There is a bit of magic in every good lighting design. And magic, as every designer who’s practiced it knows, involves a little sleight of hand—those gentle deceptions that “trick” the human eye into seeing something beyond what is really there. Richard “Wookie” Whitley has been working this beautiful spell on audiences across North America on platinum-selling artist Cody Johnson’s The Leather tour. Helping him along the way is a versatile Wired Productions supplied flown rig that is anchored by 88 CHAUVET Professional fixtures.
The “cake tiered” rig engages fans with a vivid, fast-moving, and dynamic 30-by-40-foot backdrop. However, there is no video wall behind the band, only IMAG screens on either side of the stage. The compelling background movement is created by a combination of fixtures, most notably eight COLORado PXL Bar 16 motorized tilting battens, flown on the background truss, that flood the area with color swipe and pixel effects.
And while Wookie uses a robust floor package from Bandit Lites for his aerial effects, the fixtures that create these looks are kept pretty much out of sight, being positioned on four truss structures, placed discretely behind risers of the same height.
This magical formula fits neatly into the creative brief that Wookie was given at the start of the project. “Around the end of August 2023, I was asked to design and plot three different setups — a 180 which is on our current tour, a 270, and a 360, which we used earlier in early February for a Bridgestone show after some tweaking,” he said. “With the design this year, we wanted something simple, punchy, easy to deploy, and user friendly for all of the different acts who are appearing on the tour. It’s honestly a festival style rig we have, given the diversity of performers.”
In addition to his COLORado PXL Bar 16 battens, Wookie has 32 Maverick Storm 2 Profiles, 32 Maverick Force 2 BeamWashes, and 16 Color STRIKE M motorized strobe-washes in his rig. The Color STRIKE M units are divided evenly between the 37-foot high mid-stage and 31-foot high upstage truss. The profiles and BeamWashes are also divided among the flown truss.
These flown fixtures work smoothly with the floor package to create immersive looks over the entire stage. “Our floor package is quick to deploy, as well as to load, plus, it saves space on the deck as well as in the truck,” says Wookie. “Also, occasionally, I use the DS spots for an effect on the backdrop. This is usually for the stripped down and acoustic style moments. So, that dark space does serve multiple purposes, whether it’s for lighting moments, or providing a walkway for our techs. I’ve really enjoyed having that space this year. It gives me different options when it comes to programming.”
Speaking of his COLORado PXL Bar 16, Wookie noted, “It has become quite the utility fixture on this tour. From simply flooding the backdrop, to accenting an intro or snare build up, to doing a back-and-forth swipe on some band bumps during a song, they always give us the looks we’re after. Occasionally, depending on the song, I’ll have all my washes off and tilt them onstage to use them as a wash with the occasional color effect, dimmer effect, or swipe. They really add another element to the show and some depth.”
Working with Production Manager Clint Rorie and the Wired Productions team, Wookie has created smoothly flowing and multi-faceted show. “Lance Lineburg of Wired Productions and I put our heads together for this one,” said Wookie. “I told him what I was looking for and he matched me up with the right fixtures. Jessica ‘Clover’ Rushing and Matthew ‘Pizzazz’ Clark are killing it night after night. Also, a big shout out to the one Wired Tech I had last year, Britin Robinson.”
The flexible show that Wookie and his team created is ensuring that every song in the hour-and-forty-five-minute set had its own unique look. Even fans who have been to multiple shows on this tour are finding that every time they see Johnson perform, each song seems fresh, original, and new – as if they are encountering it for the very first time… such is the magic of design.
Further information from CHAUVET Professional: www.chauvetprofessional.com
