Leitch initially specified a Sapphire for Joss Stone because they wanted a powerful console that was good for 'live' operation. While much of the show is planned cues, the organic and jazzy nature of Stone's set also means certain elements of the performance lend themselves to the lighting being improvised, in tune with the mood of the show and audience, and the nature of the room. The kit being controlled by the Sapphire - all supplied by leading rental company Siyan - includes eight of the new SGM Spot 400 CMYs, 16 Martin MAC 600s - eight on the front truss and eight on the rear, 11 Source Four profiles, all with 19° lenses, used for key-lighting the band and three backing vocalists.
There were also eight James Thomas Pixelline 1044 battens up-lighting the backdrop made from white silk in Austrian curtain style. This made for some interesting special effects, specially with two-colour wash combinations with lightsources mixed from the rear truss MACs and from the floor-based Pixellines. The lighting picture was completed with some Moles used for audience illumination on the front truss.
For the London showcase at Brixton Academy, extra lighting was supplied in the form of six of the new Robe 1200 ColorWash AT fixtures - making their UK debut. The personalities for these were downloaded into the Sapphire so Thompson could programme with effortlessly into his show as soon as the rig was up-and-running. He found them quick and easy to programme and integrate into the show once the rig was up and running. The tour is also using a rugged Avolites ART dimming rack, complete with hot power modules for the moving lights and LEDs, all packaged in an elegant, single mainframe power and distribution solution.
(Lee Baldock)
