THE DESIGN: “We were not carrying any production or a ground package – just myself and a console — and house rigs differed daily from all moving lights or a PAR rig. Plus the ‘no haze’ challenge pushed me to learn how to paint the room, so to speak, as no one could see beams and positions that I created. Also, the lead singer loved to see the crowd at all times so I had to light the first 15 feet from downstage without blinding the audience.”
BACKSTORY
HOME BASE: Las Vegas
YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY: “I started in 98 so, 21 years.”
CAREER SPARK: “It happened by chance. As a teen I bounced around odd jobs, unsure of my path. I rode BMX (bike motocross) religiously and thought it was my calling until I was hit by a drunk driver and shattered my leg. My uncle’s company had been associated with Anthony Robbins, the self-help guru. I didn’t want any part of that world, but they needed an AV guy, so I started doing audio, lighting and video. I loved lighting more and dove into programming, creating moments within seminars to get people more involved than with the guy onstage. This led me to programming and running three nightclubs every weekend in Chicago. I then got involved with some production companies to learn my craft, and eventually designed for some artists.”
OTHER ARTISTS YOU’VE WORKED WITH: “Kid Cudi, Krewella, Zeds Dead, TNGHT, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent. I spent the last three years as crew chief with Jay-Z, Pink, Ricky Martin, Korn, Rob Zombie, Jimmy Eat World, Incubus, Judah & The Lion.”
OTHER DESIGNERS YOU WATCH: “Paul ‘Arlo’ Guthrie with NIN has done some mind blowing work, and Rob Koenig with Metallica is another who has changed the way I look at shows. Baz Halpin and Cory FitzGerald with Silent House and Sooner Routhier constantly come up with amazing designs. Joshua Hutchings with Illumination Advocates and Tiffany Keys with Key Lighting Inc. impress me with their work ethic and programming. Celine Royer blew me away recently with Linkin Park.”
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? “Hearing that roar from the crowd, knowing you helped someone get through something or made their day. The way a group of strangers comes together to make it all happen, and by the end of a tour, the bond that is formed is unlike anything else.”
