Lighting
designer Steven Bewley is using a primarily Clay Paky rig to light renowned
trip-hop trio London Grammar during the band’s current UK tour.
The delicate
lighting design created by the Newcastle-based designer weaves the band’s
haunting music into a web of theatrical glamour and is already earning itself
industry praise.
“The brief
from the band was that they wanted every song to look different,” explains
Bewley. “So the creative concept for the lighting design came from the idea of
merging looks from a TV show, a stage show and a gig. We wanted to create a
real mix – there’s some old-style lighting mixed with video as well some new
styles layered with some cutting edge LED technology.”
During the
past six months Bewley has worked with the band on their UK and American tours,
deciding to change up the rig during this current UK tour by specifying a large
amount of Clay Paky kit, all provided by UK rental company Neg Earth. For this
updated version Bewley opted for 36 Sharpy, 8 Sharpy Wash, 16 A.leda B-EYE, 18
Alpha Spot 1500 HPE and 16 A.Leda K5 Wash.
“The B-EYE
was a late addition to the rig after deciding it needed a further dimension,” says
Bewley. “It’s used mainly behind the semi-transparent LED screens along the
back, side and directly above the band behind the LED screen pods. The
fixture’s multiple beams pop through the gaps to create a sense of immense
depth. It’s a great fixture – the rotating lens, the colours, all of it comes
together to give you a vast creative toolbox to play with.”
Shooting
across the stage are the bright beams of the Sharpy Wash 330, which Bewley
deployed to add further texture to the design.
“We have the
Sharpy Wash 330s at the side of the stage,” continues Bewley. “We use these to
light across the stage toward the band with vertical moving beams of light. The
colour of the fixture’s beams work really well on skin and, as with all Clay Paky
fixtures, work in great harmony with each other – I can definitely say they are
one of my optimum lighting fixtures right now.”
Providing
the part of the layered back wall effects is a series of Alpha Spot 1500 HPE
fixtures that sit in front of the LED screen.
“I chose the
Alpha Spot 1500 HPE because I needed something that could provide a powerful,
fat beam,” continues Bewley. “The Alphas have an extraordinary output and some
great gobos so I can create some big, powerful looks that change up the design.”
At the other
end of the spectrum is the compact A.Leda Wash K5 lights that the designer
rigged along with the B-EYEs behind the back wall’s semi-transparent screen.
“The K5 is a
fantastic little light and using it behind the screen gives a look of massive
depth,” explains Bewley. “It is so bright and really punches through giving the
impression of a larger, much more theatrical stage.”
Bewley
credits the innovation of Clay Paky fixtures as a vital support in his design –
which is already being recognized by industry professionals as one of the most
notable this year.
“
Clay Paky
is at the top of its game right now,” finishes Bewley. “During the R&D for
this tour I did a shoot out between Clay Paky fixtures and other similar ones
on the market and Clay Paky came out on top nearly every time.”
Ambersphere
Solutions is the exclusive Clay Paky distributor for United Kingdom and Ireland.
