Kasabian's reputation for spectacular live performance continued with this maelstrom of shows, storming their way thought a set action-packed with energy, hits and material from their newest album, 48:13.
Nick Gray's starting point for the stage, lighting and visual design was in developing a video aesthetic. He and Kasabian's Serge Pizzorno discussed the initial concepts based on wanting something that was related to the band's performance, non-conventional, innovative and visually exciting, the result of which is an exciting blend of edginess and audacity using new kit and techniques.
Nick and Sergio share similar artistic tastes and also made the decision to collaborate on the video content design, much of it inspired by the 2009 Gaspar Noé directed psychedelic masterpiece, Enter The Void.
Eight mapped Xbox Kinect IR cameras were dotted around the stage, positioned to capture the band in action, and the footage was pre-programmed into cues laced with various treatments created in a d3 media server.
The d3 also stored some specific playback content which was displayed at certain times, primarily abstract words that related back to the Victoria Park gig, but these very much played a supporting role to the IMAG look.
The Kinect cameras were also augmented with feeds from four operated Sony HXC-100s.
"This collaboration of people motivated by doing something completely different came together almost accidentally," explained Nick, acknowledging that real-time playback / effecting has been done in exhibition environments using these products, but never for a live music show.
"The bottom line" states Nick, 'Is that everyone has come to see the band rather than watch a set of video visuals ... this is a no-nonsense approach, they are playing there in front of the fans and are displayed onscreen in a very different but related way intended to completely heighten the whole fan experience."
The visuals were displayed on an impressive 26m wide by 11 high slab of Winvision 12 mm pitch LED screen upstage.
Designing both video and lighting really allowed Nick the creative scope he needed for designing a visual identity.
"Lighting is always important in Kasabian shows but this one was a really careful balance between lighting and visuals, and I was able to balance them more easily and ensure there was an appropriate synergy."
Starting onstage, three 10 ft trusses were slightly raised at the back, and inside each one were four Sharpys and four Sharpy Washes. Three scaff pipes were vertically mounted to each truss section, each rigged with Atomic Colors and 2-lite Moles.
At the very top of each of these nine poles were Beam Burst lasers.
Two side towers were made up from the same type of trussing, loaded with two Martin Viper Wash DXs for punchy low-level lighting shooting across the stage, plus more blinders and strobes.
The overhead lighting was based on three trusses plus one advanced truss. On the advance truss 12 Viper Wash DXs provided key lighting - chosen for their crisp optics and smooth shuttering system - together with eight Atomic Colors, eight 2-lites and six Sharpies.
The over-stage trusses were rigged with 30 x MAC Quantum LED wash moving lights, Sharpys and Sharpy Washes, more Atomic Colors plus a splattering of 2-lites.
Also central to Nick's creative team was lighting operator Rob Gawler who ran everything from a Hog 4.
Three full colour 20 Watt lasers were also part of the package, one on the floor stage centre and two on
