Lighting a rock band

[Amy Worrall]

Gobo-wise, I've got breakups and forest patterns — not suitable, sadly!

 

I would say very suitable, classier than hearts or bells! Consider a Gobo wash on the back wall, ceiling or stage floor?

 

Well, I meant this kind of forest — got them for the panto we just did. It's a bit creepy for a wedding!

 

http://www.amyworrall.com/temp/forest.png

 

 

The leaf breakups might work though.

 

Amy

 

Can you even do movers on an Illusion?

Moot point as the OP doesn't HAVE any movers...

 

 

 

 

Indeed!

 

Although to answer the question, yes you can… but I haven't tried it yet. It's got the encoder wheels and the software knows about position/beamshape/etc though.

 

Amy

 

The video shows the standard 2 rows of fluorescents, switched in pairs, so it looks like you've got the gig for the room as well :huh:

 

I've just dropped the venue an email to ask.

 

For the room, I don't think the LED PARs would have enough punch unless I used loads of them. (I used four of them as uplighters in a 6x4m marquee recently, which is rather smaller than this venue!) So it's probably looking to be at least two of the starlettes. Open white pointed at the ceiling, both on one lighting stand at the side of the hall?

[sandall]

So it's probably looking to be at least two of the starlettes. Open white pointed at the ceiling, both on one lighting stand at the side of the hall?

Go for "pretty" colours (open white will just look like dimmer house-lights) - I usually use pink & gold, but one bride wanted blue & green to match her dress, which also looked great.

[sandall]

(This started as an edit, but all suddenly went pear-shaped) -

Maybe this would be a better use for a couple of the Robes as well, depending on how wide they go. It's harder lighting village halls because of the relatively low ceilings - the shallower the angle of throw the more ceiling you can cover. In your case the acoustic panels are going to soak up a lot of light if you can't light round them.

 

It might be worth you having an advance word with the decorators &;caterers, as wherever you plonk a stand you will be instantly met with cries of "That HAS to move immediately; it's;very existence is a threat to world order, & makes a mockery of all the years of planning that have gone into this event" (repeat every time you find a new place for the offending stand ) - ok, I exaggerate (if only slightly), but lighting stands really wind up some decorators, especially if you refuse to have the stand & lamp wrapped in something white & flammable!

 

This is all a long way from your original question, but if you can make the room pretty, & get enough light on the band for them to be able to play, you'll have it made. At the end of the day the only person who needs to like what you've done is the bride - if she's happy then everybody's happy

 

Jonathan859 mentioned using the follow-spot - ;good idea if you can get it high ;enough. Failing that you could try a pool of light from a couple of profiles for them to dance in

[bruce]

At the end of the day the only person who needs to like what you've done is the bride - if she's happy then everybody's happy

 

In my experience, playing in an occasional wedding band, the person you really need to keep happy is the Bride’s Mother.....

[sandall]

Maybe I've been lucky......

[Amy Worrall]

I've found out a few more things now, and spoken directly to the bride.

 

The colour scheme for the wedding is "enchanted winter", with lilacs, pinks and blues. I've ordered some gels to match.

 

For room light, they were going to just have fairly lights around the tables and some battery operated tea-lights. I asked if she wanted me to do anything towards it, and she said yes if I can add a warm glow that isn't too bright.

 

I've just ordered a couple of snowflake gobos, which I thought might look good on the back wall.

 

My current thoughts for the stage are:

• Two starlettes to light the band from the front (as per sandall's suggestion) — on stands FOH if I can find the space.
• Light the back wall both with profiles/gobos and with the Robes — probably the gobos will be on when the band aren't playing, and vice versa.
• Use LEDs to do some sidelight on the band, and scatter a few on the floor to light things like drum kit.
• The other two starlettes to do room lighting, nicely gelled and very dim!

But I might change my mind and use the Robes to side-light the band instead of the LEDs, since they'll be rather brighter.

 

Thanks for all your help, as always :)

[sandall]

Sounds like you've got it sussed :)

[Amy Worrall]

Gig complete!

 

In the end, I used 2 fresnels open white frontlight, 2 gelled in pastels pointed at the roof of the venue, 2 profiles with snowflake gobos at the back wall of the stage, 2 robe 240ATs also pointed at the back wall for colour wash, and 10 LED PARS (4 on stands, 6 on the floor scattered about) pointed at the musicians and equipment.

 

I programmed a bunch of random chases and states, to do something different for each song.

 

I left the hall lights on throughout the rest of the event (dimmed them when the band were on). I got a comment from the bride along the lines of "I'm so glad you thought about that!", so bonus points to you guys for giving me the idea!

 

Finally, I had the follow spot set up at the back. It didn't work very well when people were standing up, but could go overhead when they were seated. I used it during the speeches and when people made announcements.

 

It was an interesting experience… setup was hard compared to theatre (only three hours, and I never had exclusive use of the stage… people had to walk across it carrying stuff, because it was the route between the store room and the hall). But I got there in the end, and certainly everyone seemed pleased by the end result.

 

Thanks again for all the help :)

 

Amy

[alistermorton]

Good stuff!

[sandall]

Next time you're asked it'll be a doddle :)