Denmark – Danish indie-rockers APHACA dazzled Copenhagen’s 10,000-capacity Forum this spring, delivering a stripped-back, cinematic experience for fans. Driving live camera feeds with carefully crafted effects were Hippotizer MX Series Media Servers from Green Hippo, an ACT Entertainment brand.
Visual designer Johnny Thinggaard crafted a bold, minimalist visual identity for the rising Danish band, rooted in a raw aesthetic. Lighting was executed almost entirely in silhouette or high-contrast states, with no attempt to hide trusses or technical infrastructure. Instead, these elements became part of the visual language.
The video elements centered around a 15 x 5-meter LED screen positioned at the rear of the stage. Rather than specifying pre-rendered content, all visuals were driven by live camera feeds, produced by Casper Warnich. These feeds were treated in real time by Hippotizer MX Series Kasai Media Servers, supplied by Vigsø A/S, with Thinggaard applying precise color grading to shape the mood. “There was no manipulation beyond grading,” he notes. “We either work in natural color or start from black and white and paint selectively using RGB values. It keeps everything honest and immediate.”
Thinggaard joined the tour following a recommendation from United Stage Denmark, working closely with the band and production leads to translate an already well-defined artistic vision into a cohesive video and lighting design. This concept was key to the band’s early 2026 arena shows, with the Forum date serving as the pinnacle.
“We held meetings to see if there was good chemistry and if I could interpret the band’s vision into a coherent visual expression,” Thinggaard explains. “They had a strong sense of direction, so my role became about refining and enhancing that identity.”
The Hippotizer MX Series Kasai Media Servers were fitted with 12G input cards to handle the live camera feeds with precision and reliability. For Thinggaard, Hippotizer has long been a trusted creative tool.
“It’s been my go-to companion since 2011,” he says. “I love that you can fix anything. The flexibility is unmatched, creating unique moments every night.”
Thinggaard’s design philosophy extended across the entire stage. Band members Rumle, Bertil, Bertram, and Noah were isolated in their own visual space using dedicated followspots, positioned both in front of and behind them. This created depth and contrast while maintaining a stark, uncluttered stage picture. “It created an intimate yet cinematic experience that placed the performers firmly center stage,” he adds.
Hippotizer played a crucial role in achieving its refined aesthetic. Thinggaard made use of color controls and subtle effects such as noise to texture the imagery, while maintaining a disciplined, restrained approach to processing. The system was pre-programmed using Hippotizer Prep and controlled using a grandMA3 Lite console, enabling seamless integration between lighting and video.
The production team included Sune Verdier, who collaborated with Thinggaard on lighting and video programming, Andreas Christensen as Head of Lighting and Video, and Niels Peter Lindholt as Hippotizer technician. The wider production was led by Lasse Hjorth and Tobias Sødring.
Following its initial run of arena shows, APHACA will tour Danish festivals through the summer before evolving the production into a large-scale stadium performance at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium later this year.
Johnny Thinggaard works with www.cmy.dk and is on Instagram at @cmydk.
Credit: © Morten Ryggaard
