Design Lighting a Band

S

Synchronize

Active Member
I must admit, I feel like a noob asking questions like this. Most of what I do is theatre, but when a client asked me if I could install and light an outdoor stage for a band I figured that it couldn't be that different. Well the more I look into it, it is. I don't even know where to start...

The stage is going to be between 16 to 20 feet wide by 12 to 16 feet deep. I was thinking 30' of 12" box truss across the front of the the stage. 10-12 Par 64s with light warm-cool wash and then 6-8 RGB LED fixtures for color. A couple Intellabeams and a hazer for a little wow factor. What do you guys think?

I wouldn't know how far back to put the truss from the stage either. Obviously, in a theatre the FOH electric is away from the stage, but then I look at a picture like [media]http://www.appliednn.com/images/sr_coverimage.jpg[/media] and it's right on top of the stage. Ideas please.

Thanks
 
You can move them closer than theater because no one cares about raccoon eyes. Plus outdoors you don't often have the choice to hang another piece of truss. Make things as easy on yourself as possible.

Mike
 
If you have the budget/gear go with two trusses.

Front truss as far down stage as possible and the up stage truss above or behind the drummer.

Front truss - mic position specials in bastard amber and LED fixtures for color.

Back truss - Pars with VNSP lamps, focus these in sprays of a color (you're looking for interesting beams.) Mount your movers here. LED could also be used to back light the mic positions.
 
You can also put strip lights or led strips back there for eye candy. Also I don't like to front hang LEDs as they will almost always get washed out by by good ERS or VNSP PARs.

Mike
 
I'm not so sure I'd worry about an elaborate warm/cool system either. Bands and their audiences don't really care too much about skin tones. I would just make sure to have a pool of light where each member plays (mic positions, as BillESC said) -- Lead singer/guitar, rhythm guitar, bass, etc. This can probably be accomplished by one instrument each, no color or light bastard amber, dead on. Use the rest for color and back light.
 
The two lighting philosophies differ most in the following aspect:

Theater: Lighting & equipment should be invisible. Only the result, and that should blend so well people "forget" it's going on.

Band/Rock: Lighting and equipment are often part of the show, and to some extent, very much in your face!

Lots of exceptions to this generality, but splash and beamage become more important. (Thus the suggestion of VNSP lamps on the rear, btw- filaments set vertical.) FOH coverage mainly through follow spots as there is often only one point of focus at a time. (EX- solo) Front lighting often ends up directly overhead due to logistics, but is only important so that other performers are not simply silhouettes.

In theater you are generally lighting scenery or a cyc. Often in rock, the light in the air (beamage / haze) is the backdrop / cyc / scenery. Spend most of your budget on equipping the rear truss.

Most of all, have fun!
 
A collapse would suck, but I'm not going tall. 24" stage and 16' towers. Yes, truss could blow over, but I would pull it if it got that windy.

I'm not familiar with ANSI E1.21 and I was not planning on covering the stage.
 
Have you thought about your console yet? Given the choice, I would stray away from an ETC Express/ion type boards since you're not running scenes which require a cue stack, and move more towards a HOG or Avolites or MA type board may be a good fit. I like the AVO the best. BUT Stay with one that you can comfortably operate on the fly. That could mean a 96 channel express and that's ok if that's what you can do well and it does what you need it to do. The Magic-Q is nice because it offers several user interfaces, but its usually not locally obtainable.

Just because the band intends on performing a specified set list, doesn't mean they wont suprise you, they will so don't go in with the mindset that you will only have to hit the GO key.

A good lighting console is like a good pair of shoes. What's a good fit for others might not be comfortable for you, but get a good fit for you or you'll get nasty blisters.



I suggest you get a roll of Plastic sheeting from your local hardware store. Buy the clear, not the white or black. Also buy the widest roll they stock usually 20ft wide. If it rains you can usually cmpletely cover your equipment very fast. Don't buy any that's perferated, not common but I've seen it. Also, buy thick. It shouln't easily stretch just buy touching it between your fingers. If you keep it in a box and take care of it, you can usualyl return it after the show if you don't use it.

