Lighting designer is UK-based Louis Ball, who lit the band initially from 1984 to 1987, and then continuously since the mid-1990s. Ball's own high profile career started at 18, with the Alex Harvey Band in the late 1970s. Since then he's lit some of the best-known names in rock 'n' roll, including Judas Priest, Ozzie Osborne, Slayer, Anthrax, Wishbone Ash, Climie Fisher and a host of other diverse artists including Wet Wet Wet and French superstar Johnny Halliday.
Ball was first introduced to the Robe ColorSpot 1200s by Robe's German distributor, L.M.P. who supplied the gear to the German rental hire company, T.D.A. Ball was then contacted by Randy Wade of Robe America - the two having worked on many of the same shows and productions over the years - and seized the opportunity of putting the new fixtures through their paces.
Ball stated: "I'm very pleased with the ColorSpots, they're intensely bright, have a real impact onstage and have proved very reliable". He adds that he's also impressed with the smooth dimming and movement, and is considering at least doubling the ColorSpot 1200 count when the tour hits North America in January and February 2004. Robe will also be supplying a set of custom gobos for the US tour. The colour mixing capacities of the ColorSpot 1200 have also proved ideal for Ball's show, which features a myriad of bold and definite primary and secondary colour mixes, combined in an almost sculptural style.
Ball operates the light-show himself using a Wholehog II with Extender Wing, and his rig features a full complement of generics, other moving lights and three 3ft mirror balls. TDA supplied all equipment for the tour, including the sound - an EAW rig, engineered by Moray McMillan at FOH and Rob Hodgkinson on monitors - plus the four trucks.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
