Vampire Weekend, the Grammy Award winner for Best Alternative Music Album in 2013, is a pop/rock band from New York City formed in 2006. The band is currently on the road in support of their fourth album, Father of the Bride album, released in May. Vampire Weekend’s longtime designer Rob Sinclair is back working with the band, their tour covering the U.S. before heading to Australia at the end-of-the-year for dates at The Falls Music & Arts Festival. In 2020, the band does several Lollapalooza dates in Chile, Argentina and Brazil. Then it’s back to the U.S. for more shows from May through October. We spoke with lighting designer Rob Sinclair and lighting director Ben Marx about the tour and its production design.
Rob Sinclair
Lighting Designer
Rob Sinclair notes that front man Ezra Koenig (vocals/guitar) and Nick Harwood, who put the album world together, were very involved in the process. “I first met Ezra to talk about the show in early 2017. The globe was already the totem for the campaign, and I think we all knew it would end up on stage. There were various versions of 2D globes before we settled on the inflatable 3D one used in the show, internally lit with the belt truss of [Martin MAC] Auras around it. We spoke a lot about jam bands, their shows, the lot scene outside and some ways of linking our show with that vibe, but not necessarily the aesthetic. The two references we took were the circle from Pink Floyd and the banners from the Grateful Dead in 1989. I’m really happy with the result. There is a precision and also a slightly loose edge. Hopefully we’ve taken inspiration and breathed new life into it.”
With a lot of songs in the set, Sinclair wanted to give each of them their own character. They didn’t discuss lighting specifics too much in advance, but Ezra did watch whole run-throughs in rehearsals and gave Sinclair lots of very good notes. Vampire Weekend shows always go through many iterations. This developed over 18 months, and they did go down a few blind alleys, notes Sinclair. Lighting programmer Brian Spett has been with Vampire Weekend almost as long as Sinclair; they’ve done many other shows together. “I don’t really know what I’d do without his friendship and lighting skill. Because Brian is a new dad, he wanted to stay off the road, so we engaged Ben Marx to run the show. Ben is doing a spectacular job and is a wonderful, calm presence at FOH. The show runs without tracks or code, and he nails every cue every night, a difficult skill to find these days! We had a really compressed rehearsal period, and they did an amazing job to get as much into the console as they did. I ‘helped’ by buying growlers of cold brew every morning.
“My dear old friend Mark Haney (video director and crew chief) came in new with us this year to direct I-Mag. He also works at Upstage Video, so that was a natural connection. He’s done his usual stellar job. This is my tenth year with Vampire Weekend, and it’s great to see how they reinvent themselves as a band every cycle and also how we always seem to find a strong, relevant aesthetic and stick rigidly with it. They’re a great band who play with skill and dedication.”
Ben Marx
Lighting Director
This is the first opportunity lighting director Ben Marx had to work with Sinclair. They first met at Lollapalooza 2018, when Marx came to observe the Vampire Weekend set and see Sinclair and Brian Spett run the show. The relationship has evolved naturally since then. “In the beginning, it was mostly Brian bringing me up to speed on it all. Brian’s relationship to Rob and Vampire Weekend goes back a full decade, and I had immediate respect for it. As my comprehension of the show grew, Rob would gradually share more of his thoughts with me. Fast forward to the present, we have a great open dialogue to discuss all the aspects of the show. Throughout the entire process, Rob has been more than happy to consider my ideas and discuss possible changes. From the programming and cueing to rig assembly, Rob has impressed me with his high attention to detail and his articulation of ideas. It’s been a wonderful inspiration from the very first moment.”
The band changes the set list every show, within certain parameters, with just enough changes to keep Marx on his toes. “There are a number of markers to keep the show grounded as well. Brian Spett programed the lion’s share of it. His proximity to the whole Vampire Weekend world made his contribution vitally important. He and I sat together through the programming sessions, as he patiently and tirelessly shared his wealth of knowledge into the wee hours of the morning. Then, when we got out on the road, I tidied up all the loose ends that we didn’t have time for in the beginning. The band also regularly adds songs to the repertoire, but not without ample preparation. When I learn of a new song being added, I get to work on cueing it out and programming it. It’s mostly a straightforward process, although there are many days when my time is limited and so I keep a healthy punt page on standby for just that occasion. These days we have around 60 songs programmed, along with a big handful of covers that they like to play from time to time.”
There is no time code in the show, which Marx says is a huge relief as it keeps the human element alive, which he thinks is very important nowadays. The fixture choices were made before Marx was that involved in the show. “That being said, I agree 100 percent with the choices, particularly with the GLP fixtures. The X4 Bar has really changed the way we collectively do lighting, and it remains an incredibly beautiful fixture. Cloning it too something I may have to use at a festival is challenging, of course. However, I have developed methods to make the most sense. Coming into the Vampire Weekend world has been a wonderful experience, and it’s the people involved who are responsible for that. From management to Rob and the production manager, and on down the line, the approach is professional, methodical, and full of good humor. I consider myself fortunate to be able to work alongside such a team.”
Vampire Weekend Father of the Bride Tour 2019-20
Crew
- Lighting Designer: Rob Sinclair
- Lighting Programmer: Brian Spett
- Lighting Director: Ben Marx
- Lighting Co: Upstaging
- Lighting Crew Chief: Jim Fredrickson
- Lighting Techs: Adam Morrison, Rob Corman-Savage, Aaron Wimbush
- Upstaging Rep: John Bahnick
- Tour Manager: Michael Schoenbeck
- Production Manager: Mike Moll
- Production Coordinator: Andrea Smith
- Stage Manager/carp: Chad Brouillette
- Video Content Creator: Jack Fox, RCM
- Video Cos: Upstage Video/U.S. (Rep: Mark Haney); Universal Pixels/U.K. (Rep: Phil Mercer)
- Video Director/Crew Chief: Mark Haney
- Video Tech: Jim Fredrickson
- Staging Co: All Access
- All Access Reps: Jennifer Davies/U.S.; Guy Forrester/U.K.
- Automation Co: CyberMotion
- Automation Tech: PJ Visser
- FX: Strictly FX
- Props: Mike Moll
- Riggers: Chad Brouillette, Daniel Kirby
- Soft Goods: Grosh Backdrop & Drapery, Rose Brand
- Trucking Co: Stagedoor Trucking
- Inflatables: Landmark Creations International Inc.
Gear
Lighting:
- 2 grandMA2 consoles
- 52 Martin MAC Auras
- 37 Martin MAC Viper
- 19 GLP JDC1’s
- 30 GLP X4 Bar 20’s
- 2 Robert Juliat Dalis 862
- 4 DF-50 Hazers
- 4 F-100 Foggers
Video:
- 4 Epson 15K projector kit
- 4 Epson 15/20K lens
- 2 R/P screens (24’ x 13.5’)
More Vampire Weekend Father of the Bride tour photos by Steve Jennings:
