Designed by Patrick Woodroffe, the lighting for A Bigger Bang features different and distinctive looks for the tour's stadium and arena venues. The stadium show uses 695 fixtures, including 66 MAC 2kW spots fitted with the Woodroffe collection of gobos. Other fixtures include 82 MAC 2kW washes, 36 VL5 washes, 22 VL5 Arcs, 256 Par ACLs, 28 Molefays, 28 Molemags, 24 atomic strobes and 30 Syncrolites. For the arena dates, Woodroffe added a 30ft circular truss and hung the fixtures in Low Pro lighting pods.
To streamline the logistics of moving two shows simultaneously, PRG created a detailed equipment management system. Colour-coded packaging helps the crew identify and retrieve the fixtures required for either stadium or arena venues, then pack them after the show for quick retrieval the next time they are needed.
PRG also supplied a lighting crew of 12 for the tour, headed by lighting director Ethan Weber and crew chief Kenny Ackerman. The project was headed by Carol Croft from PRG's London office. Equipment was supplied by PRG's shop in Toronto, where the show rehearsed for four weeks in an aircraft hangar at Pearson Airport.
(Jim Evans)
