Lighting Cos
Christie Lites, Gemini Light Sound Video
Venue
Various (Tour)
Crew
LD/Lighting Director: John Bailey
Lighting Crew Chief: Jason Sunde
Lighting Techs: John Johnson, Marc Durning
Dimmer: Olu Kiara
Set Design: Rob Zombie, Wayne Toth
Production Manager: Ray Picard
Tour Manager: Sully Sullivan
Main Rig: Christie Lites
Floor Package: Gemini Light Sound Video
Lighting Account Reps: Jason Cain, Warren Flynn
Video Co: VER
Video Director: Phil Keller
Video Techs: Kevin Morris, Kevin McGuire
Pyro: Strictly FX/Toni Alaimo, Nick Curry, Jackson Fraisier
Trucking Co: Upstaging Inc.
Rigging: Christie Lites/Eric Smith (Head Rigger)
Carpenters: Jesse Kiesnowski, Murder Creep, Kyle Armbruster
Gear
2 MA Lighting grandMA Full consoles
4 MA Lighting NSPs
33 Martin MAC 2000 XBs
22 Martin MAC Vipers
10 Martin MAC 700 Profiles
10 Martin MAC 700 Wash
26 Martin Atomic 3000 stobes w/ scrollers
6 8 Lite Moles
3 Philips Color Kinetics Color Force 72s
8 Philips Color Kinetics ColorBlaze 48s
8 Philips Color Kinetics ColorBlast 12s
6 Elation 5R Beams
2 ETC Source Four 10° Ellipsoidals
4 Coolux Pandoras Box media servers
148 Everbrighten 15mm tiles
82 WinVision 18mm tiles
32 Radiant Linx-18 tiles
Designer Insights by Steve Jennings
John Bailey (Lighting Designer/Director) –
“I began in the Rob Zombie camp as lighting designer Damian Rogers’ floor tech. Working right under him, he was able to show me the tricks to his programming and design. There was a certain tour where Damian needed to have someone fill in as he was, and usually is very busy with other projects. I think it was the Black Rain Tour where we were directly supporting Ozzy Osbourne. It was fun, and very nerve racking all at the same time. Over the years, Damian was able to slowly let me build trust in him, but more importantly Rob… and here we are today. I think I was 23 years old when I took over for the Black Rain run.
“On this tour, the Mayhem Festival, it was all pretty much programmed already. We were given the San Manuel Amphitheater for 3 days, so there was time to update and dial in the current program with the updated lighting rig. The only songs that were in need of programming were the 3-4 songs off Rob’s latest album. I also had my run of the very huge Gemini (Stage Lighting) warehouse for a week while I was dialing the floor package. They don’t spare any expense to make sure that their gear is going to look good, while functioning at 110%. I just had to make sure the toilets were cleaned before I left in the early AM hours of the morning !
“Rob is a very, very easy artist to work with. He definitely knows what he wants. He puts the same level of trust in me as he had with Damian. That being said, I was pretty much was left to program to my own taste. Keep in mind that the majority of the programming had already been there thanks to Damian.
“While in Europe, I had a rig very similar to this one, and we had been using the Robe 2500 series spots with the same work horse, the Mac 2000 XB’s. When I suggested that to (LD) Nook Schoenfeld, he said to me ” why don’t you use the new Mac Vipers. That’s what the big boys are trying to use these days ! ” I hadn’t had much time with these fixtures, but fell in love with them very quickly. As far as fixtures, between Brandon Webster and myself, he’s the LD for Five Finger Death Punch who are on the main festival stage with us, there wasn’t any fuss about what was there. We both liked what we saw on paper.
“I’ve always been on board with the grandMA consoles. I can program just about anything, but to me, it just makes sense. In fact, too much sense at times. I ran this last tour on the series 1, but plan to reprogram on the series 2 before we do any other shows. The Hog 4 is impressive and I had considered using that as the new desk, but the grandMA is definitely going to take the cake ! I couldn’t live without my executor buttons. The show is cue heavy, but it’s fader to fader, instead of a cue stacked one motion “go”. I find it easier to operate, and way better for updating day to day.
“When I started, the video content was run by Sam, an eccentric guy who I believe developed it with Rob. It was given to Phil Keller, our video director in much the same way I was given the lighting responsibility. Phil has also developed and edited a lot of the newer content . I think he spent 24 hours straight in a back room at the San Manuel Amphitheater editing content that might as well have come from Rob’s dreams ! All in all, it looked great when he was done with it. Phil is one of the best video directors I’ve ever had the privilege to work with. He has a lighting background and even directs and programs lighting on tours to this day. He’s great because he knows there is way more budget for video, which means more video gear, and yet still allows certain songs to be lighting driven. It’s getting harder to compete with video when your in the lighting world but he makes it so easy to get along. Much of the structure of this show goes back some years because it’s impossible to get rid of, the pyro and such, while plots and floor packages have changed. Some exceptions are the new songs but I programmed them with the Rogers touch !
“Much thanks to Gemini Stage Lighting for everything they’ve done for me. It’s hard to picture myself anywhere without their patience and support to me. Also, Christie Lites put out some very impressive gear. The Christie crew went above and beyond their duties to make this thing go in and out smoothly. Thanks to Rob Zombie for keeping not only me, but so many of our crew busy over the years. The work means a lot to everyone on the crew, and to our tour manager Michael “Sully” Sullivan… despite being a Cubs fan, he’s a great guy ! “
For more Rob Zombie 2013 Mayhem Tour photos by Steve Jennings, go to www.plsn.me/Mayhem2013Extras
