British rock guitarist Jeff Beck—known as “the guitarist’s guitarist,” “the Six-String Warrior,” and “one of the greatest guitarists of all time”—among other honorary titles—died unexpectedly on Jan. 10, 2023, from bacterial meningitis. He was 78. Beck and actor/musician Johnny Depp had recently collaborated on their album, 18—released in July 2022—and the two were performing together on tour to promote it. Their last dates before Beck’s death were in November 2022 in the U.S.
Lighting professionals David “Gurn” Kaniski, Michael Keller, and Chris Stuba were involved with that last tour, and shared their thoughts with Designer Watch about working with the rock legend.
Kaniski began working as lighting designer/director for the guitarist around 2016. Going in, he says, he knew that lighting was to support the music. He was told early on that it’s about creating a look and making it an environment that the artist and the audience were comfortable in. “It’s all about the music. This was not about the lights. The goal was always to make it look beautiful and multi-dimensional, just like the music. It definitely was not a big rock show that allows you to showcase your chases and flashing and strobes,” the LD says.
Keller Steps In
In May 2022, Kaniski was out as LD for Whitesnake when Beck and Depp were planning their tour. Unable to leave, Kaniski asked Michael Keller to go out in his place as lighting director. Kaniski had to laugh when he handed his Beck show file to Keller and got a call immediately. “Keller calls and says, ‘Something’s wrong. I went to this cue list and there’s only one cue in there. Where is the rest?’ I said, ‘Michael, when he started the song, I brought it up 25% and then when the song crescendos, I went up to full, then I pulled it back down to 50%. Then I did the Lekos on the wing, and that was it. That was the song.’ Michael was in disbelief. Sometimes there were three cues and sometimes there was one cue with the side fader that turned something to no color. It was not a timeline show at all. I wanted to stress that. Because Jeff doesn’t stay in one place in the music, sometimes he builds it and goes someplace else, or the band will cut earlier or later; it was not a sit back cue-to-cue show.”
The two hung out and programmed the show, with Kaniski giving directions such as “take it easy on this part, take it slow on this song.” Keller, coming from Ozzy Osbourne, needed to look at the show in a new way. “Basically, it was ‘no, you don’t need that chase, take that out, again this was not about the lights,” Kaniski explains.
Kaniski’s show file was on a different console from what Keller was used to. With his blessing, Keller reprogrammed it for another console which with he was more familiar. With Kaniski on Whitesnake and Keller taking care of Beck for the summer, the pair toured Europe with their acts and then planned to continue in the U.S. until fall.
Kaniski’s New Role as Tour Manager
Then, unfortunately at the end of June due to health issues, Whitesnake was forced to cancel the remainder of their European tour, and the subsequent U.S. tour with Scorpions. Kaniski was suddenly free for the next six months. When Beck’s camp heard Kaniski was available, they offered him the role as tour manager—something he had never done.
Meanwhile, Keller was happy at the helm, having worked with Beck back in the ‘80s, including a tour of Japan. “It was so great to work with him again. One of the shows was the Karuizawa festival [June 1, 1986] with Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana, and Steve Lukather. That was probably the most magical show I’ve ever done—and that was in the daytime!”
The 2022 tour carried a console and a floor package, and tied in to house rigs at each venue. Beck took the stage first for an hour, and then Depp would join in. Though Keller had every song programmed, he says, “Jeff would stretch in areas, and I would have to ride with it.” While the songs were never played exactly the same, the LD knew where the main solo was. “He was phenomenal. He was the most creative artist I’ve ever worked with,” Keller says. “He would go to the limit and then push it even further.”
Chris Stuba Takes Over
Toward the end of the tour, Keller had to leave to serve as West Coast Lighting Director for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. He handed over the show file to Chris Stuba, who already knew Beck. They had met in 1996 through ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons at a show at Brixton Academy in London. “He asked if he and his wife Sandra could stand by me at FOH during ZZ’s set,” Stuba says. “I was in awe of his rock star presence but marveled at how much he liked to dance during the Eliminator [album] songs. He once said that ZZ had written the song ‘Rough Boy’ about him. Over the years Jeff would join us at ZZ shows; he was always amazing.” Beck toured with Brian Wilson in 2013 and performed Wilson’s Beach Boys hits during this last tour.
Stuba reveled in the opportunity to do a dozen shows with him and Johnny Depp. “I was in awe of Beck because he was fearless. He was never afraid to see where the music could take him, even if that meant he couldn’t find his way back. He was loud and bold and never performed the exact same show twice,” Stuba says, adding that it kept him on his toes at the console. “It made being his lighting director exciting and dangerous; it is what rock and roll should be.”
This Was Not About the Lights
Keller emphasizes how “magical” it was with Beck. “Sometimes you would get so mesmerized by his playing you would forget what you were doing,” he shares. “And he had a great sense of humor. He and Johnny had such a great rapport.”
Kaniski reflects on the experience. It was his first role as a tour manager. But it was more than that. There were a couple of times when he could have shifted back to being the lighting guy, he says, but Jeff and the band insisted he keep the role and finish out the tour. And now in light of the situation, he is so glad he did. While the two had known each other before, in this role they got to be good “mates.” Kaniski reflects, “I had no inkling that I would get to know him so well. In December if you had asked me to TM again, I would have said, ‘no, I want to go back to being a lighting guy.’ But ask me now, and I would of course say yes, absolutely! I now cherish all those great times together, an unexpected blessing. I’m so glad I have these memories and it is very personal for me.” And the lighting guy emphasizes, “Again, this was not about the lights.”
Share your news with Debi Moen at dmoen@plsn.com
