Boland has worked with Eminem for almost 10 years, so when the show's set design by Bruce Rodgers was approved, he created a lighting plot that would "cover all bases" for both artists.
He already knew what Eminem would like in terms of look and feel, and when it came to lighting Rihanna, he considered many parameters including that she would be accompanied by dancers, all of which would need imaginative and appropriate lighting. Once completed, the lighting design was submitted to management and also approved.
The dramatic set comprised two large angled 50 mm semi-transparent LED panels stage left and right, flown about 40ft high on the downstage edge and 10ft on the upstage edges. There were also three video 'spines', two on the offstage sides of the LED panels and one in-between these two panels, rigged on high speed motors which moved during the show.
The majority of the lighting was hung on these spines, and there were also two tracking video trucks onstage, utilised for closing the space down mid-stage in front of the band.
The Pointes were positioned on the two offstage video spines, and utilised for dramatic aerial effects. They also had the potential for cross-lighting the performance space.
Boland chose Pointes initially as he needed a fixture with a good zoom - particularly if they were to be used for cross lighting - although in the end, they weren't used for this application.
Once the programming phase commenced, the Pointes proved, "So useful in so many other parts of the show that I really regret not getting more," states Boland.
He likes the Pointe's zoom - 2.5 - 10 degrees for beam application and 5 - 20 degrees in spot mode - and the two prism effects, especially the linear one.
He declares himself a "Big fan" of most of Robe's Robin range and has used LEDWash 1200s on Eminem's festival lighting plot for some time, as well as utilizing over 150 LEDBeam 100s on The Voice.
Monster tour lighting director Benny Kirkham came on-board a few weeks before the pre-visualisation stage, and he and Boland programmed the show together.
Also integrally involved in the spectacular Monster tour de force technical production were video director Ben Johnson, set & production designer Bruce Rodgers, production manager Curtis Battles and lighting crew chief Wayne Boehning. Lighting and LED screens were supplied by VER.
(Jim Evans)
