John Mckissock reflects on his time in the Aussie lighting scene over the last 40 years at the helm of Clearlight Shows.
The early days of Clearlight Shows in the first half of the seventies was a time of wild concerts and the like, I remember working on iconic festivals like the Odyssey Rock Festival of ’71 and Australia’s answer to Woodstock- Sunbury Music Festival. I also went on tour doing the lighting for a few of the great bands of the time like Skyhooks, AC/DC, Air Supply and Billy Thorpe.
Lighting was always an interest for me, I like the blend of the creative and scientific. You can’t beat the transformative power of lighting in a venue! Over the years I have worked on music, fashion, stage production, specialty events, gallery and art installations- the list goes on. We have had a long relationship lighting the big top at Circus Oz and it still amazes me when we look at the final result and the magical lighting inside the big top.
In recent years, I have enjoyed a foray into the world of fine art lighting- we have done some really interesting stuff with artists like RONE doing work on site to light his installations in doomed buildings, as well as some really technical work at the best Australian art institutions.
Overall the industry is a vibrant and welcoming one that I have loved being a part of – we at Clearlight look forward to being a name in the industry for many years to come.
