A few months ago, designer Mikki Kunttu uprooted his family from Finland to seek new lighting adventures in Montreal. Translation: Cirque du Soleil. He’s officially LD on the creative team for Alegría in Canada, among other projects. “I’m pleased with the way it’s starting to work out on this side of the big water,” the Finnish LD says. “I made a big decision to start fresh over here as I felt I could still do it. I love the people, the vibe. Canadians are most welcoming and supportive for us immigrants! And of course, to work with Cirque du Soleil is nothing short of a dream come true.”
Woodroffe Bassett Design Updates
Terry Cook says October once again sees a busy month for Woodroffe Bassett Design team. Having successfully opened world tours for Ozzy Osbourne and Elton John, along with five other projects in September, October sees WBD designing European tours for Suede and Spandau Ballet, a U.K. tour for The Band and China TV show Sing!
Hadley’s Happenings
Dan Hadley’s new touring show for Leon Bridges is run by his resident LD Bobby Mathias and extends into 2019. Early October saw Dan doing double duty at CalJam 18 where he lit Iggy Pop’s Post Pop Depression (featuring members of Queens Of The Stone Age and Arctic Monkeys) before transitioning into the Foos’ set. Hadley tells us, “Once Foos wrap up the Concrete & Gold tour in mid-October and a Halloween show with the master of horror John Carpenter, I’ll quickly move on to a new Tenacious D tour with U.S. dates in November and December.”
Chris, Chris and Chris
Lightswitch principal Chris Medvitz says they’re working on two November show openings: the design for the return of “Illumination” at The Morton Arboretum in Chicago and “Enchanted: Forest of Light” at Descanso Gardens near LA.
Chris Lisle’s team at CLLD LLC had a busy couple of months with Lollapalooza, Kaaboo, a Ben Rector tour and the overall production design for the Darius Rucker/Lady Antebellum “Summer Plays On” tour.
Chris Stuba is thinking winter thoughts for his lighting/set design for Brian Wilson’s “Holiday Tour,” which features performances of The Beach Boys’ “Christmas Album” in its entirety. In November he also begins Bob Seger’s final “Travelin’ Man Tour,” rolling through to May 2019.
Mac, Matt and Myles
LD Mac Mosier was at home, waiting for Hurricane Florence to blow through in South Carolina, when he checked in. He had most of September off from Chris Stapleton’s tour, then headed out to Farm Aid and Nashville festival, The Pilgrimage. He’s with the country artist the rest of the year.
Matthew Guminski had an illuminating summer, starting as LD for Tesla on their North American Tour. In mid-summer he served as Evanescence’s lighting director for LDs Dan Hardiman and Marty Postma, and this fall he takes over the console from Postma for Alice in Chains.
LD Myles Mangino is designing a new show for the 30th anniversary of the Pixies’ Surfer Rosa album, with week-long residencies in October-November in London, Mexico City and New York. “It’s a video heavy show and will have seven 40-foot wide screens that encircle the audience,” Mangino describes. He will program/operate the show and is producing a pre-show video art gallery as well. Next up: creating video content for Spiritualized with Paddy Farr as lighting director.
Quick Cues
After All Time Low’s tour wraps in mid-October, LD Jeff Maker heads out with The Dresden Dolls for two shows at London’s Troxy and ends the year with The Dropkick Murpheys in Australia.
Patrick Dierson of The Activity says, “By LDI, we will have completed nine full production designs for the Lions of Justice Festival, which is held in nine cities across the U.S. in a single day.” The Las Vegas-based design company recently wrapped up full production designs of three stages for the Made In America Festival in Philadelphia with lighting directors Justin Cheatham, Evan Bloom and David Mollner.
Sarah Landau says she loves the people and music on the Childish Gambino tour so much, that she went on the road with them. She’s operating her lighting design, programmed by Darien Koop. The U.S. arena tour, “This is America,” had to reschedule some dates into December due to the artist’s foot injury.
Paul Normandale went into pre-production in mid-September for Fleetwood Mac’s new tour – his first time to design for the band. Chris Lose continues with the Mac as lighting director on the road. Normandale also finished designs for Arctic Monkeys and Shakira.
LD Scott Pearson reports in on Kansas’ September kick-off of the 40th Anniversary of “The Point of Know Return” LP. “It’s a 2.5 hour show and includes the album in its entirety,” he notes.
LD Steven Douglas finished The Killers’ Wonderful Wonderful tour after 16 months with a final run in Asia. He’s starting a new tour with Hozier, but before he can join the Irish artist for the U.S. leg, he’s having lighting directors Darragh McAuliffe and Shaheem Litchmore take care of it for him.
LD Edward Warren’s to-do list includes a new world tour design for Mumford & Sons and Boy Azooga’s U.K. run. He’s also got the Interpol world tour (operated by Christian Lincoln); Lily Allen world tour (Josh Mansfield); Idles U.K. tour (John Rogers); and Maggie Rogers U.S. tour (Jason Hartwyck).
Lighting director Nicolas Riot conducts some lighting wizardry with the Nitro Circus until mid-October, followed by Marilyn Manson’s tour.
Rachel Mullen worked with Ice Cube and rapper Warren G as LD, programmer and board op at the Del Mar Summer Concert Series.
LD Paul Dexter has redesigned his website to reflect all his current projects. See what you’ve missed in his world at masterworksdesign.com.
Email Debi your news for November, or tell her in person at LDI 2018 in Las Vegas. Reach her at dmoen@plsn.com
