Smyth has been working with Skunk Anansie since the beginning of summer 2011 and has used an Avolites Pearl Expert control console for the venues tour for the last two years. He describes the desk as 'incredible' following its boost from the new Titan Software.
"The Pearl control surface has been a favourite of mine since I started in the industry, so it was an easy choice to make for the tour. The Expert additions, such as the extra five playback faders, split roller page and fixture exchange to name but three, dramatically improve an already extremely user-friendly console. With the addition of Titan software, it really has stepped up a few gears. It's now an incredibly powerful console and things are continuously improving, with regular, really helpful, software updates."
Smyth explains that the design concept for the Skunk Anansie tour is a cocktail of epic rock show combined with an ambitious array of video projections, each of which is created to complement its own particular track. These combine with carefully chosen colours, such as warm reds, pinks and ambers. Projection is balanced by a moving truss, which provides additional lighting when the video projection is not in use.
Skunk Anansie will tour some of Europe's biggest festivals kicking off in June at Switzerland's Caribana Festival, and then touring to events including Denmark's Skive Festival, the StimMen Festival in Germany, and the Open Air Festival in Prague.
(Jim Evans)
