YLS creative team Marty Canavan, Steve Campbell and Scott Cunningham worked closely with The Who's lighting designer, Tom Kenny, to deliver a myriad of hall filling laser effects from the first note of the band's signature piece, Baba O'Riley.
"We utilized three high power YAG laser projectors, five fiber optic-fed remote scanners, three table scanners and over thirty stage mirror placements to give Tom and The Who what they were looking for, which was a big old school laser effect," explains Canavan. "The most challenging thing in an environment like this with several band and set changes leading up to The Who's performance is keeping everything in check so nothing gets bumped or moved when it is time for your cue," adds Campbell, "and fortunately it all worked when our cue came and Tom was fantastic in giving us some great laser time to really make the effects pop like they did. He is totally in tune with what lasers need to be effective."
Following the opening blast of spectral energy provided by the YLS team, the lasers were used intermittently throughout the band's performance drawing from an arsenal of laser tools at their disposal.
"We were extremely pleased with the results," adds Cunningham, "and gave them everything we had. When Roger Daltry comments to his colleagues that it was the best use of lasers he has ever seen, you get the feeling you did something right!"
YLS creative team Canavan, Campbell and Cunningham has been designing lasers for some of the world's top performers including Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson and most recently Aerosmith, Usher and Rhianna. YLS television credits include laser work on CSI Miami, Rock Star INXS, Teen Choice Awards, Kid's Choice Awards and Celebrity Circus.
(Claire Beeson)
