The performances follow up Scherzinger's chart-topping first solo album, Killer Love in an entertaining, high-energy performance, showcasing her singing and dancing talents and very accessible personality.
With a stripped back stage and minimal set - apart from the 'Nicole' backdrop and a set of grey voile stage drapes - and with no video or production rehearsal time - all eyes were on the lighting department to help enhance the drama and atmosphere of the evening in tune with Scherzinger's style and pizazz.
Warner enjoys working with such challenging parameters. "There was a lot of pressure on lighting for these shows, but when that happens, it certainly tests your imagination and skills as an LD," he says.
He first worked with Scherzinger on the Pussycat Dolls, whom he lit for seven years before being asked to light her solo work. He been a big fan of Robe products, for some time and used them consistently for the last five years. In particular he has a soft-spot for the REDWash 3-192 - one of the pioneering units in Robe's hugely successful LED product range - which he's used inventively on several major acts including Pussycat Dolls, Goo Goo Dolls, David Cook / Gavin McGraw and others.
This time around, he chose all the latest Robe fixtures, specifying 12 Robin 600 LEDWashes, six Robin MMX Spots, four Robin 300 LEDWashes and four Robin 600 SmartWhites, all supplied by RM Lighting, together with Warner's grandMA light console.
At each of the six shows - which included London's Hammersmith Apollo - he hooked into overhead rigs supplied by the local promoter.
Warner went for a sassy mix of theatre and rock 'n' roll, plenty of contrasts, shadows, silhouettes and dark 'Noir' elements counteracted with mega bright and assertive beam-work and bold colour combinations.
Warner runs his company, Karate Pinky Visual Design, out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In addition to doing lighting, visual concept and production design, he is broadening his creative horizons to making videos.
RM Lighting is based in Battersea, London and headed by Rob Mander. At the end of last year they invested in LEDWash 600s (one of the first batches with inbuilt wireless) for their rental stock, and are about to boost this with more MMX Spots.
(Jim Evans)
