Seeing Nothing More live is “an experience that is hard to put into words,” one music critic wrote after going to the St. Petersburg show on the Grammy nominated band’s recently concluded Spirits Tour. That’s true, but terms like in your face, riveting, adrenaline-pumping, and emotionally transformative, do come pretty close to capturing the onslaught of sensations that rush through the heart and brain at one of this uber-talented quartet’s multi-faceted concerts.
Loaded with sheer musical virtuosity, the band from Texas, takes audiences on an unforgettable journey as they move with seeming ease from one dramatic sound to the next. Accompanying them on this journey during this 15-city tour was an equally potent and layered stage production that featured an intense lightshow by Designer and Programmer Mike Null, with help from Co-Designer/Lighting Director Ryan Pervola, and Board Operator Chris Lawrence.
Working with a 4Wall Entertainment supplied rig anchored by eight Color STRIKE M and 12 Rogue R1 BeamWash fixtures from CHAUVET Professional, the design team matched the band note for growling note, with looks that combined raw power with subtle nuance.
“The overall goals in the design were to ensure that the crowd saw the band, to create textures, and occasionally, to punch you in the face,” said Null. “We balanced these three things with a design that hits whatever it is that it’s called on to deliver in the set. With Nothing More’s style of music, you get to incorporate a lot of different elements to arrive at a show that feel’s incredibly balanced and consistently new.”
To help the design team achieve this, the Color STRIKE M were positioned just above head height, while the Rogue R1 BeamWashes were flown 10-feet in the air. The lower units were used for strobing, while the higher ones provided wash light. This arrangement was instrumental in creating looks that supported the band’s theatrical stage presence, while also accenting the many big moments in their music.
“The main purpose of the wash positions was to provide color in the negative spaces, in addition to making the band the priority,” sail Null. “You can say it was an old-school approach; we wanted something that can light the band from that high, rather than create more eye candy and leave the band in the dark. The strobes were specially placed below the BeamWashes because that was our main punch. We had plenty of light to see the band and other fixtures that gave us texture.”
Null’s design allowed the production team to thread a needle, as they collaborated on creating a straightforward show without having the stage look crowded. “The thing I really enjoy about programming Mike’s rig was how it was pretty minimalistic, yet very powerful,” said Pervola. “This rig packed a punch and gave us so much depth and versatility. There really wasn’t a moment during the set when things felt bare, or you felt like more lights were needed.
“The design also gave our show a really unique look and feel that set it apart,” continued Pervola. “We conveyed a mood that was very analog and industrial to reflect the band’s personality, yet we also easily went to a natural and organic look the next song.”
Nothing More’s music is really kind of impossible to explain, notes the design team, but it’s also impossible to forget — especially when it’s supported by a lightshow like this one.
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