Tour: ZZ Top
Tour Name: Gang of Outlaws Tour. (ZZ Top with 3 Doors Down, Gretchen Wilson)
Dates: Feb. 14-Dec. 31, 2013, in Australia, Europe and North America
The Design: “The visual side of the rig is 120K of PAR cans, four ACLs, four 8-light blinders, two LED video walls (amp line) and a gray velour lit with LED strip lights.”
Band’s Input: “Billy Gibbons wanted a lean, mean touring machine, so we went with the attitude of mixing a little bit of ‘Old School’ with some ‘New School’ and decided on gear that we could get just about anywhere.”
BIO
Home Base: Sacramento, CA.
Years in the Biz: 25
Years with the Band: 17
Career Spark: “I played football in high school and college. When I got my first taste of the business in the late 1980s, lighting guys were more like pirates, so I really enjoyed the high energy and competition.”
First Industry Gig: Stage manager, University of Houston’s Cullen Performance Hall.
First Gig as a LD: Buddy Guy, Houston, TX, in 1994.
Heroes: “I can’t say I have any heroes, but I have nothing but respect for the work of Chris Stuba [ZZ Top’s LD for the past 17 years], Michael Strickland [from Bandit Lites] and, of course, Mr. Billy Gibbons.”
Others Worth Watching: “I took my daughter Eva to see Maroon Five in September in Sacramento. I think all of this wireless DMX is great — the beach balls with wireless DMX-controlled LEDs were very cool.”
Words of Advice: “Take all new challenges; the worst that can happen is you fail. And eat more green chili!”
