The project is being managed for Adlib by John Hughes, and Enter Shikari's lighting design has been created by Steve Bewley, who has been onboard with the band since March this year.
Hughes says: "It's great to be on the road with Shikari again - they are one of the most exciting bands of the moment. Steve has put together an imaginative, great looking and very practical design, which works well in all venues whatever the available stage space."
Bewley's starting point was in devising a rig that matched the massive energy, breakneck pace and highly animated performance of the band, and in helping transmit this vibe from the stage and into the audience. He also wanted something that looked completely different to their last tour, to reflect the new and innovative style of the latest album Common Dreads.
He decided on a back wall of light effect, configured slightly differently from a conventional rock 'n' roll 'wall of death'. He came up with a horseshoe shaped truss supported by four trussing legs including two side arms giving it the horseshoe shape when viewed from the top.
On the horseshoe are 16 Martin MAC 250 Wash and 10 High End Studio Beam moving lights, eight Atomic strobes with colour changers and nine Showtech Active Sun Strips.
The Sun Strips are rigged vertically at different heights in a gentle curve across the structure, and the MACs are arranged one-up-one-down along the width of the trussing span. The Studio beams are rigged to the downstage arms for side washing duties.
The Atomics are positioned at jaunty angles to give a random 'allen down' appearance - reinforcing the overall non linear look of the lighting. The rig is completed with four Studio Beams on the floor. Also on the floor are PAR16 Birdies on gooseneck stands. Bewley controls everything via a Hog iPC console and a wing.
(Jim Evans)
