Lighting a rock band

[Amy Worrall]

As a favour to a friend, I'm lighting a rock band in a few weeks, playing at a wedding reception. The band is comprised of lead vocals, two guitars, bass, keys, drummer. They'll be performing in a village hall (which has a stage but AFAIK no lighting bars or anything -- see

). I'm sadly not allowed to use smoke.

 

I've never lit a band before so I'm after ideas of what lights I should point where. Here's what I've got available:

 

4x Starlette 1k fresnels

3x Vision 650W profiles

10x Stairville LED PAR 64 (six of these have floor stands)

3x Robe colour mix 240AT

1x Strand cantata follow spot

1x Strand Harmony 15/28 profile

Possibly 3x Zero88 Focus 650 condenser profiles

I have five lighting stands in total, each can hold four lanterns. I don't want to bring my entire collection if possible, as getting it all in the car at once is a nightmare, so I was thinking of leaving out the Strands at least, and possibly the fresnels.

My thoughts were to put two stands on stage DSL/DSR in the wings, holding the Robes (crossed over, to attempt a stage wash using high sidelight) and some profiles (to spotlight members of the band). Have some of the LED PARs on floor stands around the stage pointing up at the different musicians. Then maybe have another stand upstage centre using some more LED PARs to give a bit of backlight. Then for most songs keeping the wash very dim, the floor LED PARs bright, and using the profiles to pick out soloists etc.

 

But as I say, I haven't done band lighting before. I my be thinking too theatre-y, especially w.r.t. pointing profiles at everyone.

 

My desk is a Zero88 Illusion, which I realise is not very good for busking, but I'll do what I can. It might be time to investigate its music-driven chase features. I'll have most of the afternoon for get-in, which should be fine given that I'm not hanging anything in the ceiling.

 

Anyone any suggestions? (That don't involve "hire half a dozen movers and a better desk" please… the brief is "do what you can with the equipment you have", and I think they'll be grateful for anything they get since the alternative is just leaving the house lights up.)

 

Amy

[pete LD]

Hello,

 

So with that kit and no smoke I would use the light coloured walls as the feture. Use 6 of the LED pars to up light it which gives you plenty to set the mood of different songs and have something visible to flash.

I would stick 2 fresnels on stands D/S each side to cross light the whole band. I wouldn't get hung up on spotting each band member. Unless you know all the songs they are playing and who is doing solos etc then your wasting your time and there will be minimal impact anyway.

add 2 more LEDS on the floor DScross lighting the front to add shape, and 2 more to light the drum kit.

Put the 3 movers across the back of the band and they can add more to the walls as well as add movement and back light to the band.

 

Thats all you need. Put a load of static looks in the desk and jump between them and then play with a bit of movement and colour FX with the LEDs!

 

Hope that helps,

 

Pete

[themadhippy]

Put the 3 movers across the back

The robe 240AT dont move unless ya push em,id chuck 1 a side at the front with 2 fresnel on stands so you can add a bit of front colour,3 stands at the back, 2 with 3 leds and a profile back left n right and 1 stand with 4 leds back center,any profiles left,small beam on the floor at the back pointing up and out

[sandall]

I would go simpler still. Forget all the profiles. A Starlette on a stand each side, about 6' DS of the band, for front fill (not much point in using colour as you'll probably be running them at less than 50%), the Robes along the back or sides to colour-wash behind the band (being 250W discharge these are seriously bright lights) & the Stairville LEDs scattered round the sides (you are going to need a lot of DMX cable). Set up a set of colour washes for the Robes, & either set up some simple chases for the LEDs or set up a few colour states on subs & busk it. If you can get any suitable gobos for the Visions (hearts or bells??) use a couple of these to break up the background washes. A couple of cheap moving-heads or moving-mirrors pointed into the room would make a huge difference, but nobody is going to be looking at the band anyway - it's a wedding!

 

I've just noticed you haven't mentioned (a) having any dimming & (b) lighting for the room. If you can't get some dimming for the Starlettes they will totally wash-out anything else you do, so I would suggest you use all 4 of them as room uplighters instead, in deep gold & pink (or whatever colours the bride chooses). I used to regularly light a 400-seat public hall for dinners & weddings using just four 1kW PAR-64s bounced off the (very high) ceiling. For the band front lighting replace the Starlettes with a couple of LEDs each side, in the nearest you can get to a warmish straw.

 

Whatever you do they will think it's great.

[Jivemaster]

"Village Hall" may mean that you are sharing a ring main with the band PA and the bar chillers. Be very sure what power you have available before the design is fixed. Suddenly low power LED is very good.

 

I did a gig where they had a 30A generator (lighting tower style) but the caterers had electric grills, ovens etc, then wanted a socket for a 3KW burco heater to do coffee. There was no sound or inside light til dinner was over, then the smell of cooked H07 subsided.

[Amy Worrall]

I have four shoebox dimmers, and tons of DMX cable, so those bases are covered :)

 

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

 

Room lighting, we're hoping the hall lights are dimmable, but I don't know for sure. If not, I guess they'll just be left on.

 

I will be sharing power. Band need about 500W onstage and 400W FOH (I checked). I'm not sure it's the kind of venue that'll know what's available, but I plan to take a look at the breaker panel on the day.

[Jivemaster]

If the hall has the usual on or off two rows of fluorescent lights then there is no point in lighting the band with the lights on. With the lights off you can plan a lightshow but will have to light the hall as well. Pinspots on the tables to LED uplighters, illuminated table tops, 300w (or LED) parcan bounced off the ceiling are all options according to the stock you have

[Dave m]

Stick the led parcans on sound to light and have a beer

[James Remo]

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?

[sandall]

I have four shoebox dimmers, and tons of DMX cable, so those bases are covered :)

 

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

 

Room lighting, we're hoping the hall lights are dimmable, but I don't know for sure. If not, I guess they'll just be left on.

 

 

Maybe 2 Starlettes for the band & 2 for the ceiling then. If you have access to a bit of litho plate, or any other very thin metal sheet, & a sharp blade, it's easy enough to make your own non-classy (!) gobos. 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:

[sameness]

Can you even do movers on an Illusion?

[themadhippy]

Can you even do movers on an Illusion?

if it spits out the correct control signal and has enough channels then of course it can

[Ynot]

Can you even do movers on an Illusion?

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

 

 

 

[pete LD]

Put the 3 movers across the back

The robe 240AT dont move unless ya push em

 

Always best to look up lights you dont know rather than guess.... I agree 2 crossing D/S would work!!

 

Pete

[jonathan859]

Speaking as someone recently married, and having lit my own reception band, I would like to emphasise the point others have made about lighting the room. In my opinion this is just as, if not more, important than the band lighting. No one is there to see the band perform; as long as they are not in total darkness, it will be okay.

 

Having the followspot available for the first dance could be a real crowd pleaser, depending on the couple's preference.