USA – Heartfelt emotions course through Melissa Etheridge’s latest album “RISE,” an inspired work drawing on the iconic artist’s personal experience dealing with love, loss, and hope. Lighting designer Susan Rose reached deep into her own creative well to reflect these feelings on the multi-award winning singer’s 27-city summer tour in support of the album.
This was very evident April 18 when Etheridge appeared at the Parx Casino’s XCite Center. “My signature look for Melissa has always been animation on an upstage black curtain using lighting from multiple angles to build depth and layered texture,” said Rose. “When I was asked to design a backdrop for the summer tour, I kept that approach at the core. I still light the drop the same way I would a black curtain, but now I have integrated graphics that gives me a subtle visual foundation.”
“By doing this we create an entirely new look that represents the RISE tour, while still allowing me to enhance it with layered color, gobos, and floor lighting for up light,” continued Rose. “When we’re working with an LED wall, like at this casino, I treat it the same way. I continue using lighting as if it were a black curtain, but the added content gives the show a more powerful and dynamic visual impact.”
Helping Rose bring this evocative backdrop to life were the 26 CHAUVET Professional Maverick MK2 Spots in the casino’s house rig. “They were my primary tools for animation, gobo, and prism projection on the upstage surface,” she said. “They also are invaluable in helping me extend those textures onto the stage and ceiling, so I can create a cohesive visual environment. With dual gobo wheels, zoom, focus, and prism, they’re incredibly versatile for movement and layering.”
Beautifully coordinated with Rose’s backdrop visuals was her stage lighting, which incorporated a wide range of looks, including soft washes, beam effects, and dynamic eye candy. Contributing to this panorama were 40 Maverick MK2 Washes and 10 Maverick MK 1 Hybrids. “The MK2 Washes provided a strong, vibrant wash for both stage coverage and front light on the band,” she explained. “I also used them to establish base color tones on the LED wall to tie everything together.”
Rose relied on the moving fixtures in her rig to create many special moments when her client is center stage surrounded by artfully positioned light. It is at such times that the remarkable legacy of Melissa Etheridge seems to radiate from the stage through the entire room.
“I draw heavily from my television experience when lighting Melissa,” said Rose. “I use CTO in the follow spots to maintain proper color balance for cameras. At the end of the day, we’re lighting for cameras and phones constantly, so I’m careful not to distract from Melissa with color or gobos. She is the one fans come to see.”
