Zielinski builds Counting Crows bridge with Chauvet
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“It’s going on 18 years now that I’ve been designing for Counting Crows, and this was an entirely new concept, but it’s something I’ve wanted to do for some time,” said Zielinski. “The bridge represents the band’s Bay-area roots as well as the spirit of its music. On a more practical level, the bridge design also gave me something to punch through the daylight at outdoor venues.”
Dealing with daylight issues was necessary on the tour, which kicked off in July and concluded in October, because Counting Crows was opening for their fellow superstars. Last year Matchbox 20 frontman Rob Thomas opened for Counting Crows when they toured together, so this year the groups decided to reverse the order of their appearances.
Zielinski’s bridge consisted of five 13’ towers (actually 10’ sections of HUD truss sitting on top of 3’ rolling risers.) Joining these towers were illuminated U-shaped arches that dipped to 6’ above the stage deck at their lowest point. A single STRIKE 1 was positioned on top of each tower, and five of the 230W LED fixtures were evenly spaced along each arch.
The intense output of the STRIKE 1 fixtures, along with their flexibility, were essential to helping Zielinski and his team (crew chief David George and techs Eric Smith, Anthony Fiorello, Abbey Wright and Jorge create a consistent look for the band on the tour.
“Coming up with a design concept that works just as well when the sun is blasting the stage and the band needs 100% sunblock, as it does when the show is in complete darkness, is a challenge,” said Zielinski. “The STRIKE 1 definitely played a huge role in helping us provide an impactful design during both extremes. They gave us brightness and much more.”
(Jim Evans)
