Stuart WoodEvent production company HSL Group recently supplied lighting design to The Prodigy for their No Tourists tour, which has just begun.
Lighting designer Tim Fawkes put together a display which needed to appeal to all fans of The Prodigy’s genre-bending music. Fawkes has worked with the band since 2012, and has been their dedicated lighting designer for the last year.
Fawkes commented: “I wanted to get away from the postage stamp look of some shows in arenas, where only a tiny part of the actual venue is involved.” He created a high-energy light show, making use of two Routemaster double-decker buses onstage, as featured on the cover of the group’s new album.
These were also filled with lights, including Martin MAC Quantum Washes, Atomic LED strobes, and ColorBlock II LED battens to illuminate the scrolling signs on the front, with Cob FC LEDs for the headlights.
Zig zagged trussing and wings were installed over the stage, with the overhead rig designed to be as much of a retinal onslaught as possible to match the intense sub-base of engineer Jon Burton’s mix.
A total of 136 Martin Sceptron LED battens were installed on the rig, while general lighting fixtures came in the form of 58 Robe Pointes. Fourteen Vari*Lite 4000 Spots were divided between the stage – six at the back for silhouetting, and six downstage for key lighting.
Tim programmed and is running the show on a Whole Hog Full Boar console with another running as hot backup. He runs everything live, illustrating his superlative timing and familiarity with the music.
Fawkes said: “It’s been a tough one, timewise. But the rig definitely has the ‘bigness’ that I envisioned! I’m working with a fantastic crew from HSL who ensure everything goes up effortlessly each day … and Prodigy are a hugely dynamic band for lighting, so I am enjoying evolving the show!”
The tour is being account managed for HSL by Jordan Hanson, who commented: “It’s always a pleasure to work with Tim, Tyrone and the rest of the Prodigy team. I look forward every time the tour comes back around! The design is massive and really suits The Prodigy perfectly. Amazing show and amazing people!”