Lighting Co
Theatrical Media Services (TMS)
Venue
Various (Tour)
Crew
Lighting Designer/Director: Matthew Greer
Video Designer/Director/Content Creator: Agent O
Lighting/Video Tech: Peter Marchio
Production Manager: Jason Mills
Tour Manager: Brad Sands
Show Manager: Aaron Stiney
Prop Master: Jason McCue
Video/Rigging: TMS
Trucking: Fischer Trucking
Gear
1 grandMA2 full size console
1 grandMA2 on PC (backup)
12 Martin MAC Viper Profiles
22 Martin MAC Auras
12 Clay Paky Sharpys
10 Martin Stagebar 54s
4 Chroma-Q Color Force 72s
32 20mm video panels
1 Barco ImagePro video scaler/switcher
1 Elation EVLED video processor
Tour Notes
Primus’ 2014 tour, dubbed the “Wonka” tour, is in support of the band’s Nov. 2014 album release, Primus & the Chocolate Factory. The band’s fixation on Roald Dahl’s 1964 children’s classic (and the 1971 movie starring Gene Wilder) includes uniquely branded chocolate bars at the shows.
Designer Insights
By Steve Jennings
Matt Greer has been out on tour with Primus for the last year as both lighting designer and director for the tour after first having met production manager Jason Mills two years ago at the High Sierra Music Festival, where Greer was the main stage LD. A few months later, an opportunity became available to work with the band. This past year, Greer has mainly been devoted to working with Primus along with the Dr. Dog tour. Some of Greer’s past lighting credits include designing and directed for Beats Antique, Lord Huron, Citizen Cope, Passion Pit and Future Rock.
Matt Greer
Lighting Designer/Director
“For this past Primus tour, we worked with TMS for our lighting, video and rigging. The band has had a working relationship with them for the past 20 years or so now. They support some of the best touring productions (Dave Matthews Band, The Flaming Lips). Aaron Stiney is our show manager and has done a great job meeting all of our needs both on and off the road.
“Agent O did the video content for the show and has been with the band for quite some time now. He developed new content for the Wonka Tour, even sampling some from the original Willy Wonka movie. I felt like his content on this tour really tied the whole experience together. (This show covered was one of the non-Wonka shows, as it was the band’s New Years Eve show, the last show on the tour in their hometown of the Bay Area.)
“For fixtures, I started with a foundation of [Martin] MAC Auras to do the hard work. They were used as uplighting for front key lights, as an over head wash, and to highlight specific set pieces throughout the show. The [MAC] Viper profiles were placed on the upstage floor, and held their own against the video wall. The zoom range on the Vipers worked great for beam shaping, and the break up gobos are the best for moving aerial effects. We also used a dozen Sharpys, which we’re triggering mostly by temp cues, moving from point A to point B. They offered a hidden element of surprise, helping to accent the dynamic peaks of the show.
“I believe we have one of the best ‘crewskis’ in the business. We all work together on stage to get the show up quickly, and return to the bus as a team. Our PM, Jason Mills, did a great job advancing the production for the theaters we were in on this run. Peter Marchio, our lighting/video tech, was always on top of both systems, and certainly has a bright future ahead. I’m looking forward to the next run of Wonka shows starting in April.”
For more Primus Wonka Tour tour photos by Steve Jennings, CLICK HERE.
