Jack Garratt performed the last date of his Phase tour at the Brighton Dome on 28 November
UK - Celebrated production designers James Scott and Louis Oliver of design outfit Okulus have selected the new Claypaky Scenius Spot as the versatile workhorse for 2016 Brit award-winner Jack Garratt's UK autumn tour, following the release of the multi-instrumentalist's debut album Phase.

Okulus, which has worked for the likes of Zac Brown Band, Chvrches and Bring Me The Horizon, specified 20 of the moving head fixtures from leading UK rental operation Siyan Ltd.

"We wanted a spot fixture that was not only bright, but one that would also complement the subtler songs in the set," says Oliver. "Thanks to the Scenius Spot's strong output we could use the gobos with dark, moody colours without having to reduce the rest of the rig's intensity to make them prominent. Not only that, the white is leagues ahead of any other fixture on the market."

Okulus' sophisticated show design was based around the circular look of the album artwork, and featured lighting effects triggered via MIDI by Garratt's instruments.

"Jack being alone on stage gave us an empty canvas to create different scenes and settings that evolve and complement the wide range of his set list - it's always really fun to be the first design outfit to stamp an identity on an artist's live performance," says Scott. "It's also exciting working with an artist that is so passionate and involved with how he's presented to his fans. He has a very clear understanding of technology and he embraced the integration of the programming of the show with his live playback.

"One of the effects required a fast transition from a tight column of light (zoom and iris) to a fat wide beam when Jack hit specific MIDI Pads. The Scenius Spot handled this perfectly, whereas other fixtures that we had used previously either struggled resetting in time for the next trigger or were just too slow to achieve the effect we needed."

Okulus surrounded the stage's central podium with seven of the Scenius Spots. A single unit was employed for sharp, stylized backlight, while the remaining fixtures staggered out over the front and mid-trusses delivered dynamic aerial beamwork. "We used the sheer power of the Scenius Spot's output, tight zoom and bright, saturated colours to create bold and structural beam looks from the air, giving the stage some geometry," continues Oliver.

The designers worked closely with Garratt to determine the programming for the show as Oliver explains: "Jack wasn't heavily involved in the initial overall direction but he became integral to the programming execution in regards to specific accents and moments; he had a very clear idea of what he wanted to see." (Jim Evans)


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