Lighting designer Howard Ungerleider felt a momentary rush of stardom — on the artist’s side of the velvet rope, you might say. It was the night before Rush was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Los Angeles. Outside the band’s hotel, fans gathered in wait for Rush’s Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson. But those weren’t the names screamed when Ungerleider made it to the glass lobby doors. “Howard!” they shouted.
Ungerleider was taken aback, as one would be. “The whole vibe was crazy!” he said, surprised at the reaction. As Rush’s production designer, LD and lighting director, Ungerleider is present for every show on their tours, preferring to keep hands-on. So over the years he’s been with the Canadian band, he’s met many fans. To the fans, Ungerleider is part of the band.
Next day at the Nokia, LD Allen Branton and programmer Felix Peralta handled lighting duties for the induction. As Rush was scheduled to perform, Ungerleider brought the lighting team AV materials to inspire them with the special segment. “I asked Felix to look at some DVDs of Rush to get the vibe of the songs they would perform that night. I also brought video footage from [their album] 2112 to integrate it into the show as well.”
Ungerleider’s working relationship with Rush dates back to 1974. He and the band have “grown together” over those 40 years, he says. “I taught them how to go on the road, how tours are run. I introduced them to professional touring.”
In return, the band granted Ungerleider creative freedom. As a painter, he says, the lighting console is his palette, the stage is his canvas and the music is the muse. “Designing for Rush is a life work for me,” he says, proudly. “They are really nice guys, true gentlemen, my friends. I look at it as helping my friends.”
Rush’s Clockwork Angels tour runs to Aug. 4.
Boston for Boston
Boston the band played for Boston the city at the May 30 benefit for the Marathon bombing victims. LD Gregg Maltby said, “When [Boston’s] Tom Scholtz called me a couple of weeks ago, I didn’t hesitate for a second, I told him ‘absolutely — anything to help out the bomb victims.’”
Tickets reportedly sold out in five minutes for “Boston Strong: An Evening of Support and Celebration.” Bob Morrissey of ECLPS was in charge of the lighting, bringing in Butch Allen as the event LD. LDs Cosmo Wilson (Aerosmith) and Aaron Swetland (Jason Aldean) were among those who came in to light their respective artists as well.
The lineup also included Jimmy Buffett, James Taylor, J. Geils Band, New Kids on the Block, Carole King, Godsmack, Extreme, and comedians Dane Cook and Steven Wright.
Quick Cues
The Backstreet Boys reunited for their In A World Like This tour — celebrating 20 years together — starting May 25 in China. Bruce Rodgers designed the production with lighting design by LD Alex Grierson.
LD Martin Thomas is out with Todd Rundgren in June on the second leg of the State tour — a huge departure from the “regular” Todd shows, Thomas says. “The new album is Electronic Dance Music (EDM) based, and the show is all about technology, especially lighting.”
LD Andi Watson has designed Sarah Brightman’s new Dreamchaser tour.
LD Paul Normandale has designed Diana Krall’s tour. Lighting director Joel Wojcik, whose past tours include The Fray, is carrying out the design on the road.
LD Kevin “Deuce” Christopher has been traveling with Journey’s design around the UK. “It’s been altered a bit to accommodate a co-headliner bill with Whitesnake, supported by Thunder. I’m making a conscious effort to enjoy my surroundings abroad,” he says. “I am enjoying touring here more than ever.”
LD Richard Locklin recently finished Paul Simon in Asia, then took on lighting director duties on Fleetwood Mac for LD Paul “Arlo” Guthrie.
TNA Wrestling has left its Florida TV studio and is on the road across the U.S. with longtime LD Jeffrey Bornstein again handling lighting duties. Bornstein says they air a live show every other Thursday.
LD Mike Baldassari is focused on theatrical shows. He lit an out-of-town tryout of Somewhere in Time at the Portland Center Stage, then headed directly to First Date, a new Broadway musical opening at The Longacre Theatre this summer and also the first show of the 2013-2014 Broadway season. Once again he is working alongside set designer David Gallo. “Dave and I will once again be doing another company of Beauty and The Beast in Europe this fall,” he says. “Our tenth company of the show will open at Théâtre Mogador in Paris in early October.”
Programmer Troy Eckerman says he’s had non-stop work in this busy season. He programmed Beyonce’s world tour, along with Cory Fitzgerald and Loren Barton; The Eagles in Vegas and Wrestlemania in New Jersey, followed by Nashville for Tim McGraw with co-designer Pat Brannon, content creator Drew Findley and video programmer Jeff Bertuch. In May he changed out the “seasons” at the Bellagio Conservatory, and is also creating a design/install for a upscale restaurant and future club in downtown Houston called Mr. Peeples.
“The last few months have been a blur,” says LD C. Andrew Dunning. The Nashville LD has designed two new Church of the Highland campuses, and with a conference in Dallas with T.D. Jakes, along with a host of various corporate events.
LD Jeff Rials is out for his sixth year with Limp Bizkit. (See “On the Road,” this issue, page 14, for more details.)
“More than 13,000 lighting cues” is how lighting intern Glenn Nicola describes the recent gig he’s involved with: Michael Jackson’s One, a Cirque du Soleil show, which launched ticketed previews in late May at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. Incorporating some of the elements of the Cirque’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal world tour, a concert-tour format that has grossed a reported $286.1 million since it launched in late 2011, the more theatrical-oriented One features lighting by LD David Finn. Assistant LD is Joshua Hind, the head programmer is Benny Kirkham and the second programmer is Joshua Koffman. Nicola says it’s “a crazy and amazing show!”
What are your summer touring plans? Share your news with Debi Moen at dmoen@plsn.com.
