Amongst those opting to use White Light recently: lighting designer Martin Nicholas, who chose White Light to supply his rig for the UK tour of Wet Wet Wet together with special guests Blue. The bands played a 12-date tour across the UK and Ireland at the end of the year, starting in Dublin and ending at Glasgow's brand new SSE Hydro Arena.
Nicholas' rig included a wide selection of fixture types: Vari-Lite VL2500 Spots and VL2500 Washes, Coemar Infinity ACL-M beamlights, plus Martin Viper spotlights, which have proven to be an enormously popular addition to the White Light fleet over the last year, in demand by lighting designers working on shows of all types. "I particularly enjoyed the Vipers," comments Martin Nicholas, "which worked very well against our big projection screen, and which are really pretty nippy for a big light."
The rig was controlled by an MA grandMA Full-Size console programmed by Mark Scrimshaw. Four Robert Juliat Aramis followspots provided the key front light to the performers, while Look Solutions Unique haze machines ensured the lighting, particularly the beams from the ACL-Ms, was clearly visible.
In addition to the rig itself, White Light provided all of the production infrastructure for the tour, including Avo ART dimmer racks, trussing, Loadguard chain hoists, Lite Pro trussing, rigging accessories, mains and data distribution, and comms. White Light's crew chief Paul Makin and technician Richard Griffin looked after the rig on the road.
"We had a really good time on this tour, which was very successful. I've been involved with this band, and with Marti Pellow, for 26 years, but this was phenomenal - the audiences were just full on, a great response. White Light supported us throughout with really good service, always amenable to getting us what we needed. Lester Cobrin has always looked after me very well - and is continuing to do exactly that at White Light."
"It was a delight to work with Martin and the Wet Wet Wet team, including tour manager Dougie Souness and production manager Pete Bell," commented Lester Cobrin, White Light's head of concert touring, "and to be able to show them the quality of service that everyone here at White Light delivers to all of our shows. We know we haven't historically been the first choice of those producing concert tours - but we also know we can deliver those shows to a standard that matches or beats anyone else in the industry."
This year White Light has already supplied tours for The Four Tops & Temptations and Johnny Mathis with upcoming tours confirmed for Barry Manilow, Kenny G, The Seekers, George Benson and Gareth Malone; White Light also supplied lighting and production services for Kylie Minogue's recent Mastercard Priceless London concert - on the heels of her new album launch party, also supplied by White Light.
(Jim Evans)
