Lighting designer Dan English has worked with the band on and off since 1982. Over the decades, English has experienced the evolution of rock and roll lighting and toured with many pioneering fixtures. The Dead are famous for their psychedelic shows and their lighting rigs have continuously boasted the latest technology.
English reports, "The band wanted a space theme. This tour was scheduled for arenas selling 360° - so the entire scenic concept was limited to the overhead lighting rig. The design had to offer lots of flexibility, as the music of The Dead is diverse as well as prolific. There are about 150 songs that you may hear over the course of the tour and the lyrics are full of symbolism and imagery. It's not the type of show where you go cue to cue - it's constantly evolving and full of musical surprises! Fortunately, I have worked with them long enough to anticipate most of what might be coming next."
The final design featured lots of circle shapes and curving trusses with mesh scrims. The rig hosted a diverse array of moving lights and showcased the latest in LED lighting technology.
English continues, "I chose PixelArcs as I wanted a small and compact LED luminaire that would fit and stay inside the trusses. It also needed to be a bright fixture with amber. One key element in the design is a 25' long lightning bolt. It is an exact reproduction of The Dead's 13 point lightning bolt seen in the skull design known as steal your face. It is made entirely of LED PixelLine 110s and PixelArcs. The bolt is hidden behind the center mesh scrim for use in highlighted moments during the show."
The lighting was supplied by LD Alliance San Francisco and BML/Blackbird New Jersey and was controlled by an AVO Diamond Elite 4.
(Jim Evans)
