Brewer goes Rogue with Newsboys United
- Details
Key to Brewer’s flow of distinctive visuals are the myriad geometric patterns he creates with the 24 Rogue R1 FX-B fixtures in his rig. Like his clients, who have shown a knack for building on musical themes, his work with the five-headed moving linear fixture has become more inventive with experience.
“Initially, my basic idea was to use the FX-Bs to frame the video walls in my rig, but when we got into rehearsals and started playing with these lights it became clear to me that the tight shafts of lights and almost paintbrush look of the FX-Bs were going to allow me to create many more looks in the show,” says Brewer.
“The positions I get from five moving heads and pan/tilt rotation are literally endless. I think right now in the show we have at least 50 positions for the FX-B bars. The speed at which they can move and the infinite rotation in every direction made these lights so great on this tour. From blinder effects to painting the room, these lights have been the workhorses of the show.”
Aiming his Rogue R1 FX-B fixtures vertically, horizontally and at every conceivable angle, Brewer is able to create radically different looks throughout the concert. The geometric patterns of light also give his clients different and distinct performance spaces, which energizes them and the crowd.
“The way the show is arranged, there isn’t much opportunity to move around a lot on stage for three of the four band members - one of whom has a custom drum riser,” said Brewer. “Given this limitation, our idea has been to surround the band with the video and lighting, making three large pods with their own lines of separation. This showcases the worlds of guitar, keys and drums.”
Brewer’s design also includes key, side and spot lighting from the 12 Rogue RH1 Hybrid fixtures in his rig. “I used the RH1s a bit more unconventionally than most people,” he says. “I chose the RH1, because when it comes to the key light on my band members I prefer to use profile fixtures that have a lot of punch. This arrangement prevents downstage truss from limiting the height of the show.”
The remaining four Rogue RH1 fixtures are positioned with the rig’s spot light system. “Having the option to use the RH1s in spot mode or beam has allowed me to position them as spots 10’ from the stage all the way up to 140’ in the back of the room, without any noticeable change in brightness,” says Brewer.
(Jim Evans)
