AFTER 20 YEARS, THE LASERIUM LOOKS FOR A NEW HOME

BY MAXAMINA MURO

Imagine you're in a room with a few hundred of your closest friends - all there to be entertained. The lights are lowered and MOBIUS 8, the latest EJ to hit the scene, enters the stage area. (Yes EJ, not DJ.) MOBIUS 8 dons a silver suit and large, dark silver-rimmed sunglasses topped by his own silver dome. (You might begin to wonder if this is the beginning of some sort of alien adventure or, perhaps, you've stumbled onto the set of the live -action version of the Jetsons.) Then he steps up to the Hydra (a space age version of the keyboard) and begins to play. MOBIUS 8 controls the Hydra, as he twists his body, by raising and lowering his arms, holding his hands flatly above the "keys," his movement creates changes in the music, lights, and images on the large screen behind him. The electronic music pulsates, laser lights shoot around the room and behind MOBIUS 8 the large screen fills with random images of foreign places and graphics that change with the music and lights.

MOBIUS 8 is a silver suited spectacle. More entertaining that an average DJ, he's an EJ - a technological - electronic-master-mind. Not quite as puffy as a Las Vegas showman, although you could easily see him there, as one of the "hipper" acts to keep the younger set in the desert entertained. You and your friends, senses assaulted, stare in awe. Soon you have no choice but to dance as the spectacle sinks in, you realize the music is damn good too. All night - the music, the lights and, next thing you know, its two o'clock in the morning and you haven't stopped dancing for at least a couple of hours.

The great thing is you're full of energy and fascinated by the silver suited Mobius 8. Where does he come from? Why is he here? And where did he come up with such a cool show? What exactly is a Hydra? These questions beg to be answered and, soŠ

Once upon a time, at a year 2000 New Year's Eve celebration, the millennium changed and John Laraio, AKA Mobius 8, met Ivan Dryer. Each man was there to entertain the crowd and each saw an opportunity to broaden their entertaining horizons in the other. While some people were making resolutions to lose weight or quit smoking, John and Ivan talked about joining forces. Ivan Dryer is the creator of the LASERIUM show held at the Griffith Observatory since 1973. John Laraio, creator of the Hydra, has been a musician for a number of years touring with bands.

Ivan's LASERIM shows are most commonly, if unfairly, associated with watching a laser show set to the music of Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin, even though they just added a Nine Inch Nails show. While the show is still remarkable in many aspects, laser lights are far more common and lackluster than they were in 1973 and, for the last few years, the once sell-out crowds have waned.

A smart man, Ivan knew he would have to conceive of a way to reinvent his show to attract a new crowd. Although he probably had a few ideas, he is the typical behind-the-scenes kind of guy and needed to find someone to help drag the show into the current century.

Ivan imagined something more interactive would draw in the crowds once more but he wasn't sure how to make that happen. This is why finding John Laraio proved to be the Holy Grail - so to speak. Ivan has traditionally hired musicians to become laserists because they have the technical learning's and they're performers, which is exactly the skills needed to fill the job.

John has, for years, been a musician and entertainer, and an inventive one at that. John saw the chance to incorporate Ivan's lights and images with his Hydra, an invention of his that is part keyboard, part StarTrek navigational system. Ivan could supply the tools to take his performance to a much higher level. He also provided some fresh ideas and a new image for the LASERIUM, the single longest running entertainment attraction.

Ivan and John got busy at Ivan's Van Nuys studio choreographing the new show and adding elements along the way. John brought the music and Ivan supplied the laser lessons. Together they turned the Hydra into an instrument that controlled not only sounds but also lights and images - along with a little help from a computer. Two dried peas in a space pod, as it were. Not that the new show has anything to do with space, it is fantastical and futuristic. The sounds of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin have given way to more electronica sounds heard at raves around the world. The images, including John as Mobius 8, are more futuristic.

Did we mention dance floor? If you're thinking this sounds nothing like the original version of the LASERIUM, it's not supposed to. The new LASERIUM show will have the kids on their feet dancing the night away. Although Mobius 8 is quite a spectacle, we can't forget that this new show is interactive - a great buzzword for this millennium. As the crowd meanders in to these new shows they can also make their own music/laser light show on the Light Dancer. The Light Dancer is a large, flat piece situated on the floor of the lobby. Operated by Infrared light beams that shoot up from it toward lights in the ceiling that, when interrupted by your step, causes the light to turn on and a musical sound emanates from speakers surrounding the area. Imagine the scene from "Big" where Tom Hanks plays the giant keyboard lying on the floor of a toy store, now add lights and a much more sophisticated sound and you've got the Light Dancer. By stepping around the Light Dancer you create a music and light show of your own - or with a little help from your friends. This same idea will translate onto the dance floor. John and Ivan have come up with some kind of electronic marvel that will enable the dancers to participate with Mobius 8, or the computer when Mobius 8 takes a break. It's a fantastic way to add to the sensory pleasure and excitement and to allow everyone to feel that they are a part of the show - and what a conversation piece.

They can also occupy themselves with the Singing Crystal. This will also be situated in the lobby and looks like a giant, lit crystal perched atop a podium. It too has infrared lights that shoot out from it and when you put your hands in front of a beam you'll hear orchestral instruments. With this you can write and score your very own concerto. Not only is this a very entertaining piece, it may expose some people to classical sounds for the first time. You know how it is - kids walk around with their earphones 24/7, how are they ever going to learn to appreciate the classics?

Oh, Ivan is also busy looking for a new home. The Griffith Observatory will be closing down for two years while undergoing renovations forcing the long running show to find a new home. Although no one is sad, really, because they will have a whole new show when they do find a space, so it seems like the perfect time to say goodbye to the old place and show. Don't be surprised to find more technically advanced entertainment trappings once they do find a home, or homes.

