Pollak first worked with the Liverpool based company in 2007 when he was lighting folk singer Ray Lamontagne. "They did a fantastic job. I was so impressed with the kit and the personnel that I really wanted to use them again," he states.
Lighting-wise, the UK shows were based on three straight 48ft trusses to cover the 50ft wide performance area.
These were loaded with 21 Martin Professional MAC 2K Washes and 16 MAC 700 Spots. The Washes were utilised for general band and stage washes, primarily an ever evolving series of subtle and straightforward colour combinations, while the spots took the role of providing basic beam-work and effects across the 12-piece band and substantial area that needed covering.
For key lighting and specials, Adlib supplied 25 ETC Source Four Profiles with 19 degree lenses.
Upstage on the floor there were 24 (now Phillips SSL) ColorBlaze 48 LED strips focused cyc style onto a generic black backdrop. The power and richness of the LEDs were potent enough to replicate a full lit backdrop effect event on the black cloth.
Pollak operated the show using a Hog iPC console running in Hog 2 mode. Audio used a large analogue console, so he needed something with plenty of functionality and a small footprint, specially for some of the smaller theatre venues.
Adlib supplied Tim Spillman and Andy Rowe to crew the tour, of whom Pollak notes, "They were really wonderful people, highly knowledgeable, very efficient and a real pleasure with which to work."
(Jim Evans)
