Bob Dylan hits the road with Vari*Lites

USA - When production meetings began for the Bob Dylan fall tour, a few challenges for the lighting design would become evident. First, the tour would be playing venues that varied greatly in size and location; and second, at a Bob Dylan show one thing is clear; it's all about the music. While many tours may rely heavily on colour changes, strobe effects, columns of light or intense video, this tour would rely on the opposite, simplicity. To overcome these challenges, the production team turned to their longtime tour provider TMS who brought in 35 Vari*Lite luminaires.

Fully understanding the necessities for this design, TMS began working with the design team to provide the ideal lighting tools and decided to use 21 VL3000 Spot, six VL3500 Wash, and eight VL3500 Spot fixtures.

Now on the road, the VL3000 Spot luminaires are being used for key light on the band, gobo breakups to give the design texture, and for the zoom range necessary to make sure the band is lit from all distances. Next, the VL3500 Wash luminaires are used as back light on the band with warm colour temperatures, and if needed, they provide a bump in intensity to adjust the general stage wash brightness. And finally, the VL3500 Spot luminaires provide their four-plane shuttering capabilities to adjust for the tight corners and awkward angles.

(Jim Evans)

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