Lighting designer Martin Thomas and LD Don Weeks joined creative forces on the production design for the Yestival tour featuring Yes, Todd Rundgren and Carl Palmer’s ELP Experience. For Rundgren’s digital media content, Thomas literally sought graphic art services in-house — from his 17-year-old son, Avery. “My youngest son Avery has been doing digital graphic art for a couple of years now,” says Thomas, “and I found many of his pieces worked well with Todd’s music. Lots of compliments from the audience and the press about the look of the show; a lot of it was because of his art.”
After his summer working with Dad, Avery starts the new school year as a senior at Mountain View High School in Marana, AZ. (And we’re told that Dad did pay him properly for the use of his art!) Weeks takes Yes on the road as lighting director, while Michael Gionfriddo runs Rundgren for Thomas. Yestival runs late July to mid-September through the U.S. and Canada.
Matchbox Twenty, Newly Lit
LD Benoit Richard returns to the touring world for Matchbox Twenty’s summer 2017 co-headlining tour, “A Brief History of Everything.” Richard, who has an 18-year history with the band, was invited to rejoin Matchbox Twenty as show designer/director for its July 12-Oct. 7 run in the U.S./Canada.
“The band is reuniting for a fun co-headline summer tour with Counting Crows,” Richard says. “For Matchbox Twenty, I have designed a big fat lighting rig with absolutely no video!” His design inspiration pays tribute to Queen’s massive lighting rigs from the late 70s/early 80s “using new technology instead of hundreds of par cans.”
After a five-year detour from the road, Richard believes he has gained some new tricks of the trade by working in the film industry. “I have had the opportunity to work for some of the best cinematographers in the world on major blockbusters. I have increased my lighting knowledge level and look forward to bringing some of that magic back to live entertainment.”
Quick Cues
LD Jeff Ravitz, programmer Jason Badger and lighting director Libby Gray teamed up for Styx’ summer tour starting June 19.
LD Dan Hadley has designed the Foo Fighters’ tour lighting, scenic treatment and video, and operates it as well. Programmer Andy Babin helped with the video. “We’re touring a relatively small package, as this run is mostly festivals and some circling back around to shows we didn’t get to do on the last run,” Hadley says. For efficiency, just one truck of supplemental lighting travels with them, while they use each festivals’ own video walls.
Alex Reardon says designing the set and lighting for Tears For Fears’ U.S. arena tour was “a labor of love.” Kathy Beer is running the show, while Reardon has moved on to rehearsals for Latin singer Prince Royce, then to London to previz The Black Eyed Peas. (For more on the Hall & Oates/Tears for Fears 2017 co-headlining trek, see “Wide Focus,” page 36).
The Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull “Live World Tour” has the two artists teaming up again this summer. Enrique’s longtime LD Travis Shirley has again designed and is running the Latin star’s show. Pitbull’s LD Tom Sutherland has lighting director Craig Caserta operating his design. Production managers are Ernesto Corti for Pitbull and Andres Restrepo for Enrique.
Lighting director Meagan Metcalf takes Jeremy Roth’s lighting and scenic design for Sheryl Crow on tour this summer and fall, while Roth continues with Wilco’s “Schmilco” tour.
Lightswitch has designed Lionel Richie’s rescheduled “All The Hits” tour this summer. The show designer is Chris Medvitz, while Rob Smith serves as touring lighting/media director.
LD Scott O’Connor says Slightly Stoopid’s “Sounds of Summer” 2017 tour has encompassed “the less-is-more mindset. Bold, solid and minimalistic looks is what the band is looking for. I’ve been having a lot fun creating beauty out of simplicity.”
LD Dan Grabus tours with multi-genre band Lake Street Dive until Sept. 8 in the U.S.
LD Kenny Gribbon is illuminating California reggae band Rebelution on their “Good Vibes Summer Tour 2017” with U.S. dates to Sept. 15.
Scott Warner directed lighting for Erika Jayne (of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”) at the LA Pride Show, and directs Daughtry on Nickelback’s “Feed The Machine” summer tour.
LD Preston Hoffman is lighting Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue through the summer, while brother LD Paul Hoffman lit three special nights in late June of Widespread Panic at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO.
Kevin Cauley is working with Dan Boland on tour with the Big3 Basketball Tournament. Big3, the new 3-on-3 pro basketball league co-founded by Ice Cube, features All-Star celebrity basketball icons playing on a half court with four games per day. It’s augmented with fan events, halftime shows, exhibits and after-parties. The 10-week, 10-city tour runs June 25-Aug. 26.
LD Andrew Smith is on the road with Colorado progressive bluegrass group, the Yonder Mountain String Band, into December.
LD Conner Ostrowski is on tour with alt-country/ Southern rock band the Drive-By Truckers Tour, with U.S. dates to Oct. 7.
Erich Meitzner designed and programmed In This Moment’s North American summer tour. The creative director is Maria Brink, singer of the LA metalcore band.
LD Mikey Cummings continues on in the U.S. with Jason Isbell.
Neil Scrivener returns as LD for Gladys Knight on her summer European tour.
LD Gregg Maltby says LD Todd Ricci is covering for him on Huey Lewis & The News this summer, while Maltby is on Boston’s “Hyper Space Tour” with opener Joan Jett. Maltby returns to Huey’s tour Aug. 1 through December.
LD Mike Swinford recently wrapped up the CMA Music Festival in Nashville for ABC-TV and the NBA Draft in Brooklyn, NY.
Working with your son or daughter (or dad or mom) on tour? Feel free to share your news with Debi for future columns of Designer Watch. Reach her at dmoen@plsn.com.
