ACL 360i pods on Luke Bryan 2018 tour
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Luke Bryan’s latest tour launched 31 May in Toronto with the country star playing dates in the U.S. and Canada through October, many of them large stadium shows. Nashville-based production provider Elite Multimedia Productions has supplied the lighting, LED video and IMAG video technology for the run.
While keeping past designs in mind, Kitchenman sought to give the 2018 outing an original look while incorporating a moving LED element that has been a staple of more recent tours. One new production element that plays a key role in the current design is a battery of automated lighting pods that can be maneuvered to create a wide variety of looks.
The LD worked closely with Elite Multimedia on the design, which included Elite Multimedia creating a mock-up of the lighting pods in their Nashville shop. Each pod – there are eight in total – is made up of a 10ft stick of lightweight truss filled with 12 ACL 360i fixtures along with LED strip lights and laser. The pods accentuate the visual impact and change position throughout the show via a high-speed winch system.
Kitchenman was one of the first LDs to use the ACL 360i. “They are punchy and mappable and are ideal to use in multiples in close proximity,” he says. “They are also reliable and cost effective and I was confident they would work in this design.” The single-beam RGBW moving effects fill the space in concentrated beams of colour and the designer also pixel maps through them to complement content on the setup’s three large LED video screens.
Cuepix LED Blinders have been a staple on Kitchenman’s Luke Bryan designs for years but this year the designer took the opportunity to upgrade to Elation’s IP65-rated DTW Blinder. “The DTW’s have the amber chip in them which gives a more natural look, closer to a tungsten lamp,” he stated. “And they have the IP65 protection which was a big point.”
(Jim Evans)
