When
the alternative rock band Neon Trees first burst onto the music scene, the four
member band had no idea how quickly their lives would change. In February 2013, the group launched their
most expansive North American tour opening for Maroon 5, with multiple tour
dates across the globe set to follow immediately after. So as the production team prepared to bring
the group’s latest album “Picture Show” to life, lighting designer Matt
Guminski would be inheriting part of the largest moving light rig they had ever
used and they would capitalize on this by using the power and performance of
the VL880 Spot luminaire from Philips Vari-Lite.
“I’ve
been out with Neon Trees since May of last year when I joined them during the
middle of their previous tour,” began Guminski.
“On that tour we really only had a ground package with small moving
lights and strobes but for this tour we grew to seven trusses which included
using a number of high-powered moving lights.
Because of this, the band wanted the show to pop more than it did
previously and be more dynamic. While
they liked the floor package they had last tour, this time around I had to find
new fixtures which would allow me to be more creative and make it more
unique. That’s why I chose VL880 Spot
luminaires.”
As
Guminski received the set up of the Maroon 5 tour, he was shown a stage shaped
as a giant “M” with truss shaped the same hanging in the air loaded with
high-powered moving lights and strobe fixtures.
Two additional sticks of truss were set downstage full of VL3500 Wash FX
luminaires, and then upstage there was another stick of truss full of even more
VL3500 Wash FX fixtures. While he was
grateful that he would be able to design looks for his show using these
high-powered and full performance automated luminaires, he also knew that
finding the right lights for his new ground package just got a little more
difficult.
Guminski
explained, “Neon Trees is very much a rock-n-roll band and they like to have a
rock-n-roll show. They want to be able
to see and interact with the audience and design-wise, they like for the
production to be a little edgy, but they do not want it to be static. Very rarely will you see one of our lights
parked in one position for a large amount of time. They want movement, sharp angles and
texture. I knew that I would be able to
get that out of the lights hanging above, but when it came to my ground row package
I had to find lights that could compete with all the power in the air. The VL880 Spots are incredibly punchy and
they not only compete against the hanging rig, they cut right through it. I am very happy with these fixtures. Their small, they have fantastic optics, and
they have an incredible punch.”
The
VL880 Spot from Philips Vari-Lite is a compact automated luminaire loaded with
powerful and useful features to provide lighting designers with effective and
creative tools for any venue or production size. It comes complete with all of the optical
quality and functionality designers have come to expect from Philips Vari-Lite
with a 800-watt MSR Platinum 35 lamp, very impressive lumen output, a zoom
range from 15º -36º, and a mechanical iris for continuous beam control. A drop
in frost glass assembly allows users to soften the overall beam for additional
beam control, and the VL880 Spot luminaire provides brilliant color mixing with
its three-wheel CYM color assembly. When
combined with eight standard colors on a fixed wheel, the color options are
practically limitless. For image projection, the fixture has one gobo wheel
with seven rotatable and indexable positions and a second gobo wheel with ten
fixed positions.
Guminski
continued, “When I was looking for the right light for our ground row package,
I remembered a festival we did last year in Wisconsin where we got our hands on
a VL880 Spot luminaire. I loved how
compact it is with the amount of punch that is has, plus all the features and
VARI-LITE optics. It seems that great
optics are always the trademark of a VARI-LITE luminaire. The VL880 Spots have amazing beams, zoom
capabilities, and precise gobo images without losing any punch.”
So
with his decision made, Guminski contacted tour provider DSS who worked with
Clearwing Productions to sub-rent the VL880 Spot luminaires. He then placed one VL880 Spot in front of the
bass rig, another next to the drum riser, a third VL880 Spot right of center
stage, and the final VL880 Spot in front of the guitar rig. From these four positions Guminski was then
able to create all the aerial beam effects he would need, plus their zoom
capabilities would allow him to open their beams up and illuminate the entire
audience.
He
concluded, “I really like this automated luminaire. The fact that an 800-watt fixture can punch
through all of these high-powered moving lights and strobes is pretty
outstanding, and the lights have given us no issues. The VL880 Spots are
road-tough and the lamp output is incredibly bright which is exactly what I
needed to compete against the Maroon 5 rig that is a combination of 1200 and
1000-watt fixtures. Plus, the zoom and the optics are amazing. They are fast and the colors are superb with
rich blues, deep greens, soft ambers; the VL880 Spot
luminaire is simply amazing.”
PHOTO; STEVE JENNINGS.
