Lighting Co
Christie Lites
Venue
Various (Tour)
Crew
Promoter: Live Nation
Lighting & Production Designer: Travis Shirley
Lighting Director: Kyle Lovan
Lighting Programmer: Chris Smith
Video Programmer: Manny Conde
Mbox Server Specialist: John DaCosta
Christie Lites Rep: Robert Roth
Lighting Crew Chiefs: Brandon Leedham, Pete Siller, Joe Eager
Lighting Techs: Andy Welch, David Schmieder, Mike Jackson
Automation Operator: Matt Zimmer
Tour Manager: Andrea Howat
Production Manager: Nate Smith
Production Coordinator: Evan Pierri
Stage Manager: Justin Sumrall
Prop Technician: Justin Gudger
Video Director: Adam Walden
Video Content: Electronic Countermeasures
Video Co: ScreenWorks/Randy Mayer
Video Crew Chief: Sean Lee
LED Techs: Ryan Van Raalten, Shane Keeling, Jeremiah “J.B.” Bessette
Projectionist: Maria Passalacqua
Staging Co: Gallagher Staging/Tye Trussell
Jib Operator: Pedro Pineda
Riggers: Dan Michaels
Carpenters: Zac Hinkle, Matt Ensley
Trucking Co: Stage Call
Gear
2 grandMA2 Full Size Lighting consoles
60 Martin MAC Axiom Hybrids
40 Robe BMFL WashBeams
20 Claypaky Sharpy Washs
205 Chroma-Q Color Force II 12’s
5 Lycian M2 Short Throw Truss Spots
2 MDG Me2’s
3 Martin JEM zr44 Foggers
370 ROE CB8 Tiles
240 ROE BM4 Glass Floor Tiles
4 Barco 30K Projectors
4 PRG Mbox Media Servers
Designer Insights by Steve Jennings:
PLSN caught up with the Pentatonix tour on opening night in Northern California at Oakland’s Oracle Arena. The five-member a cappella group mix their vocal arrangements in pop, riffing, beatboxing and basslines for a unique and powerful style all their own. We spoke with lighting director Kyle Lovan about this Travis Shirley lighting and production design.
Kyle Lovan
Lighting Director
Travis and I first met while I was a dimmer tech on the extremely successful 2017 Enrique Inglesias/Pitbull Tour, says Lovan. “Shortly thereafter I shifted my career to being a lighting director, and have since worked for multiple artists including Cole Swindell, Charlie Puth, and Lil Wayne. Travis and I crossed paths again while I was assisting Matt Geasey (Clear All Visuals) with plots and technical aspects of Travis’ designs. After Travis found out I had become a lighting director he reached out to me to direct this show.”
The band and management watch playback of the show every night and are great in communicating what things they liked or in making suggestions for changes. “There have been a few tweaks since opening mostly to help with show flow and choreography positions. Overall though they are thrilled with Travis’ design and looks throughout the show.”
Lovan notes that Robert Roth and the entire Christie Lites team have really bent over backwards to make sure he’s happy with everything on the show. “I’m really impressed with how well their Martin MAC Axiom Hybrids are holding up. The automation cues put them in a lot of harsh angles and positions and the fixtures are handling it very well. Also, this is the second time I have used Chroma-Q’s Color Force II’s. I love working with these lights as they are very bright fixtures with beautiful color mixing abilities.”
Going into rehearsals the band was still trying to lock down a confirmed set list. Therefore a lot of things did end up getting changed, says Lovan, but luckily Chris Smith and Manny Conde did some serious heavy lifting on the programming side of things. “They made the presets and options I needed to have to make and change the show as smooth and as easy as possible. I feel very honored to be working on this show. Travis has had high expectations of how the show should look and has set a high bar for me to reach. In doing so, I have really been able to grow as a lighting director. This has been my most challenging show to date with 11 spots, automation cues, lifts positions, and the Austrian curtain moves to call. Nate Smith (Production Manager) and the Pentatonix crew has been amazing and is completely dedicated to making sure the show goes on without a hitch. I couldn’t be happier with how things have been running on this show.”
More Pentatonix 2019 tour photos by Steve Jennings:
