Iration topped the Billboard Reggae Albums chart with their very first recording, “No Time for Rest.” More than a decade later, the title of that debut LP would serve as an apt metaphor for the band’s appearance at the mammoth Cali Vibes Festival. Given the large number of reggae artists who performed at the three-day event, setup time was limited. Iration’s production crew had only 15 minutes to get their tour package in place on the 60′ circumference rotating stage, before it swung out and the semicircle they were laboring on faced the crowd at Marina Green Park in Long Beach, CA.
The hectic pace didn’t do anything to dampen the relaxed upbeat vibe of this Hawaiian born group and its “sunshine reggae” sound. Breezing through their set they poured forth a flowing procession of mellow rhythmic rifts and vocals. Matching them note for melodious note was an equally ebullient Cullen Noon lighting design that featured Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by LIT Lighting.
Incorporating the stage’s shape into his design, Noon arranged 22 Rogue R3 Beams around the downstage rim to envelop the band in an engaging arc of light. In addition to turning the semicircular visible stage into a captivating design element, configuring the 330-watt movers this way opened up an array of design possibilities. “We decided to embrace the shape of the stage,” said Noon. “Having the beams along the edge allowed us to create a lot of unique looks that complimented the stage and reflected the spirit of the music.”
The Rogue R3 Beam is loaded with features, and Noon seemed to have availed himself of them all when creating his design. Drawing on the fixture’s intense output (208,000 lux at 5-meters) and tight 0.8ﹾ beam, he created powerful, tightly focused aerial effects. He also unleashed a rainbow of hues with the fixture’s color wheel, and added dynamic audience lighting looks.
Audience lighting was key to one of the looks that Noon found most memorable in the show when he lit the crowd at the end of the song, “Energy.” “The finale of this song is very upbeat,” he said. “There was a moment when I dropped in almost every beam that I had out over the crowd. The R3 beams were the perfect fixture for this moment as they are super punchy and filled the stage impressively.”
Adding an extra dimension to the stage were the eight STRIKE 1 fixtures that Noon set up along the backline. By lighting the band members from unique back angles, while having some light move past them into the crowd, he created greater depth and engagement on stage. “We had some time pressure setting up, but you would never know it from the way all the pieces of the show fit together,” said Noon. “Chris Brodman and the entire LIT Lighting team were incredible in helping us create looks that reflected the mood of the music.
