The Lumineers III World Tour launched in February in North America, and production designer/show director Sooner Routhier is “super happy with the way the design turned out. Robert [Long] and I designed the beginning stages of it last year,” she adds. “We just sent out the final product a couple weeks ago. I really love that show.” Ian Haslauer, who has worked with Routhier on Pentatonix in the past, runs the show as lighting director.
Going Off-Road in California
Jason Rothberg might normally be packing up for The Lumineers, but instead he is unpacking his bags for the final time. He’s taken on a new role as technical director for the San Diego Symphony. He’ll not only look after Copley Symphony Hall, but also their new outdoor music venue, The Shell, opening in July on the waterfront behind the San Diego (CA) Convention Center. Rothberg says it was not an easy decision, but after 10 years on tour — to 300 different cities in 45 countries — he is looking forward to spending more time with his family. Reflecting on favorite tours with The Lumineers, Passion Pit, Sufjan Stevens, Imagine Dragons and alt-J, he admits what he will miss most: “the travel, and getting to eat around the world.”
After eight years of almost non-stop touring, Emily Bornt is also looking forward to being more home-based in Los Angeles. After a European tour and a few March dates with Melanie Martinez, she announces her availability for programming and operating for TV, corporate gigs and more short term gigs. She’s excited about returning calls in the course of normal business hours! Some tours she’s traveled with include Dancing with the Stars Live, Metric, Logic, Thirty Seconds To Mars and Lil Wayne. Visit leaps.design for contact info.
Not Quite Farewell — and a Fiancé
Lighting director Jared Rarick thought Peter Frampton’s The Farewell Tour — designed by Chris Lisle — was done and dusted in October 2019, so he returned to Tampa, FL to work full-time at ESI Audio & Lighting. But the legendary guitarist changed his tune. More dates start overseas in May, and Rarick is raring to go. “One of those venues includes Royal Albert Hall, which I’m very excited to knock off the bucket list,” he says. “This past tour being my fourth season with Frampton, I’ve really gotten to know the music on such an intimate level, and it’s made executing the show a real treat.”
The LD has another more personal project to work on as well, and congratulations are in order. “My partner of five years and I got engaged this [past] summer,” Rarick announces. “He’s been by my side throughout my annual disappearances. We’re currently planning on having a very special reception for all of our friends and family in April 2021 here in Tampa. I’ll be putting together a very special show for my fiancé and our guests.”
Quick Cues
Production designer Trevor Ahlstrand announces that lighting director Nick Chang is taking his design for Kane on the road, which kicked off in February.
Designer Jeremy Roth has created the new production for Nathaniel Rateliff’s spring tour — sans the Night Sweats — to promote the new solo album, And It’s Still Alright. Bobby Mathias is at the controls again for this tour while Roth works his way down the West Coast with Wilco’s Ode to Joy dates.
Alex Reardon of Silent House tells us he designed and directed Tyler The Creator’s performance on the Grammys.
LD Kieran Healy is designing ABC’s Season 3 of American Idol, although it will personally be his 17th year of the show (counting from when it was on another channel). Joining him are lighting directors Harry Sangmeister and Don Winters. Shows air from now until mid-May.
Mark Butts of Preset Productions recently wrapped the lighting design for the Google Playground at January’s CES. He and
Erin Anderson are programming for Season 2 of NBC’s The Titan Games, a physical competition series, with 22 Degrees LD Travis Hagenbuch. Butts is also creating the production/lighting design for Indonesia’s Head in the Clouds Music Festival — dubbed “the Asian Coachella” — in Jakarta in March.
LD Mike Swinford finished the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago. He’s getting ready for rehearsals for the Kenny Chesney stadium tour, for the CMA Music Festival this summer in Nashville, and the NBA Draft June 25 at the Barclays Center in New York.
LD Brent Clark is back out with Stereophonics, running through Europe and U.K. arenas.
LD Jonny “Tosar” Tosarello is heading out for Lynyrd Skynyrd’s final leg of their “Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour.” He says, “The lighting rig has been slightly redesigned to fit into tighter venues.” Dates run March through August with shows in the U.S., U.K., Europe and Brazil.
LD Daniel Dawson resumes his road work with heavy metal band Black Label Society in February-March on their U.S./Canada run.
LD/lighting director Tony Caporale of Infinitus Vox is preparing Billie Eilish’s 2020 “Where Do We Go?” world arena tour in collaboration with lighting programmer/design associate Darien Koop of Design Darko, with Moment Factory at the helm of the production and creative design. The team has been collaborating the past few months, and the tour is set to begin this March in the U.S. then carry on to South America, Europe and Asia.
A lunch conversation with a friend led John Adamo to a lighting career. He’s now the LD with Texas blues artist Gary Clark Jr. Learn more in this month’s “On The Road” feature on page 8.
Reach out to Debi at dmoen@plsn.com.
