In 2019, Tones and I was the most nominated artist of the year at the ARIA Awards with eight nominations. She took home four ARIAs: Breakthrough Artist, Best Pop Act, Best Independent Release and Best Female Artist; an incredible achievement for someone who was busking and living out of a van at the end of 2018.
In February 2020 she kicked off her 52-date world tour playing in the US, UK, and a little of Europe before the pandemic stopped her in her tracks.
November saw her first live gig since then playing Newcastle’s Civic Theatre as part of the Great Southern Nights initiative. It was a sold-out gig with a limited capacity of 750.
Colourblind provided Production Management and Show Design for the gig having worked closely with Tones and I for the last three months to create her live show which was originally scheduled to tour Australia in August 2020.
“Tones has a very clear idea of what she wants from her live show aesthetically while at the same time giving her creative team the freedom to take their ideas and run with them,” remarked Matt Smith, lighting designer. “However, the key direction was big bold looks and lots of colour.”
Colourblind’s lighting design required versatility and the aforementioned bold looks, whilst being effective and easily cloned into festival rigs down the track. Matt added that they have a very exciting headline show design planned for next year.
“For our first show, we definitely needed to be mindful of the budget with the reduced venue capacities we’re now facing in the COVID norm,” said Matt. “We kept the key elements for next year’s headline run but with reduced quantities of fixtures. Both client and Colourblind are extremely happy with the result of this first show.”
Instead of video, Tone’s graphic team designed a new banner but Matt revealed that there will be some exciting video elements coming in the future.
The lighting rig was supplied by ei Productions and included eight Martin MAC Vipers, six upstage on 900mm risers, one for front light and one for rear light upstage on the floor. Four Martin MAC Quantums provided front wash and eight MAC Auras sidelight (venue supplied). A dozen GLP JDC1s, six upstage with the Vipers and six overhead upstage were utilised as were six Claypaky Sharpys overhead upstage. The venue’s six Altman Spectra Cyc 200 were used to light the banner.
Atmosphere was provided by a couple of Look Solutions Unique hazers and control was an MA Lighting grandMA3 light with an MA2 light for backup.
“I spent five days in pre vis programming with a slightly larger rig, the idea being to have the show ready for a headline run,” added Matt. “For the time being, the show is not on timecode however the file has been set up in a way to make the transition to timecode fluid.”
Matt’s favourite lighting moment of the production was the opening song “Can’t Be Happy All the Time” where Tones and her piano are spotlit with a very subtle, big night sky gobo look from the upstage Vipers. It’s a stripped-back version of the single and a highly emotive show opening.
“It feels really good being back doing what we love,” commented Matt. “Claire Casement and I absolutely loved being able to do a show with an audience again. We have a few things coming up next year, we’re hopeful that 2021 is looking very bright!”
Photos: Ruby Boland / Dan Mercer