Mobius 8, 9, 10, (and so on) maybe an alternative entertainment choice in the near future at an entertainment venue near you. While Ivan is actively seeking homes for their show, they have already taken it to some concert venues in places as far away as Japan and it was included on an MTV tour of college campuses.

One thing that won't change from the original idea is that the LASERIUM will be open all day. At night, Mobius 8 will perform on the Hydra for dancing crowds, but during the day kids will come from schools and in the early evening the show will be tailored to people who may not want to dance the night away. Ivan has always been committed to teaching people about laser technology and the point with these shows is to teach people of all ages about lasers. Don't despair, though, these shows will also be interactive and entertaining, and you can still enjoy the Light Dancer and the Singing Crystal.

Though used for entertainment purposes in this instance, lasers are very scientific in nature and have many other uses besides entertainment including surgery, cutting metal and even in the technology of CD and DVD players. Exposing kids to the technology behind the entertainment magic just may spark something in a future scientist who might be the person to discover the next wave of technology.

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As for the LASERIUM show, they are wrapping up its 22-year run with the year-long festival LASERIUM 2001. Running until the end of the year at the Griffith Observatory, the show features the most popular shows of the last decade. These shows include the Pink Floyd's "Dark side of the Moon," music from The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, U2 and Aerosmith. They will also add new shows, like the latest 3D Nine Inch Nails, and for the last month of the year all the shows will be in 3D.

The original concept of the show has remained the same. The audience members relax in comfy planetarium chairs and, while music is pumped through the sound system, watch a laser artist perform a laser light show on the ceiling. The laser show consists of images created by laser lights. One after the other, a streaming series of what look like graphics float on the ceiling.

Ivan says that some of the crowd's favorite images come from a mistake by the laserist. Those who attend on a regular basis tend to applaud at their favorite images. It is like a performance in this way, even though at these shows the laserist sits in a control booth - far different that Mobius 8. Some people go to show after show but may not know the process for creating these live shows. Before the public ever sees it the laser light show has been rehearsed and choreographed back at Ivan's Van Nuys facility, called Laser Images Inc. All of the laser projectors and other equipment used are built at this facility also. Computers are programmed to help run the laserist, run the show too. If you haven't ever gone, it's worth a trip to the Griffith Observatory before this goes away. If you can remember going, or have recently gone to the planetarium and sitting back while watching a laser show choreographed to the sounds of Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin, what you experienced was the benefit of Ivan Dryer's mind. Before LASERIUM, Ivan was a filmmaker. He saw a demonstration of a laser light show at Cal Tech and decided it would make a great film. He was wrong. On film the colors weren't as brilliant, the effect wasn't what he had hoped for. Ivan's mind wouldn't stop there. No. He decided that the laser show would be great entertainment for kids and adults alike.

Now this is where someone has one of those ideas that everyone else wonders where their own creativity might be. With the help of a couple of science minded people, Ivan pulled together a choreographed laser show. In 1970 he showed it to several companies, including the Griffith Observatory, but no takers. Two years later, the Griffith Observatory employed the then youngest astronomer to head an observatory in the country. In a lucky turn for Ivan, turns out, he was also a cool guy who liked the idea of the laser show.

So Ivan and Company spread the word about the impending show as much as they could - no need for a publicist. The actual projector for the laser wasn't completed until 5am the morning of the show. After working all night, Ivan then dashed over to a radio station to plug that night's show. Show time was 8 pm. The entrepreneurs waited and as they had hoped, people just showed up. The observatory was about half full that night. On the next night they had to turn away 500 people. Since then, millions have seen it.

The show has been a success - although, Ivan seemed to be a charmed thinker even back then. Ivan, however, attributes the success to being in Los Angeles. He believes that people here will try new things, a cutting edge crowd. Over time the popularity of the laser show grew so much that Ivan's company was playing the shows across the country. As is always the way with leaders, soon followers opened their own laser companies when they realized there was an opportunity to make a buck. Ivan's company was one the first laser specific companies in the world, but now there are about 100 laser companies he is competing with. It's this competition that pushes the creative people to get more creative, maybe that's where the motivation for Mobius 8 came. Ivan hasn't suffered though, his idea grew into a profitable company that builds and supplies laser equipment and has a client roster that includes just about every major entertainment company under the sun. The world of lasers may be a foreign one to you, but make no mistake about it, there is an entire industry built around these forces of light. LASER IMAGES, INC, Ivan's company that has supplied the entertainment of the LASERIUM for almost 30 years, has won some very important awards from the International Laser Display Association (ILDA). It is, according to one of Ivan's employees, like the Grammy's of lasers.

The laser industry is used in many forums including film and videos for special effects and lighting effects. They are also hired to create lighting magic at corporate events, whose been to a concert in recent years that has enjoyed laser images tossed out for the crowd.

It takes a lot to entertain people these days, and lasers have been right up there on the must have list to add to the show, whatever the show may be. They have an impressive website, www.laserium.com, that's fun to explore and has links to just about every laser organization you never heard of for those interested in the science behind the lasers. The shows run at the Griffith Observatory (see address below) Tuesday through Sunday. The shows typically start at 6pm, 8:45pm, and 9:45 pm on Friday and Saturday. You can check out their web site for the music selection or call the Laser Show hotline (818) 997-3624; the music changes monthly. Laser Visions is a comical selection shown each Thursday at 8:45pm. Prices are follows: Adults, $8, Children (5-12 years) $7, Seniors (55+) $7. Add $1 to each ticket for 3D shows. Children under 5 are not admitted.

The Griffith Observatory is located in Griffith Park at 2800 E. Observatory Rd., Los Angeles; you can get recorded information for the Observatory by calling (323) 664-1191.