Grammy Award-winning artist Gary Clark Jr. is touring the world with his new album JPEG Raw, complete with a lighting design by John Adamo and Robert Fuller. For the first U.S. leg of the tour, Adamo utilized Robe FOOTSIE2s (RGBW) footlights and TetraX moving LED bars on his lighting rig, which were supplied by Bandit Lites.
Virginia-based Adamo, who has been working with the talented singer and musician since 2018, said his starting point for this completely new production design was … the music. The artist’s unique collage of soul, blues, rock and funk is often complex and multilayered and has won over many enthusiastic fans worldwide. Adamo and Fuller wanted to deliver an impactful design that complemented the dynamic range of the music.
Robe’s TetraX was chosen for its versatility as it can be used as a wash, beam or eye candy fixture as well as its ability to create anything from mind-bogglingly whizzy to very subtle effects. They positioned all 24 units on eight side torms flanking the band, three TetraX fixtures per torm. “The idea was to surround the band,” he explained. They were positioned to dovetail with angled risers and a tiered trussing system, helping to create the clean, modern look Adamo and Fuller envisioned for the show’s visual aesthetic.
With no video elements in the design, the focus was firmly on Gary and the band, with only lighting to frame the performance, a challenge that was relished. The TetraXs were rigged with the yoke straight outwards to offer a very specific axis of movement – when flat or angled – allowing multiple tailored shapes and kinetic effects to be produced … some of which he had first tried in a visualizer, and others that were discovered in situ.
Adamo noted that the TetraXs really excelled at anything from minimalist looks, for example when Gary is alone onstage playing guitar, to more intense builds and complex scenes. “They are incredibly adaptable and dynamic fixtures, especially when used with a bit of finesse,” he commented.
This first leg of the U.S. run was the first time that he had used TetraXs on tour, although he’s used the Tetra2s in several previous rigs, so this was something he had looked forward to for quite a while.
The fixtures were run in full extended pixel mode. Adamo loves the zoom and the consistency between the units and that they can also be used as an efficient linear bottom light.
When it came to the FOOTSIE2s, they had been searching for a low-profile, unobtrusive footlight for some time. They found the light output and high CRI of the FOOTSIE was perfect for lighting faces from the floor. Additionally, all departments could take advantage of its inbuilt cable trays which assisted greatly in keeping wires tidy and hidden and maintaining a nice, clean stage.
A row of eight IP65 rated FOOTSIE2s was positioned along the downstage edge of the stage, with five other units deployed on the keyboard and drum risers.
The FOOTSIE was also making its debut on Adamo’s lighting plot, and he was again very pleased with the results, “Honestly we had been searching for a good footlight option for years … and now we’re very happy to have found the FOOTSIE.” he declared.
The fixtures proved robust, which was vital considering their positions onstage with a lively band.
Adamo uses Robe products in many of his designs, picked for their “general all-around quality and for being best-in-class in several different fixture categories”.
He enjoys a great working relationship with Robe North America, and – like so many – greatly misses the late Craig Burross, who was such an industry mover and shaker and sadly passed away suddenly in May. Adamo visited the Robe factory in the Czech Republic late last year and was impressed with the set up and that virtually everything related to all the fixtures is made there on site.
Another first for Adamo was working with Bandit Lites as the lighting vendor, which “has been a wonderful experience,” he concludes.
Gary Clark Jr. was back on the road in August playing the U.S. West Coast, followed in the fall by Latin America, the UK, and back to Europe.
Further information from Robe lighting: www.robe.cz
Photos by Gaston Jouany
