Cold Chisel’s sold-out 50th Anniversary Tour kicked off on Saturday, 5 October, in Armidale, where Cold Chisel based themselves back in 1974-1975 while Don Walker completed his university studies. The tour then lapped around major Australian cities for several weeks, finishing at Qudos Bank Arena on 4 December.
Lighting designer Steve Granville had worked previously with the band’s Production Manager, Alex Grant, on Ziggy Alberts and Midnight Oil and was thrilled to be asked to submit a design for such a prestigious tour.
“Alex asked if I was interested and wanted to draw a plot, but I hadn’t heard anything about it for a while,” said Steve. “Then I was sent the tour dates, so I assumed I had the job!”
Steve and Alex did not hesitate to approach Chameleon Touring Systems to supply the gear and crew, remarking that the crew were unbelievable.
“I was fortunate that Tony Davies gave me the crew members that I asked for, which I appreciate,” he commented. “It’s made it very easy. Nothing’s ever a problem for them. Once we got into the tour, I often wouldn’t be there for the load-in days cause they knew the rig better than me. As the tour progressed, and even throughout the prep, I didn’t have to think about anything. They know what they’re doing. They know what I’m going to ask for. So, yes, it’s great from my point of view.
“It was the only company that could do this tour as far as I was concerned.”
When designing the lights, Steve had no brief from the band or Alex other than no video onstage. Once the tour had started, the only notes from the band were ‘no green and no strobes’. The main idea behind the lighting was to make it feel like a big rock show.
The truss configuration was two onstage trusses, each holding 12 Martin MAC Viper XIP and six GLP JDC-1 – used for colour wash, not strobing! Four more trusses that change position during the show are staggered in height, each holding six or seven Claypaky Sharpy Wash 330. Wing trusses allow for Claypaky Scenius per side, plus a front truss with more Scenius and Chauvet Professional Color Strike-M.
“The moving trusses change between nine different positions during the show,” explained Steve. “I can get a pub rock look by having truss and fixtures close to the band’s heads. The Sharpy Washes suited this look as they don’t have an LED face. I like the Sharpy Wash; they almost have a PAR Can look.
“The Claypaky Scenius has also done a good job. They’re doing a general stage wash from the sides, and the front truss fixtures link to the Follow-Me followspot system. The three targets are Ian, Jim, and Phil, with Phil’s target used for any guests that come out.”
Steve has been impressed by the Follow-Me system, saying it’s so much easier for him as an operator not to think about calling spots. The programming involved and the work on behalf of the CTS crew again made it an integral part of the show.
The tour was the first large show for Chameleon’s Martin MAC Viper XIP, with Steve admitting his initial drawn rig specified MAC Ultras. However, it was all about getting some lights on a truss to show to the band, and he was expecting design changes as the planning progressed.
“When Graham Walker at Chameleon suggested I try the new MAC Viper XIPs, I knew they would be outstanding and have been,” he added. “I programmed while I was overseas offline with a visualizer, came in, and put them up, and they’ve just worked consistently and as expected.”
Steve still had seven MAC Ultras upstage on the floor, describing them as exceptionally good. When the band played Adelaide’s Clipsal 500, Chameleon, who subbed some fixtures in for local supplier Novatech, replaced the MAC Ultras with MAC Viper XIPs, a straight clone and swap, and they worked perfectly.
“They have a phenomenal zoom, and the gobos are great, continued Steve. “The output is quite astonishing even once you put two gobos in and a saturated colour. I don’t know how they do it! They are a genuine upgrade for the original Vipers that have been a workhorse and a consistent fixture for as long as they have been. They live up to the name.”
Steve decided his design required something on the floor, but the floor needed not to be cluttered. There’s a lot of movement around the stage; Jim goes on and off, and backing vocalists walk on and off. They were also dealing with many different support bands and festival-style shows, so he needed something with a slim line on the floor. He opted for towers of varying heights of ShowPRO DiamondBacks, some with two fixtures and others with three.
“I thought they suited the band; with their warm/cool LED look, you can get that tungsten blinder feel of the 80s,” said Steve. “Some cool looks come out of them, although I’m not pushing them to their limits by any means. I’m doing a few ‘pixely’ things, and they’re on and off, but you can do a lot with those things. They’re excellent. The zoom’s great on them. A few of them have been drenched with water a few times, and they seem to keep going!”
Each iMag wing had four Chauvet Professional Color Strike-M fixtures to handle rain on the outdoor shows, and, for indoor shows only, six Ayrton Rivale or MAC Viper Air FX were added to throw light and patterns into the roof, thus filling out those shows.
Chameleon supplied the tour with Hog4 consoles for control, one for Steve, one for Gordo mixing The Cruel Sea, and one for spare.
“The new software’s been great,” commented Steve. “I started a new, clean show file on the new 4.2 software, and it’s been really good. The console’s been great as well. I don’t see myself changing now. It’s been more than 20 years I’ve been on that platform.”
Steve’s set list consisted of 38 songs in rotation across a selection of setlists, with all the hits at every show and the rest into the mix occasionally.
“All songs are programmed, but I run live intensity for things over the top of that,” he added. “There’s no click track. They play things differently daily; sometimes it’s extended solos, sometimes someone else will play a solo, and sometimes they’re dropping songs in and out. So it has to be live, the way you run it out there.”
Chameleon also supplied four Concept Viscount Hazers and four DF50 Hazers for atmospheric effects. They also provided intercoms, distro, chain motors, motor control, Kinesys gear, truss and rigging.
“Thanks to all at Chameleon who made this tour happen for me – Tony, Graham and my wonderful crew,” concluded Steve. “I look forward to working with them all again.”
Chameleon Crew: Scott Black, Levi Boes, Nick Newman, Emalie Hackney, Luke Spence
Photos: Robert Hambling
