One look at Here Come the Mummies and it’s easy to see why they
are considered one of the most unique bands around. Combining identities that
are always ‘under wraps’ with a reputation for unrelenting live performances,
the 8-piece funk band from Nashville is touring the U.S. beneath a lighting rig
of Elation Professional effect lights.
Lighting Designer/Director and programmer Thom Roberts has been
working with the band for the past three years and is out on their current
\”LoveFest\” tour, which runs until the end of October. The band has
been playing dates across the U.S. since February, mostly weekends and mostly
in large clubs and theaters with a few festivals and casinos on the schedule.
Augmenting house or local lighting systems at each gig is an Elation lighting
floor package of Rayzor Q7™ LED moving heads, Sniper 2R™ multi-effect lights,
Cuepix Blinder WW2™ white light LED blinders, and Protron 3K™ strobes.
“The role of the Elation gear is to bring the ‘WOW’ factor,”
says Roberts, “but there are specific features on every fixture we have that
are important. On The Rayzor Q7\’s it is the combined LEDs that were the
deciding factor, but the small size and low weight were also key. The Cuepix
WW2 gives me a blinder with a color temperature that I love. They are not too
hard on the eyes and give me an extra strobing fixture that I can point
directly into the audience without killing them! And the Protron 3K strobes are
monstrously bright and robust at a fraction of the cost of their competitors.”
As a distinctive band with a unique look and sound, Here Come
the Mummies are always looking for something new and different, Roberts says.
“They specifically wanted lasers for this show but I convinced them that it was
not practical in our situation. When I had asked my friend and local Elation
product specialist/rep Chuck Dillingham to demo the Cuepix WW2 for me, he
brought along a Sniper as well. I thought it was really cool and while it is
not a true laser effect, from the audience point of view it has a similar
impact. I went back and showed the band the Sniper YouTube videos and they were
sold on them. The Snipers have the punch to cut through anything else on stage
and give me the afore-mentioned laser effects.” Elation’s Sniper 2R is an
award-winning beam, scanner and laser simulator in one that can produce beam
looks and spread scanner and laser-like effects at dizzying speeds without
having to deal with laser regulations.
Roberts adds that ‘bang for the buck’ was the consistent selling
point on all the fixtures. “We are limited by trailer space, budget and
frequently stage space considerations! But the Elation gear fills all of our
needs without crashing any of those factors.”
The Elation gear, which the band owns themselves, is all part of
a floor package with the Snipers, most of the Rayzors, and the Cuepix all
mounted on four tripods across the back of the stage. The Protron 3K strobes
work from the floor, pointing back at the backdrop. “When I hit them the
backdrop just seems to explode!!” he says. “My show is heavy on the backlight,
and I love playing with the shadows and darkness, as well as the light,” which
seems appropriate for a band made up of 5000 year-old Egyptian mummies.
Roberts acknowledges the work of Delta Stage Lighting and Rikk
Kittleman, Jim Gregory and Wayne Metrz.” They are my vendors of choice, and we
have purchased most if not all of our Elation gear through them,” Roberts
concludes. “They have always taken really good care of me.”
Photos: Dave Dawson
