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Brad Paisley’s Bonfires and Amplifiers

Brad Paisley’s Bonfires and Amplifiers

Topping previous tours takes creativity — and a lotta video.

According to Dean Spurlock, lighting and video content designer for Brad Paisley’s “Bonfires and Amplifiers” tour, the concert “is in your face the whole time.” That’s not so hard to understand when you consider that Paisley threw down the gauntlet and challenged his team to put together his most spectacular concert yet. And he’s not just a man of words — the recent American Country Music Award winner for top male vocalist rolls up his sleeves and gets personally and actively involved in creating the show, even going as far as creating some of the video content in the form of a cartoon that accompanied an instrumental number. 

City Theatrical, Inc. & Gary Fails

THE COMPANY

Who: City Theatrical, Inc.

What: Manufacturers of lighting accessories for the entertainment industry

Where: Carlstadt, New Jersey

When: Founded in 1986

Full-time employees: 35

Wicked Lands in L.A.

 

Photo by Joan Marcus

 

 

Updates reduce control footprint.

 

“We’re not reinventing the wheel,” says Brendan Quigley, head electrician of the Broadway hit Wicked. “But we are addressing unique problems presented by each venue. This is true for the national tour, as well as the specific designs for the Chicago and Los Angeles productions.”

Coloring Curtains

A noir gumshoe draws focus in this all-out Broadway valentine.

It seems like old-school Broadway is becoming hip again, from the more traditional first act of Grey Gardens to the loving homage/satire that is The Drowsy Chaperone and now the musical murder mystery Curtains, which co-stars David Hyde Pierce and Debra Monk. The escapist Curtains stars Hyde Pierce as Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, a Boston detective assigned to investigate the murder of a play’s leading actress on opening night at the Colonial Theatre. While sequestering the cast and crew indefinitely, he seeks to ferret out the villain, woo the understudy for the lead and help the producers solve the dilemma of how to make their show Robbin’ Hood better. Sometimes Cioffi shows more passion and interest in his love for the girl and for theatre, and the show’s humor derives from his odd choice of priorities.

The Future is Now: Are U Ready?

This morning I helped kick off the week of in-house training at Creative Stage Lighting in North Creek, NY. They are brining in a series of manufacturers and manufacturers reps to help get their staff up to speed on the latest technology and industry trends.

Everyone, it seems, has LEDs on the brain – and rightly so. They already figure prominently in our industry and we haven't even scratch the proverbial surface. Don't believe me? Check out the current Genesis tour when it comes to North America in September. They have over 15,000 Barco O-Lite LED panels – yes, that's right, there are three zeros after the 15. There are nine million pixels in total.

Dance, Dance and EPD for you and me

What up everyone!? So I’m back and last time I ended with dance moves at the console. Almost every lighting director I’ve seen has some sort of movement while they’re running their show. Last time I said I do the hips left to right with a head-bob. I consider it a combination of Phish bassist Mike Gordon and my boy Colin the LD from Galactic. How do you like to dance at your console? I’m excited to get anyone’s input. If you don’t have any moves I suggest you get into the music more and invent your own. It goes a long way and people love the fact that you’re into it! I can honestly say the FOH engineer I work with gets down too. By the way it’s his birthday so…Happy Birthday Erik!

Crap Rental Gear

It's hard to believe, but sometimes I think I have better luck with lighting gear I get in Brazil, then what I get in some places in America.

House vs. Touring LDs

So in the previous blog written I spoke about Les Claypool’s show here in Arizona. Les impresses me every time when I see his shows. Seeing the show brought to mind the following subject matter: House LDs vs. Touring LDs. I go to shows not only to enjoy the artist on stage, but the production itself. Isn't it hard for an LD to go to a show and not be critical?

Idol

I get a break from designing this week. Instead I have been hired by LD Alex Reardon to help out on the programming of the American Idol Tour.