NASHVILLE - There is opportunity in the unexpected. Rodger Pugh and his colleagues proved the wisdom of this age-old adage when they set out to design the lightshow for Halestorm’s current nEverest tour. Wanting to reflect the unbridled intensity of their Grammy-winning client’s music, Pugh and production designer Mathias Kuhn, along with production manager Joey DiLiLeo planned to place the CHAUVET Professional STRIKE Array 4 blinders in their floor package behind their speaker carts.
But just months before they were going to take his rig on the road for the 20-city tour, which began on September 11, they learned they had to confine their footprint to a 4’ x 8’ space while keeping the same fixture count. This meant that there wasn’t enough room to keep the STRIKE Array 4 panels behind his carts. So instead, they devised a new plan: they would position the high-output blinders between his speakers.
The change of plans was “actually a happy accident,” said Pugh. “We were getting ready to use this rig on a support leg for Iron Maiden when we discovered we had to change plans. So, this configuration wasn’t part of the first draft, but once we centered the STRIKEs within the set, we really loved how they looked - especially with the light coming through. It quickly became one of my favorite design features.”
Working with his team, which included LI crew chief Hayley Eliot, Pugh balances the warm white colors from his STRIKE Array 4 fixtures with the bold, often monochromatic palettes, created with the rest of his floor package to create stylish color combinations on stage, which contrast nicely with the industrial look evoked by the columns of speakers. He accentuates this elegant aura by positioning the drum riser center stage, adding a vertical element to the design, especially when singer Lizze Hale performs in front of it.
By varying which pods were on at different times, Pugh also relies on his STRIKE fixtures to change up his looks during the 20-song set. “One of my favorite things about the STRIKE fixtures is how they link together to create great patterns,” he remarked. “Beyond the ones built into the set, we also placed them overhead downstage to use as traditional blinders. Paired with the floor units, they gave me the ability to build cohesive, layered looks that carried a lot of impact.”
A series of color changes and variations in the level of dark space on stage also keeps the show visually compelling. “I tend to let each song dictate the direction of the color choices, but I’ve also been pushing myself lately to explore deeper combinations,” said Pugh. “For the darker, heavier songs, I lean on rich, saturated tones, while the more upbeat tracks get lighter, brighter treatments. And I’ll admit -- I probably use a little too much red and white, but they’re classics for a reason.”
As for the role of dark space, Pugh says it contributes to one of his favorite moments in the show. “One of the band’s new album songs called ‘Watch Out’ really stands out for me,” he said. “The look is deep, dark, and very dynamic. The way dark space is used fits the tone of the song perfectly -- and it feels great live, and at the end of the day, that is what a design should be all about.”
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CHAUVET Professional offers innovative professional lighting fixtures for the production and touring market as well as permanent installation in theaters, hospitality venues, cruise ships, clubs, television and architainment applications. For more information, please visit www.chauvetprofessional.com
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