Faithless
hit on the road again in 2015 after a four year break, taking their infectious dance
rhythms to an eager public celebrating 20 years since the formation of the band
in the heady 1990s, when rave culture became a defining musical genre of the
late 20th century. Faithless have left their stamp on the scene with
rousing electro anthems like “God is A DJ” and “Insomnia”.
Andy
Hurst was asked to create a visual concept and Blackburn rental company HSL
supplied lighting equipment which included an investment in 300 Martin VDO
Sceptron 10 LED battens, which were rigged on custom structures to form a giant
‘88’ digital clock face.
The large
digital figures were an idea that Andy and Sister Bliss from the band had
thought about in the quest to have something different from conventional video with large screens and
content onstage. When the dialogue with Andy started, he suggested that an
impressive low res LED sign could be utilised for a number of different visual elements
including writing the new album title, 2.0.
In
addition to looking distinctive, this had to be a practical concept to
physically get on and offstage in 30 minutes during festival changeover slots
in the summer before it moved up to arenas for the autumn.
Once the
idea was settled, Andy proposed using 264 Sceptrons for the sign which he’d
seen launched at LDI 2014, and HSL went ahead and made the investment.
“It was
important that this feature looked structural, and using the Sceptrons I knew I
could effectively have a full 10mm LED screen that looked highly dynamic and
interesting in its own right and was also extremely versatile as a set piece,”
he explained.
The
Sceptrons were fed with video content – produced by Comix – via a Catalyst
media server triggered from the Hog 4 Full Boar console running the lights
which was operated on the road by Richard Larkum. The video materials were abstract
and organic which worked fabulously well in producing the atmospheric,
non-narrative aesthetic that the band wanted.
Andy also
wanted to have an intense laser show … both for sheer impact and to use as an
alternative effect that was different and fresh, deciding on 25 x Beam Bursts
and 28 x Lazer Blades on various trusses, some 18W RGBs at the back on the
floor all provided via ER Productions. The Pangolin lazer control system was
also triggered via the Full Boar.
When it
came to choosing lights, Andy wanted a number of beam fixtures to compliment
the lasers and a load of LED strobes to contrast them, for which he chose 50 x
Philips’ RGB Nitros which also worked as a hi-energy wash source across the
whole area.
In the
roof HUD-style pre-rigged trusses were installed and, together with six 3 metre
high truss towers on the stage, were rigged with 44 x Clay Paky Sharpies and 24
x Martin MAC Auras, with all the cabling and connectors traveling in the
trusses making it extremely quick and straightforward to get in the air each
day.
Twenty-four
High End Shape Shifters were dotted around the forestage area on stands and on
the floor to provide another layer of high-impact LED light sources.
While
IMAG video was not part of the show look, Andy felt the performance space, when
the show stepped up to the arenas, needed extending to the sides, so
traditionally there would be IMAG side screens, two additional trusses were
flown and loaded with Sharpies, lasers and strobes.
HSL’s
project manager and co-ordinator was Jordan Hanson. The company also supplied
two front truss follow spots, plus crew members Steve Bliss and John Trincas
who joined Richard on the tour, which started with production rehearsals and a
gig at the Rockhal in Luxembourg in May and has just completed in UK arenas.
Everything
was fully prepared beforehand in the warehouse at HSL, and Richard and Andy
engaged in some previsualisation so they could make the most of the short rehearsal
time before the arena leg started.
The
tour’s massive success was mirrored by the popularity of the new album which
hit number one of the UK album charts proving there is still plenty of love
out there for one of the most exciting and original electronic bands.
http://www.hslgroup.com
Photos by Louise Stickland
