Small Festival Lighting

[the shadow]

Im fairly new to lighting and come from more of a sound background but have been asked to lights for a friends band so sorry if some of this doesn't make sense or is very basic.

 

The band will be playing some inner city festivals this summer (sound city, great escape, etc), they want something small that can make their set look a bit different from others. Maybe even as small as some led pars or batterns/sunstrips.

I was planning on operating this with Chamsys and the dongle but wondered what the normal practise would be on using a different desk to the venues. I also wondered the best way (if possible) to run DMX to the lights as changeovers will be very tight and will probably be only a line check. I did think I could run it down the sound multi but obviously depends on the venue and engineer.

 

Just wondering if anyone has worked on any of these metropolitan festivals and has any insights on how I could make something work?

 

Thanks

[david.elsbury]

Be aware in this age of digital sound desks you may find some venues have no analog tie lines available for your use- you can't go over a cat5 stage box. I would recommend advancing your show with the venues and asking what they have so you are prepared ahead of time, you could also consider a wireless DMX solution but remember it will never be as good as a wire :)

[mrboo]

Talk to the venues they may have there own lighting and desk. if they have there own tech let there tech do the gig but just give them a list of cues. or pre plan your shows and remote control a laptop from sound booth with teamviewer

[kerry davies]

You have to talk to the festivals, get a tech spec and fit in with what they have on gigs with those line-ups. There will be extreme limitations on what you can achieve in the time available, normally none, and there is almost no chance a small band will even be allowed to add or change anything apart from programming/operating.

Don't waste time, effort and money on prepping something they might not let you unload from the van.

[the shadow]

You have to talk to the festivals, get a tech spec and fit in with what they have on gigs with those line-ups. There will be extreme limitations on what you can achieve in the time available, normally none, and there is almost no chance a small band will even be allowed to add or change anything apart from programming/operating.

Don't waste time, effort and money on prepping something they might not let you unload from the van.

 

thanks for the reply, I was expecting that this would be the case but thought I would see on here.

[psychosoundman]

I agree with Kerry, having done 100's of festivals (indoor and outdoor) the last thing a festival tech needs is someone coming up asking for something out of the ordinary.

 

There is no time to set up extra lighting just for one band, basically you step on stage, do your set, then get off, with the minimum of fuss. Most festivals have time schedules and depending on their acts, the headliners are the ones that get the elaborate set-up, (as they are the acts ppl have come to see) and the 'supports' make do with what they get.

 

Teching a festival is hard work, you have to be aware of so much, and be prepared for the unexpected, (extra guitarists/vocalists, no shows, and festival directors mixing things up) the last thing you want is some guy coming up wanting to access your mutlicore for DMX or changing something, you only have to spend precious time changing it back!

 

My advice is to forget it for festivals, just get your band up on stage, get them seen and heard (thats the MAIN thing) and enjoy the experience.

[kurzweil_dude]

I agree with Kerry, having done 100's of festivals (indoor and outdoor) the last thing a festival tech needs is someone coming up asking for something out of the ordinary.

 

There is no time to set up extra lighting just for one band, basically you step on stage, do your set, then get off, with the minimum of fuss. Most festivals have time schedules and depending on their acts, the headliners are the ones that get the elaborate set-up, (as they are the acts ppl have come to see) and the 'supports' make do with what they get.

 

Teching a festival is hard work, you have to be aware of so much, and be prepared for the unexpected, (extra guitarists/vocalists, no shows, and festival directors mixing things up) the last thing you want is some guy coming up wanting to access your mutlicore for DMX or changing something, you only have to spend precious time changing it back!

 

My advice is to forget it for festivals, just get your band up on stage, get them seen and heard (thats the MAIN thing) and enjoy the experience.

 

+1

Half the time you'll be on an outdoor stage in daytime so most your lights will probably get lost anyway.

If you're new to it, festivals probably aren't the best time to come in with a new floor package expecting wonderful results. You'd be better holding off over the summer and doing a few venue tours in the arse end of the year, where you've got alot more time to figure it out and get it right.

[dsharp7th]

I don't disagree with the advice to keep things simple for an inaugural set of shows. But I noticed a fashion for 'things on sticks' at festival live shows last year in particular - lights and/or set pieces, mounted on upright scaff tube and base plates with weights, all brought by the band, and set up by their techs along with the band backline, so no messing with the main rig required, just needs enough space on stage.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=florence+and+the+machine+big+weekend&safe=strict&source=lnms&tbm=isch

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=slaves+on+stage&safe=strict&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=1017&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch

 

These examples would have control from the desk, but if you could create a simple effect you could just use stage power and give one of the band members control. Still communicate with the venue in advance though.

[johnhuson]

Yes it is quite common for larger bands to carry a floor package (or things on sticks)for festivals but this is certainly the domain of the larger acts and festivals. The floor package will have been designed and preped to be put together and taken apart very quickly. It will often be based around rolling risers or wheeled dollys and will be put together backstage whilst the band before are on stage along with the backline. Come changover it's quickly wheeled out and plugged together. Most smaller festivals or smaller stages don't have large enough backstage areas to be doing this sort of thing.

 

In terms of control for festivals, if you're bringing a floor package then you will have your own desk which you would patch into the house system as well as your own and then clone and morph fixtures from your standard show file to suit what ever the house rig has.

