Running throughout the second half of the year, The Judds' tour proved to be both a finale and a reunion, as mother Naomi has largely been off the road since 1991.
As the tour's production designer, Featherstone worked closely with production manager Art Rich, lighting director Dennis Connors, lighting suppliers Upstaging and Vision Visuals (who provided the video equipment).
To ensure the stage concept was sympathetic to the occasion, the designer called on a rich armoury (and eclectic mix) of cutting-edge generic and moving lights, as well as LED washlights , employing products from the GLP range to deliver the striking LED floor effects.
"I have been using the impression and impression XL almost obsessively, but after being introduced to the Volkslicht, opted for that on this production," he comments.
The LD has been using four downstage floor FX (on either side of the stage), and four more upstage centre. He reports, "The upstage fixtures were for 'up and over' beam effects, while the four either side were divided in task between lighting the vertical truss columns, and side lighting the performers."
The Volkslichts featured in a production boasting an ambitiously curved set of trusses backed by a large video wall - the arched geometric, resonating strongly with The Judds.
(Jim Evans)
