Lighting designer Duane Inocencio reports that ‘cinematic’ was the word he was given in the pre-production meeting for Bliss N Eso’s Party On The Moon Tour – big drum hits complemented with white stabs, leaving audience members stunned.
Bliss N Eso – The Moon (Light side) takes you on a journey from lift-off to a party to the final descent into comfortable old school tracks.
Duane wanted a sturdy, strong floor package that was easy to travel with, one that carried most of the weight in regional areas where the overhead system was minimal. He says that the GLP Creative Light 1 Plus fixtures were ideal for the tour as they are versatile, battery-powered LED lights designed for creative visual effects. They offer wireless control via a smartphone app, creating a mesh network for signal amplification and extended range.
“We did the Astera Titan Tube thing in 2021 on different angles, which worked great as a floor package, but we wanted more,” added Duane. “The circular, light-weight battery-operated GLP fixture tied in with the band’s theme nicely. I initially considered upright truss towers with fixtures on them, but I wanted the flexibility to change the positions of the fixtures to achieve different looks. Paul Collison created 3D-printed mounting brackets to use on the GLP fixtures, which fixed to mic stands with ease.”
Duane says that his biggest challenge on tour was moving the show from an MA2 to an MA3 platform, adding that he has been using the MA3 platform for some time now.
“The learning curve is indeed steep, but the network and online support are certainly there amongst the MA community,” he continued. “Maintaining the database with the constant changes was one, track formats can sometimes change, and with that, so do the visuals. I tried very hard to balance the lighting output to work in tandem with the video.”
The standard/base floor package is used for larger shows or when an LED screen is incorporated into the touring setup, primarily consisting of a robust spot fixture, such as the Martin MAC Viper XIP.
For control, an MA3 compact, which is perfectly sized and flyable, is used. Timecode and visuals are triggered via Dan Kerby from the touring playback rig.
“I spent a few weeks in a pre-vis studio working alongside our drummer and video content creator ‘DK’ Dan Kerby, putting together a base show file for us,” explained Duane. “Most tracks are timecoded with a few left to busk. This year, I’ve taken on the role of Promoter Rep/Production Manager for MG Live/Mushroom, but I still wanted to design the show. With the assistance of LD Ben Kocsis, our touring LX Operator, I was able to hand over a base show file, which he added his flair to.
The show features a wealth of video content, and every track includes a corresponding video element. According to Duane, theming is one thing they introduced into the visuals compared to other tours he has done with them.
Photos: Dean Hammer & Justin White
