Richard Larkum has been the band's lighting designer for the last three years (well known for his award winning work with the Kaiser Chiefs), and he and production manager Phil Winward chose HSL as the lighting supplier, based on both their previous experiences with the Blackburn based company. Winward is also a director of Electric Fly Productions, for whom HSL is a regular supplier, and Larkum has worked with them on several occasions.
HSL's project manager was Mike Oates, who comments, "It's been really rewarding to work with both Richard and Phil on such an important and successful tour. The design was refreshingly straightforward and provided a great environment for one of UK's best and most enduring live music acts."
Larkum's starting point for the lighting design was the backdrop, which was a section from the original Levelling The Land album artwork chosen by the band's creative director and bass player, Jeremy Cunningham.
The rig was also designed to be reduced easily and without losing the impact, as the gig size varied from Nottingham Rock City to Brixton Academy, and truck space was another factor - so Larkum appreciated the expedient size of the majority of the moving lights which were from the Robe Robin range and GLP 120 RZ Impression Zooms.
There were two trusses - front and back, with the back trussing - two runs of ladder beam and two 3m high towers on the floor - also framing the backdrop.
On the front truss were eight of the new Robe Robin LEDWash 600s which were used for general stage washes. At the back, 24 GLP Impression Zooms were rigged on the frame truss, bordering the backdrop and used for beam effects. On this frame truss were 12 Robe Robin 600 Spots and 12 300 Beams, along with 12 Martin Professional Atomic strobes with scrollers and 12 4-lite Moles. The backdrop was illuminated by 15 Chroma-Q Color Block DB4 LED battens.
Atmosphere was supplied by two Jem K1 hazer machines, which, along with all the lighting was run by Larkum off a Road Hog console with a fader wing.
(Jim Evans)
