NEWS PROJECTION LIGHTS & STAGING NEWS Rascal Flatts Tours with Bigger Rig, Complex Set The set included a 32-foot high, MiTrix-clad staircase and a large rectangular thrust. Andy Knighton, LD for Rascal Flatts, is in his sixth year of working with the Grammy award-winning country band, and over that time he’s seen the tour grow from one truck to a convoy of 22 semis loaded with gear. The current tour, Bob that Head, is using lighting supplied by Bandit Lites and an interactive set created by All Access Staging, lit by LEDs from Elation Lighting and Acclaim Lighting. For the tour, Knighton chose to use primarily Vari*Lite products, including 48 VL3500 Washes and 60 VL3000 Spots, Color Kinetics Color Blasts and Lycian M2 truss spots, all controlled by two grandMAs and four grand- MA NSPs from MA Lighting. There are also about 1,000 color-changing LED fixtures from Elation Professional and Acclaim Lighting, and a set design from All Access that brings the band’s three performers into close contact with the crowd. “They basically had a T thrust on their last set, and this year they wanted one that would extend even further out into the audience,” said project manager Mike Bell of All Access Staging. Working with set designer Bruce Rodgers of Tribe Inc. and Knighton of Bandit Lites, All Access created “one of the most <strong>com</strong>plicated sets I’ve worked on,” said Bell. It has a 32-foot high spiral staircase that measures 14 feet in diameter and is surrounded by Barco Mi- Trix LEDs. That silo-like structure serves as a silo-like focal point for the 48-foot-by-68-foot main stage, which incorporates a runwaystyle rectangular thrust that wraps around four spectator egresses to provide audience access. The set also features a variety of staircases following the silo’s curved contours. Five elevated risers serve as platforms for the instrumental players, while numerous stairways, ramps and bridges, also lit by color-changing LEDs, connect the various sections and levels of the set. A total 730 Acclaim X-Cubes RGB LED fixtures are used along the perimeters of the thrust and those of the risers where the instrumental players are positioned. Spaced one foot apart on the elevated risers, they “draw attention to the risers and the backline guys,” said Bell. X-Cubes and MiTrix are also used to highlight three diamond-shaped decks that sit on top of two elevated audience egress bridges and on the front of the main stage and a fourth square-shaped deck at the front of the thrust. The top surface of the entire thrust is outlined with Acclaim X-Tubes on each side. More than 125 of these linear RGB LED strips are placed end-to-end so that they appear as an uninterrupted “running light” along the sides of the thrust “to really give it a runway look,” said Bell. The set also uses more than 100 39-inch Octostrip LEDs from Acclaim’s sister <strong>com</strong>pany Elation Professional. They illuminate the treads of the many stairways on the set, including the two staircases that lead down from the 32-foot silo to the main stage, four additional “screamer” staircases that surround the main stage and eight sets of stairs that lead up and down from the elevated decks on the thrust. Bandit’s Knighton, who said the Vari*Lite gear had the “horsepower” needed for the live IMAG cameras, also collaborated with Tribe, Inc.’s Rodgers on the show. The video plays a central visual role, but imposed some restrictions on the placement of fixtures. Knighton and the crew were able to work out the kinks to create the final design now seen on tour. Knighton credited the crew for keeping things rolling, giving kudos to Marcus Wade, crew chief; Adam McIntosh, master electrician; Scot Sepe, “who is responsible for the Massive RGB network and sole provider for support acts;” Stephanie Lough, floor manager, who “is in charge of the build, and adds a sense of character to the whole thing;” and Trevor Ahlstrand, who Knighton called “probably one of the single most amazing programmers in the business.” “A special mention should go to the management of Turner, Nichols & Associates for assembling the team that continues to make Rascal Flatts such an incredible live event,” said Bandit vice president Michael Golden. LEDs Play Key Role in 311 Tour Rig The band 311 (pronounced threeeleven), an alternative punk-funk/ reggae-rap group which gets its name from the police code for a skinny dipping incident involving a former band member, recently wrapped up their summer tour, fully clad in lighting from a large circular rig. LED lighting, including 16 Infinity Wash XLs and 36 ParLite LEDs from Coemar, played a key role. Distributed by Inner Circle Distribution (ICD), the Coemar gear was used by LD/lighting director/programmer Joe Paradise to tone the 60-foot truss that ran through the circular rig, and to <strong>com</strong>plement the general illumination from the rig. “I use the ParLites as truss toners, and the Infinities for general upstage and mid stage wash,” Paradise said. “I’m also using hazebase base hazers, mounted in the circle to give atmosphere downstage.” Coemar’s Infinity Wash XL lights feature a CMY-S color mixing system with saturation mode, full range dimming, black out, synchronized or random strobe effects and an electronic strobo zap. The Coemar ParLite LED lights also offer full range dimming, synchronized or random strobe effects and a full range of color generated by a convergent RGB color system. The ParLite LEDs each have 36 1-watt luxeon units with a declared LED life of 100,000 hours. “They provide good color, great output and excellent zoom features,” Paradise said. “And their patterns can’t be beat.” As for the hazebase hazers, “I had seen them in ICD’s shop and they were fantastic,” he said.. “You can place them wherever you wish to. They afford really precise control of output and fan speed, and use very little fluid.” LEDs Bring Avalon Club Walls to Life TORONTO — ACS used 82 Chauvet LEDsplash Jr. wash lights to fulfill a club owner’s vision of “living walls” that could change hues at any time. The lights are wall-mounted behind diffusing domes in two distinct sections of the club. Chauvet ShowXpress software controls them via DMX. ACS owner Carlos Costa said he selected the Chauvet units for the install because of their <strong>com</strong>pact size, and reliability. “They are simply the best for this application, providing the most efficient and brightest output,” he said. Ad info:http:// www.plsn.<strong>com</strong>/instant-info At Avalon, lighting proves more flexible than paint. 12 <strong>PLSN</strong> SEPTEMBER 2008
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