicated photo gallery on neighbouring stand K60 will offer a rare behind-the-scenes view of the National Theatre across the decades.

Rare Vari-Lite technology and industry pioneers

Classic Gear Live will also celebrate 40 years since the launch of Vari-Lite’s Series 200 system.

The display will include the mighty Artisan control console and a range of fixtures including the VL2, VL4 and VL5, alongside the now incredibly rare VL3 and VL6.

Joining the stand on Sunday and Monday will be two key members of the team behind the technology: Vari-Lite lead designer Jim Bornhorst, who received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering alongside his team, and Tom Littrell, who helped establish the role of the Vari-Lite programmer on productions including the Genesis Abacab tour.

Their appearance offers visitors a unique opportunity to hear the history of moving lights directly from two of the field’s pioneers.

Legendary touring mixers from CH Vintage Audio

Representing the evolution of live sound, CH Vintage Audio will present an exceptional collection of rare mixing consoles connected to some of the biggest artists and productions of the 1970s.

Highlights will include:

• The mixer used on David Bowie’s 1973 Ziggy Stardust tour

• Pink Floyd’s quadraphonic mixer from The Dark Side of the Moon and Live at Pompeii

• The Who’s 1970s Mavis quadraphonic mixer

• Slade’s 1970s WEM Stereomaster 24-channel touring mixer

• A 1970s Kelsey mixer used by Soft Machine

These will be joined by further rare audio artefacts from the CH Vintage Audio collection, offering visitors a close-up look at the equipment behind a defining period of touring and recording history.

Betty returns

The feature will also mark 70 years since the debut of Betty, the Strand System CD lighting console that ran productions at London’s Palace Theatre from 1956 until 1980.

Following the attention she received at last year’s show, Betty will return as one of Classic Gear Live’s most tactile attractions. Visitors who missed her in 2025 – or simply want another opportunity to experience this remarkable piece of control history – will be able to see her in action throughout the show.

Classic Gear Live in the seminar programme

Beyond the equipment itself, Classic Gear Live gives visitors the chance to meet some of the people who originally designed, built, sold and operated these groundbreaking technologies.

The feature will also contribute to two sessions in the PLASA Show seminar programme.

On Sunday 6 September at 2.30pm, Vari-Lite: The Lights That Changed Our World will feature Vari-Lite pioneers Jim Bornhorst and Tom Littrell discussing the history of the company’s groundbreaking moving-light technology. Bornhorst was Vari-Lite’s lead designer and, alongside his team, received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering, while Littrell helped establish the role of the Vari-Lite programmer on productions including Genesis’ Abacab tour.

On Monday 7 September at 2.30pm, The National Theatre At Fifty – Five Decades Of Technology In Support Of Theatre will explore how the National Theatre has continued to pioneer entertainment technology throughout its history. Paul Handley, Matt Drury and Andrew Grant from the National Theatre will be joined by David Bertenshaw of Strand, who helped develop the Lightboard console, and Anne Valentino of ETC, who led the team behind the Eos console family.

Together, they will discuss the technical demands of complex productions and the ways in which entertainment technology has evolved to meet them.

Classic Gear Live offers the chance to experience entertainment technology history up close.

The vintage collection can be found together upstairs on The Gallery –  stand K62 at PLASA Show 2026, with the National Theatre Gallery located next door on stand K60.

PLASA Show takes place at Olympia London from 6th – 8th September 2026.

Register for a complimentary ticket* here: https://register.visitcloud.com/survey/2mac233r7ozem?actioncode=EM23

*Ticket price increases to £15 +VAT from 1st – 5th September 2026/£20 +VAT from 6th – 8th September 2026.