USA – Madison Square Garden is about 865 miles from 405 Broadway in Nashville. No matter though, for nine nights in July, the spirit of that building, which houses Jon Bon Jovi’s JBJ’s bar-restaurant-live music venue, could be felt throughout “the world’s most famous arena.”
“JBJ’s was the core visual identity the show was built from,” said Creative Director, Spike Brant of Nimblist. “From the moment you walk into the arena, it’s happy hour at JBJ’s.”
Then, as fans were immersed in this good feeling, Jon Bon Jovi and his band walked out of an elevator and on to the stage. The first song, a cover of the Beatles “With A Little Help From My Friends,” set the tone for the two-hour-plus show… warm and engaging, exactly the sort of feelings one wants in a favorite hangout, and the kind that has made Jon Bon Jovi one of the most beloved stars ever.
Brant and his team, including Lighting Designer, Programmer and LD Felix Peralta, Video Director Tony Bongiovi, Screens Producer Grant McDonald, Video Programmer Hayden Katz, and CD for content Linda Strawberry supported this mood with a production that projected intimacy while also unleashing dynamic looks that reflected the vibe of each song.
Focused on the center of the 52-foot wide performance area, the rig, which had a 45’ trim, featured steps and risers fronted by battens, a massive video screen with lights behind it, and four customized 8-foot square scenic pods running across the top. Built by 4Wall Entertainment and automated with the Tait Navigational System, the scenic pods, played multiple roles, according to Brant.
“We used them for eye candy, as well as blinders and much more,” he said. “They gave us a nostalgic retro look, with a modern touch. It was our one element of motion, something that has been core to so many past Bon Jovi designs”.
The pods were loaded with lighting fixtures, anchored by the CHAUVET Professional Color STRIKE M, which, like the rest of the rig, was supplied by 4Wall. There was a total of 18 Color STRIKE M strobe-washes in each pod, arranged in six rows of three units each. Additionally, there were Color STRIKE Ms on two vertical towers and four audience trusses.
Discussing the role of the Color STRIKE M, Peralta said: “This fixture is like a Swiss army knife for a lighting designer. We could be super delicate at times and violent when needed. We also featured this fixture’s tilt capabilities within the pods and created some super unique handcrafted looks as a result. That was the goal– never have them look the same!”
“The Color STRIKE Ms also served as great audience blinders when called upon,” continued Peralta. “The Audience Lighting at a Bon Jovi show is always part of the experience! Fans are singing almost all the time and are engaged with Jon and the band throughout. They also became a big part of the IMAG story that we told. Tony Bongiovi did a great job night after night capturing these amazing audiences at The Garden.”
Brant and the design team began working on the previz in December, before the video team saw the lighting plot. This contributed to the seamless connection between lighting and video. “We didn’t go overboard on video,” said Brant. “A lot of live camera was used and special content created by Linda and her team, including Felix’s daughter, Isabella Peralta.”
Of course, much of the video content was of the robust singalongs that rang out throughout the show. “We tapped into the MSG house light in addition to our own rig to reach out to the sellout crowd,” said Peralta. “Our main goal was to extend the show out to the audiences –they become an extension of the show and the experience. The audience lighting was all very balanced and purposeful. You’re able to ‘feel’ the audience without it looking like a PTA meeting or a parking lot! And of course, there were occasions when it was a full audience sing along and we wanted them to really be featured.”
This wasn’t lost on one music critic who, when writing about the MSG shows observed: “Bon Jovi shows have always been more than concerts; they are cathartic celebrations, sing-alongs that transform strangers into a single, unified chorus.”
Fans who packed the big arena for this residency would readily agree with that!
