Todd Rundgren’s Me/We Tour entertained across the U.S. from April to July 3. Designer Hans Shoop says his involvement with the artist’s visual production has been “increasing geometrically” over the last 15 years. “This time the music set the pace.”
Perusing through his initial notes, he cites his “brief and cryptic” keywords and phrases for the 30-song set list, such as: Atmospherics, Footlights, Beamy, “each song needs to have a unique look,” and “not just a concert, not just a series of songs, but a whole production.”
Shoop explains, “TR’s directing style is more subtractive in nature, so I get a lot of latitude to do what I wish, until I hit the invisible fence. His notes are much as in the recording studio: ‘let’s try less of that’, or ‘more of this.’ He has also been a champ in enduring uncomplainingly some very uncomfortable (blinding for him) moments to get a dramatic look with floor lights. I am quite grateful.”
He adds, “Haze and footlights were words I had not expected to hear, after having edicts against them for so long. That is another story. Video has been a major element in Todd’s shows for the last seven-plus years. There were no moments that specifically needed video in this show, so, just to mix things up, we cut all video from the show. It was refreshing to ‘focus’ only on lighting.”
The designer explains that the team wanted to achieve a level of consistency to the design aesthetic that usually only exists in much larger shows. “The vast variety of equipment, and layout between house rigs of various venues is near infinite. We needed to find how little we could carry, to bring all we need to do a show. Without alteration, we can do our whole show with only a level 40’ x 30’ stage surface with 20’ of open fly space, and 70 amps 3 phase electric service. The whole rig is ground supported so as not to be limited by available hang points, and the design is modular enough to be scaled down to fit in more intimate venues when the need arises. Carrying an enormous floor package of 60 fixtures makes for a long day, but the results have been worth it.”
Shoop and the Rundgren team will be back on the road on tour this fall.
Limp Bizkit
Justin Wade kicked off a run as designer, director and programmer with Limp Bizkit’s tour. “It’s a show built with a lot of surprises throughout, and first time the band has toured at this scale in years. They’re a very high energy band that came in with a unique vision,” he notes. The band is on the road from July 16- Aug. 24, with Bones, N8NOFACE, and Corey Feldman supporting. “Looking forward to a great summer,” he adds.
Norah, St Vincent, Foos, Garbage
Tess Falcone reports in: “LXFC has had a busy few months, working primarily with kick-ass women, with some rock legends in the mix as well, of course! Dan Hadley and I designed the new Norah Jones tour, and then touring LD Brooke Kimple and I programmed it. Dan and I then shifted to take on the new St Vincent touring design, which I programmed and operated. Dan then designed and kicked off a fresh stadium tour with the Foo Fighters after programming it, with the help of Eli Suarez. I then went straight into programming and operating a lighting design for the band Garbage, designed by Kerstin Hovland and Emery Martin of Electronic Countermeasures. It’s been a whirlwind!”
Roots
Madi Adams checks in saying she’s filling in on The Roots tour for LD Robert Bloom for a few shows through July and August. While there’s a bit of a construction hold on the Conchy Joe’s tiki install in Florida, “I’ve brought my friend Ruben Mechan on board—great systems engineer here in NYC and currently out with Jelly Roll—to help me with the project.” She’s open for more fall design, operating and programming work, she adds.
Myles & More To Go
Myles Mangino and Alban Sardzinski‘s Highlt PDS Studios has had a busy schedule from their New York base. Among their many projects, they designed composer Joe Hisaichi’s three-night run at Madison Square Garden with a 180-piece symphony and choir featuring the music of Hayao Miyazaki of
Studio Ghibli films. They also lit the red carpet, screening and after party for HBO’s House of Dragons season 2 premier. There was also the DNC’s annual LGBTQ+ Gala, two rallies for FLOTUS, The LadyLand Festival, Head In The Clouds K-pop Festival, a Fashion Show for KZ_K Studios, Stars network screening and launch of Ghost series, and the Billion $ Ball at the New York Stock Exchange.
New Cues
- Carter Adams says he’s “finally” heading out with country artist Allen Stone again August through October. He’s the designer, director and programmer for this new fall production. “It’s our first headlining tour since Covid shut us down in March 2020,” he notes.
- Graham Rolak says this summer he’s working on a few things. “The ones I can tell you about are: I am designing and sending off AFI as main support for 30 Seconds to Mars tour, and also doing the Incubus arena run for the 20th anniversary of their album, Morning View.”
- Gregg Maltby will globe-trot for a few weeks in October lighting Paul Anka. “When Alvin “Tiny” Butler—Paul’s longtime LD— does Eric Clapton, I fill in for him. Last year I went [with Anka] to Japan, Macau, China, Singapore, Bangkok, and the Philippines,” he notes. “In October, it’s Santiago, Chile, and some East Coast dates.”
- Marc Janowitz of E26 Design recently re-launched Trey Anastasio and the Classic TAB’s tour (the four piece version of the Trey Anastasio Band) with Patrick Hayes serving as lighting director. Janowitz also designed the production and lighting for Nate Bargatze’s Netflix special filmed in Phoenix.
- Nathaniel Beckett is back out as designer, programmer and operator with New Found Glory for the Catalyst: 20 Years Later Tour. He says the pop punk band will be in the U.S. August through October, also performing at Riot Fest and When We Were Young Festival.
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