Nick Sholem returns to take the reins as lighting designer/director on the tour, and although it's been six years since he was with the group on their 'Hell Freezes Over' stint, he was involved with their recent benefit concert in Los Angeles for the Recording Artists Coalition. "The group was delighted with the design I did for the LA fund-raising show in February," says Sholem, "so they approached me about doing the tour. Steve Cohen was going to be busy, so I said yes, provided I could beef it up in a few areas."
To help him in this, Sholem specified 12 x.Spot HO units with a 2:1 lens. "I saw a demo of the x.Spot HO a few months ago and could see how super bright they were." He also added 8 Studio Beam automated luminaires for the floor of the stage, and will control the rig with a Wholehog II console. Sholem recently ran through the design work on WYSIWYG at High End Systems' large demo facility in Van Nuys, California. "This is a fantastic place for WYSIWYG-ing," says Sholem. "You've got Marty Wickman with CW Productions on one side of the 405 (freeway) and High End on the other. It's great!" Wickman programmed the show with Sholem. LSD/Fourth Phase is supplying the gear as the lighting contractor on the tour and members of its crew include crew chief Russell Jones, crew Charles Cochran, Jim Petrussen, Russell 'Bits' Lyons, and production manager Dave Bruster.
After a week of rehearsals with the band, the show kicks off May 31 in Reno and plays throughout North America until July 20.
(Ruth Rossington)
