Our first lights were Christmas spots, four (4) to a column set on each side of the band. One of the band “hangers-on” would flip the toggles switches while we played. This was not a paying gig but he or she could get in to the venue with the band for free.
I have never been big on lights, just having enough to get by. I once had a string of 8 Par-38’s but the glare was pretty bad so I dropped 4. I also had trouble with home-made switch box so I just left them in one scene. Most bands with who I had been associated had their own lights and their own way of hanging them, whether on the drop ceiling or on stands.
I was going to go to MIDI-operated system where the sequencer changed scenes along with the music but that was going overboard for a show my size.
Just a month ago I borrowed a pair of LED lights. They were amazing. You could change the color without gels and the lights were cool to the touch. Each individual LED light (there had to be around 40 in the can) changed color.
Stumble it!