Dublin-based Douglas has used Avolites consoles since the start of his professional career. He used a D4 on the previous US leg of the tour, "so it was a natural choice to continue" he says. He's also the show's programmer and operator, so he wanted a powerful desk that he knew was fast and easy to set up. He adds that with their schedule already including a festival season in the summer, "Features like Fixture Exchange are really invaluable".
Equipment for the European section of the tour is being supplied by Siyan. The stage features some spectacular red curtains, borders and legs, with monitor and guitar worlds onstage also wrapped in matching red material. There's a set of black Austrian ruched curtains at the back, and in front of gathered borders of the front truss is a large Sam's Town sign with illuminated borders - vintage Americana style. A saloon-room style wooden floor is also part of the set.
The lighting fixtures are based around two front trusses, 3 scenic trusses, an upstage lighting truss and three 10 ft square box trusses that move, plus one scenic truss that moves in out to reveal 6 art deco chandeliers. The Diamond 4 is controlling 41 SGM Giotto CMYs, 38 Martin MAC 2K Washes, 5 Novalight High Ground 2.5K searchlights, 16 Martin Atomic strobes and 36 Molefeys.
The moving lights are distributed across all the trusses and the deck, and the D4 controls everything - including the chandeliers plus six strings of festoons strung in between the frames of each of the 10 ft square moving trusses. The console is also used to trigger two glitter drops off the front truss. "It's just a great all round desk and does exactly what I need it to do" says Douglas, adding that the support from Avolites has been excellent, both in the UK and US.
Douglas is working alongside his Siyan crew of Oli James (chief), Dave Mathieson (dimmers) and techs Iestyn Thomas and Will Yapp. The Killers finish this leg of the European tour and then return to the US for ten weeks, before coming back for the festival season. They are scheduled to be touring for most of 2007.
(Jim Evans)
