The Country Music Association presents its 2023 CMA Touring Awards Feb. 12 in Nashville. The awards will honor a person who has “positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring throughout the years,” according to the CMA, “and whose presence will have a long-term positive impact on country music and CMA for generations to come.” Here are the most relevant categories:
Nominations for Lighting Director of the Year: Zac Coren—Morgan Wallen; Philip Ealy—Kenny Chesney; Kevin Lichty—Old Dominion; Mac Mosier—Chris Stapleton; Kevin Northrup—Luke Combs; Taylor Price—Miranda Lambert; Austin Strain—Jelly Roll; and Alec Takahashi—Thomas Rhett.
Nominations for Tour Video Director of the Year: Josh Clark—Miranda Lambert; Jay Cooper—Kenny Chesney; Houston Creswell—Dierks Bentley; Ron Etters—Chris Stapleton; Nate Fountain—Zach Bryan/Blake Shelton; Chris Jones—Jelly Roll; Ricky Krohne—Thomas Rhett; and Michael Todd “M.T.” Stembridge—Eric Church.
Nominations for a new category, Crew of the Year: Chris Stapleton’s crew, All-American Road Show Tour; Eric Church’s crew, The Outsiders Revival Tour; Kenny Chesney’s crew, Go Back 2023 Tour; Luke Bryan’s crew, Country On Tour; Luke Combs’ crew, 2023 World Tour; Morgan Wallen’s crew, One Night At A Time World Tour; Old Dominion’s crew, No Bad Vibes Tour; and Thomas Rhett’s crew, Home Team Tour ’23.
For a report on who won, CLICK HERE.
TTD Lighting Launches
Kevin M. Sorg has launched TTD Lighting, a new lighting design firm, in Irvine, CA. “Anyone who can guess what TTD stands for will get a new TTD Lighting custom jacket,” he promises, adding that he’s had some “interesting guesses.”
Sorg continues to work with the Anaheim Ducks as the Lighting and Effects Designer for pre-game, in-game, and special events for the NHL team. He also works on moving lighting systems for the Disneyland Resort. But with his new venture, he will expand his design services for a variety of markets including live entertainment, sports, themed events, worship spaces, and video productions. “There is no project too big or too small,” Sorg notes. Learn more and compete for swag at www.ttdlighting.com
New Cues
- Amy D Lux of LoboLux Design has accepted a position on the Women in Lighting + Design (WILD) Board of Directors. “As treasurer, I’m eager to bring together my interests in lighting, diversity, and inclusion, and creative finance,” she says. This is not to be confused with Women in Lighting (WiL), although they are partners. For more information, visit www.womeninlightinganddesign.org
- Benny Kirkham worked in early January on updates at Mystere by Cirque du Soleil at Treasure Island in Las Vegas. “Luc Lafortune is polishing up his old masterpiece. It is getting completely re-lit with new gear after 30 years,” the programmer says. “The refresh is in all departments but most noticeable in lighting. It’s looking really beautiful.”
- Brent Clark says, “it’s looking like a pretty action-packed year so far.” From February to April, he’s got a full calendar of tours with his usual clients. But all the while he’s still working on the big launch in May, sending Sarah McLachlan’s Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary Tour on the road with his production/lighting design.
- Chuck Williams, Lighting Designer for dance/electronic artist Illenium, predicts “a record-breaking show” Feb. 3-4 at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. “If it all goes as planned it will be the largest single headline DJ event in U.S. history and we will have the largest laser show in U.S. history. Huge production all around,” he promises. “We are on track to break our record from Mile High Stadium [last year] for attendance and if all goes well this will break the record for most amount of laser wattage at an event.”
- Darien Koop of Design Darko reports that he is designing Lana Del Rey’s tour again this year.
- Ed Warren is currently working on new and updated shows for Mumford & Sons, Four Tet, The Last Dinner Party, Johnny Marr, Michael Kiwanuka, Nadine Shah, Interpol, Daniel Avery, Sugababes, and The Lottery Winners. In his email, he admits he “didn’t realize how busy I was ’til I put that all down in writing.”
- Ethan Weber says he’s going back to Vegas for a final run of U2 shows at the Sphere, then to Europe with John Mayer for March.
- Gregg Maltby is ready to get back with Peter Frampton’s tour Feb. 25-April 15.
- Madi Adams has been designing lighting in a small restaurant/tiki venue, Conchy Joe’s, in her hometown of Jensen Beach, FL. “The hope is for it to be able to accommodate regional and local acts,” she says. She’s also teaching console classes in New York until spring, when she returns to Hozier as Associate Lighting Director, continuing the Unreal Unearth tour design.
- Mike Swinford just finished the NBA In-Season Tournament in Las Vegas. Next up for 2024 is Kenny Chesney’s tour and the NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis.
- Phil Ealy says he will also be returning to the Kenny Chesney camp as Lighting Director for this year’s Sun Goes Down stadium tour from April through August.
- Rachel Mullen is busy with corporate gigs this year. She started the year as Lighting Director/Programmer for O’Reilly Auto Parts in Dallas, TX, and heads to Las Vegas as Designer in February for Baxter NAKO 2024 National Sales Meeting: Be Bold at the Venetian Resort.
- Troy Eckerman says 2024 “is looking as strong as ever with jobs. It going to be very busy.” Eckerman reported in from Doha, Qatar, where he was working with Roland Greil in January. “We are doing a large stadium show [Jan 12] for Asia Cup soccer opening ceremonies with 673 people on the show call and over 400 chain motors all with 200’ of chain. I have also been in Tokyo twice in the last three months and London once with Yoshiki Classical World Tour. Then I went back to Tokyo with Peter Morse for The Last Rockstars for a few shows. Then it was straight to Tim McGraw previz in Nashville [tour starting in February] at Fuse [Technical Group] with Pat Brannon. And some Janet Jackson work coming with Eric Wade. And of course, more work with Yoshiki is coming. Hopefully Tokyo again. I live for good sushi.”
Share your news with Debi Moen at dmoen@plsn.com