A couple E-Z up tents can provide protection for the operators, they make great sides for it, or you can use the plastic sheeting, and then take some sheeting over teh consoles and down the back to cover the input's. That should protect you fairly well if weather is expected.

Be in contact with local rental companies in case you need an emergency spare. I worked a gig 3 weeks ago where the brand new Grand MA on it's 2nd gig, it died 10 minutes before the show after rain funneled in and then pooled inside it's road case. The replacement was a hog, so naturally the show had to be re-programmed.

Hope that helps

Dan
 
I am the local rental company, and its my stage, so yes, I am familiar with it. I was planning on using a Jands HOG 1k Echelon pre-programmed in the shop. I like the plastic idea, but the more I think about it, maybe I can just sell the customer on renting a canopy, too, and just putting the entire stage and audience under. Its a one day festival, and I haven't seen the event site yet. I just know somebody's going to bring it up so I'll just say it now--yes I am a fully insured rental company, and yes, my equipment is fully insured for damage and liability.

EDIT: So your probably now asking your self, "If this guy runs a rental company shouldn't he knows what he needs for an outdoor event?" You're right, let me clear it up. The rental company is an event company specializing in large canopies and staging. We are moving into the lighting industry. I do more theatre work and we cater more toward the theatre demographic which is why I needed some help with this one.
 
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I just got done working an outdoor theatre gig. We used a large roof-like canopy over the stage secured to the truss with bungee cords. To get the roof-like look with the right pitch, we placed a piece of truss between the upstage and downstage sides lengthwise. Like this:
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Plus, that also gives you a farther away lighting position on the downstage end of that piece of truss. Also there were pipes (schedule unknown) that ran diagonal from the bottom of the SR/SL truss to the top of the middle piece in three positions to support the center of the canopy. That kept us relatively dry. Everything else not under the canopy was, in our case, under the gazebo you can see in those pictures, but in your case you could either cover the other stuff with easy-ups or tarps. Hope this helps.

EDIT: I am sure you know all about this, though, being that you specialize in large canopies... I was typing this response as you posted that.
 
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Besides all the great advice you got here my concern is mostly with the "outdoor" aspects of all this.

I don't know how much you're going to charge but keeping your equipment safe in the elements would be my concern. I would make the customer pay for some sort of tenting over you and your board and make sure the instruments are protected also.

A down pour would be a disaster.
 
Thank you for clarifying, Adam. We'll set aside, but not forget, the safety aspects for now, and concentrate on your primary question.
Synchronize said:
... I wouldn't know how far back to put the truss from the stage either. Obviously, in a theatre the FOH electric is away from the stage, but then I look at a picture like <see above> and it's right on top of the stage. Ideas please.
Click to expand...

With ground support, it's impossible to get optimal theatre frontlight angles without having stands in the audience and thus impacting sightlines and traffic flow. Thus the farthest downstage one can go is usually just DS of the rostrum. (masterelectrician2112's idea of cantilevering at least some lights further downstage is a good one, but requires more hardware and engineering skills.) For music events, downlight instead of frontlight is usually acceptable, as facial expressions aren't important, and, often, the featured performer(s) will be lit with a low angle followspot(s), to prevent Esoteric's "raccoon eyes."http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/members/esoteric.html

Exactly where to put the DS (FOH) truss is an issue even when ground support is not an issue, see 19 Degree Source Four.
 
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Maybe we could work a partnership. I have the lighting, but no staging. When's the event? Get me the stage dimensions and whether it has a roof, and I'll put some numbers together. What's your e-mail?
 
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Len, PM sent.

When I say large canopies I mean like wedding tents like this. My knowledge of stage roofing systems is slim.

EDIT: Another question. I know theatre cable standards are SOOW. Same for outdoor?
 
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I designed these tent pole clamps and use them all the time to assist in lighting events in tents.

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The dual O clamp unit can hold a length of standard steel pipe creating a lighting position. The Eye bold unit can be used as a point for truss.

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