This production was pared down in almost every aspect - lighting, sound and set - but for different reasons in each area. The show originally included a large video projection, centre stage, along with several scenic elements, but ultimately Lavigne thought it all too much: "Avril just wanted to get back to simple stuff . . . she decided that the scrollers had too many colours on them - she didn't want to see anything in the amber range at all," explained lighting designer, AJ Pen. The cuts have effectively created a harder edged, crunchier rock and roll feel; obviously the production values are still there, yet the show, Lavigne and Pen both feel, is much more 'in your face'.
Key to this look is Pen's use of a collection of Syncrolite SX3K-Q 3kW intelligent fixtures that blast light onto the stage: "They are my favourite fixtures on the planet right now," he said. The power and flexibility of the fixtures gives the show a unique feel in addition to the fact that they are huge, dwarfing the other lanterns and probably making them feel a little inadequate. Pen's enthusiasm for these fixtures is reinforced by his delight in their reliability: "I can't get enough of them," he adds.
With all this back and side light there was a noticeable lack of pretty much anything on the advance truss, a point with which Pen agreed, before telling me about another of the loves of his lighting life, the good old-fashioned followspot. "I think they are underused and there are a lot of younger LDs out there who just don't know how to call them. I was one of them," he admitted. Pen's earlier work with Linkin Park had made him realize the usefulness of the followspot - and nothing looks better, according to Pen, than one from the back as well as the front. With this in mind, the Lavigne show incorporates a total of six, which include Panis and String SuperTroupers.
To run the show, Pen uses two networked grandMA Ultra Light desks from MA Lighting, one used as a backup sited several feet away to avoid incoming beer rockets. Pen's decision to use the small version of the grandMA is partly for logistical reasons, and also because of the way he likes to operate a show: "They practically fit in the palm of my hand," he says.
Out at the mix position it was plain to see one thing that would not fit into the palm of anyone's hand - the hangs of Meyer MILO line array adorning the sides of the stage.
A typical set-up for a Lavigne arena show usually consists of two main MILO hangs per side, a centre sub hang together with pairs of subs on the ground, with front-fill provided by Meyer M1Ds and/or CQ-2s. In order to achieve 180° coverage, Brett Dicus, system tech for Audio Analysts, in collaboration with FOH engineer John Kerns, flys two hangs of line array per side, with either 12 and eight or 16 and eight MILO on each side. However, the Apollo was not in need of such huge hangs, making the rig considerably smaller, with racks and stacks supplied by London's Capital Sound, and Audio Analysts providing the infrastructure and consoles.
The FOH console, operated by Kerns, a new engineer to the band, is a DiGiCo D5 Live. Kerns has slotted himself behind the console and into the desk configuration of previous engineer, Jim Yakabuski, who has retired from touring. Never having taking a D5 Live out on a tour before, Kerns had had fun learning the console and switching his operating mentality from analogue to digital: "It's an extremely flexible desk and it sounds great," he commented.
Kerns worked alongside Yakabuski for a week before taking over the hot-seat and, on assuming the position, found it easier to leave much of the desk configuratio
