Lead singer Michael Stipe was very involved in the visuals from the outset, and Sasic - collaborating closely with video director Blue Leach - evolved the stage set which consists of five columns of Barco MiTrix screen and two horizontal strips of SoftLED upstage of the screen. The effect is a subtly layered video texturing to the stage and also structurally mimics the city skyline theme of the album artwork.
Stipe was keen on having video as the main visual centrepiece, so Sasic's gently asymmetric lighting design is largely positioned around the perimeters of the stage with a carefully crafted rig based around three cross stage and two side stage trusses.
On the upstage truss are four Martin Professional MAC 2000 Wash lights which is also used to hang the five MiTrix screens.
The mid-stage truss contains three Zap Technology 4.5K Big Lites, 12 Martin MAC 2000 Washes, four Vari*Lite 2500 Spots and eight Martin Atomic Strobes with colour scrollers.
The side stage trusses consist of three more 4.5K Big Lites - two on stage left and one on the stage right. Also rigged onto these are three Coemar Infinity Wash XLs and two Vari*Lite 3000 Spots on stage right, and two Coemar Infinities and a single Vari*Lite 3000 Spot on stage left.
The front truss features six Martin MAC 2000 Washes, four Vari*Lite 2500s, eight 8-lite Moles and 10 JTE PixelLines which are used for high level colour effects.
For the larger UK outdoor stadium shows, an extra eight Infinities are positioned on both sides of the stage wings with additional 8-lite Moles & Atomics rigged on the PA towers. It is the first time Sasic has used Coemar moving lights - she specifically wanted a selection of fixtures that could complete with the brightness of the video without interfering or distracting from it. Sasic creates a dynamic variety of interesting looks and scenes throughout the two-hour set. She operates the show using a grandMA console.
Bandit has also supplied a complete floor 'specials' package for the entire European run consisting of another five MAC 2000 washes, located upstage of the backline, six MR16 battens on vertical stands in between each of the MiTrix panels and six 4-lite Moles on stands behind the MiTrix, taking advantage of its transparency thus projecting through at different heights. There are also four additional Infinities upstage of the MiTrix and another two downstage right and left, used for low level cross lighting along the monitor line. The floor quota is completed with another six Martin Atomic Strobes. All the above listed floor kit is tech'd by Rob Starksfield, who's working directly for Sasic and REM.
Two Lycian M2 follow spots are positioned at either end of the front truss for a tight beam focus and there's also four Gladiator 3K follow spots at FOH. With a 22 point rigging package, 10 way intercom system and 2 DF50s completing the system.
Bandit's crew includes Roger Grybowicz, Steve Rusling, Nigel Julian, Martin Garnish and Phil Kerwick.
(Jim Evans)
