At The Caverns, a sprawling 8,000-foot underground cave passage located just over 80 miles south of Nashville, unique challenges in bringing about the ‘perfect lighting design’ are particularly pronounced. And for lighting designers like Justin Casey, owner of Helm Projects, the uneven terrain is one such test of creativity.

“Nothing there is level,” Casey explains of the iconic venue, which includes the 1,500-capacity Big Mouth Cave. “That’s the first challenge. We’ve done so many shows at this place, so we know it takes time and thought to create a design that works. But once you nail it, the results are absolutely worth it.”

Those results were on full display when Casey and his team brought electronica artist LSDream’s two-day Rave Cave event to life. The lighting design they created played off the cave’s intricate, craggy features, harmonizing seamlessly with the immersive, high-energy performances on stage.

Central to this design were 18 units of CHAUVET Professional COLORado PXL Bar 16 motorized battens. Positioned both in front of and behind the DJ booth, these RGBW linear fixtures provided a geometric visual element, creating sheets of light that added depth and dimension to the space.

“They were fantastic for generating layers of light from the ground,” Casey notes. “On top of that, they gave us some stunning backlight effects.”

Adding another layer of creativity were CHAUVET EPIX Strip fixtures, which formed sacred geometry shapes that enhanced the mystical ambiance of the show. “The vibe was like discovering an ancient, hidden shape deep in the cave,” says Casey.

The geometric design was further complemented by CHAUVET Color STRIKE M motorized strobe-washes, positioned throughout the venue to envelop the space in a 360-degree rave-like atmosphere. Flashing strobes and washes of dynamic colour amplified the energy of the performances, creating an unforgettable experience for attendees.

“All the credit goes to our Helms team for their dedication to bringing this vision to life,” says Casey. “This event came at the end of a demanding series of back-to-back events, and their determination to deliver was truly impressive.”

A highlight of the design was the pixel-mapped imagery projected onto the cave’s ceiling. With bold colour combinations and transcendent visuals, these projections evoked a sense of otherworldliness, while subtly nodding to the cave’s history. The images conjured feelings of time travel, with some recalling the ancient human inhabitants who once sought refuge in the cave over 25,000 years ago.

While those early occupants gathered at The Caverns to find shelter from the elements, today’s visitors come in search of something far more experiential—a journey into music, light, and immersive design. Thanks to Helm Projects’ visionary work, LSDream’s Rave Cave delivered on that promise, transforming an ancient natural wonder into a breathtaking stage for modern creativity.