His production design team once again on this arena tour is Cory FitzGerald and LeRoy Bennett, who have worked with the artist since the 2011 Hooligans in Wondaland tour.
Stepping up to larger arenas this time around, production has upscaled accordingly, and Fitzgerald has again turned to GLP's impression LED moving heads. Having had wide experience over a number of years, this time he has built 27 of the impression X4's, supplied by VER of Glendale, into a retro-style set redolent of the '70s & '80s, including a 6ft mirror ball.
The designer has worked through several generations of GLP's premier LED fixtures down the years - starting with the original impression 90 and RZ 120 zoom. The profile of these was raised when they featured on Lady Gaga's Monster Ball tour 2010 - along with the white light versions.
"I think the X4 is a natural progression - and a great fixture for tight places or smaller shows," believes the lighting designer, adding that the compact size has enabled them to be built into the mirror ball for the latest tour, as well as being used inside the band risers. "They are great lights - very fast and bright - and work well alongside the video elements and discharge lamps. It has a great zoom and I particularly like the fact that there is a separate white LED."
Working closely with the artist himself to deliver a dazzling stage scenography (supporting eight backing musicians) Cory has incorporated a large video wall, some pyro effects and many other lighting based elements - knowing that the X4's had the muscularity to hold their own.
(Jim Evans)