 

But as others have said, even if the festival do allow it which sounds like it will be unlikely in your case, it's not something you want to be attempting if you're still a little new to this. As suggested trying this whilst doing a venue tour later in the year would be a much better place to start.

 

Good prep like well made and labelled looms is essential for touring!

[paulears]

Even if you are last on at the smaller festivals, you just don;t get any time. Many of them have curfews time wise, and the cumulative delays throughout the day squeeze the changeover times. We don't get too worried about it any longer. It's not really what they're about. At the big festivals the headliners will have the time to get the nice looks. Even quite big names often find their lighting people squeezed out if they are on earlier - member grum on here has some amazing tales about turning up and having nothing the contracts agreed would be available - even having power pulled because he got a bit adventurous.

[James Remo]

Not just small festivals either, if something went wrong with say, a dp2000 on a hog 3 and someone's programming time ran over at, say, creamfields in Abu Dhabi, then someone might have had to talk motorbikes and chat sh;t to another certain lighting designer whilst their LD was frantically trying to program their show at, say, 3am in the morning, when it was past their programming slot.

On the flip side:- If you advance what you would like to do properly, have the local stage managers and crew on side, and be really lovely when you turn up (with doughnuts and coffee for everyone) then you will be amazed at what you can achieve.

[psychosoundman]

......... most Festivals we do are done on a budget (someone has to pay for all the equipment/labour being used for that particular festival) and ALL production (including backline ) is quoted and "ticked off" before we even load the truck(s) - we don't do it for free!

 

We are given the running schedule for the entire festival (as a requirement of our quote) and stipulate that no amendments are made without our knowledge and approval prior to the quote being sent.

 

The biggest Festival we do is over 4 days (1 day to unload the truck(s) as well as erect the P.A and Lighting rig run cables and get signal through the F.O.H P.A and stage monitoring) the other 3 days are the running of the festival, then the bump-out (directly after the last act has finished) so its a very fast paced few days.

 

The only down time we have is early morning, and late at night, to fix any technical problem (such as damaged/faulty equipment and additional "extra production" - such as extra foldback monitors, in-ear monitoring or extra lines, in an already maxed out multicore!)

 

The lighting is set! NO EXCEPTIONS! The lighting rig (and to a point the monitoring system) is set up knowing the stage plot from the biggest main act AND the power usage from its source (usually only one 35 amp 3 phase outlet dedicated to lighting only - or a portable diesel generator with acceptable multi 3 phase 35 amp power output, to run the equipment we have been quoted to supply - nothing more!) extra lighting is not permitted, as it may overload the source, and completely knock out the power, we don't take that risk, EVER!

 

ALL Festival artists/bands are made aware of this from the start, through the Festival organisers/directors and we strictly adhere to THEIR formats as we do not have time to faff about erecting "I wanna make our band look different " ideas in a Festival that is for the people NOT the acts/band.

 

The other thing people miss is the activity BACKSTAGE.

 

The space allocated to storing the festival road cases, and other "miscellaneous" gear is finite, and must be kept clear for easy access to stage, and production equipment needed at a moments notice, (extra leads, mics, stands, tables/chairs etc) so your extra lighting equipment you want to use to "make a difference" is taking up precious space, in an already chaotic area.

 

As an aside, I, personally, have refused "extra 'essential' stage props" (which were 26 empty guitar cabinets they wanted as a "wall" - and even 7 backing singers that were not catered for, and a last minute whim from the act) from even entering the backstage area at festival, due to the clutter & mayhem that ensues, much to the annoyance of the acts, however they have been given ample time to read the conditions well in advance as to what the Festival will and won't provide, if its outside the parameters then it doesn't happen, WE are the production crew and we have the final say on what goes on stage. WE own it, and I have no qualms in putting my foot down on anyone that tries to put up a fuss, and YES we have not put on acts that have refused to go on stage without their "essential props & extra equipment", they have been dropped and or rescheduled, even after protesting to Festival Directors. (see beginning of paragraph)

 

If we (as the Festival production crew) cannot make the acts/bands look & sound good then we would not have been doing the same Festival for the past 12 years!!

 

I know everyone wants their band to stand out and make a difference, however, sometimes you just have to face the facts that there is a time and place to do that. and Festival are NOT the place. Its a chaotic time for everyone involved in the festival, and the easier you can make it for YOURSELVES, the easier you make it for EVERYONE.

[Jivemaster]

Think of it as an airline! The big names get better tickets and get more luggage allowance and better in flight bits, lesser tickets get less perks and allowances. BUT everything is pre planned well in advance so it works because the flight crew have a fixed routine to use the galley stocks in flight. But ultimately there are only limited time and materials to use.

 

On a festival there are only so many hours in the day and so many festival staff, they are a team an know how it works to fit all the booked acts together. The headline acts get more set up time and maybe get setup liaison in advance. Lesser names are expected to produce their "show as known" effectively on a stage set for someone else and do it well, and not get in the way of the rapid flow or performers and crew. Remember every second counts and costs there will be a start time and there will be a curfew time, your band's job is to play their agreed set on time, on quality, on price, and then get GONE on time, get packed up and be off site exactly as requested.

 

If you send a moderate list of requests in advance then some may happen for you. If you arrive with unannounced instructions, equipment or people then maybe you will get scrubbed from the running list.

 

If your band is important enough to get special treatment, then you will have been asked by the organisers to supply your request lists far enough in advance that they can be passed to relevant suppliers for action. If you haven't been asked then ...