The massively successful 'crossover' group who have just completed the first full production UK and European leg of their Wicked Game world tour.
It was HSL's first tour with the band, after being brought on-board by tour director and production manager Andy Proudfoot.
Lighting designer Matt Pitman started work with Il Divo for this tour following a one-off stadium show in Paraguay at the end of 2011 in front of 36,000 people. His design has brought additional vibrancy and vitality to the set and screen elements that are part of artistic director Brian Burke's visual concept.
The schedule of the first three months of the tour meant that they were picking up local production everywhere based on a spec - so effectively a B Rig scenario. During this time, HSL was still very proactive in supporting Pitman and the production.
The lighting design had to be flexible in order to deal with the different stage sizes and roof weight loadings across the variety of venues they are playing.
Pitman is a big Martin Professional MAC III fan, and so chose 25 of these powerful fixtures to be his key over-stage moving lights. "I love the beam and its definition, it remains so sharp and has great depth of field even over long distances" he says, "They are the only profile that I would ever spec for this size of design."
There were two overhead trusses and spread over these were the 25 MAC IIIs together with 20 Vari*Lite 3500 Washes and two VL1000 ASs. On the deck were 15 MAC 700 Profiles used for effects and dramatic, piercing back beams.
Under the orchestra risers sat 24 Robe Robin 600 LED Washes, which created plenty of dynamics and filled in spaces for the IMAG camera mix in the arenas, as well as adding another complete visual layer.
Focussed on the upstage cyc and side drapes were 12 VL3500 Washes, and on the side 'shelves' at the back of the stage for low level cross stage beams shooting downwards were six Robe ColorBeam 700E ATs.
Pitman operates the show using a grandMA1 full-size console, MA being another brand which is right up there amongst his favourites. Pitman was assisted by five HSL lighting crew - Dan Tiley (crew boss), Chris Roper, Steve Bliss, Stuart Picton and Neil Smith.
The Kinesys system was operated by Andy 'Paris' Hilton and consists of nine Liftket 1 tonne motors with Kinesys Elevation 1+ controllers fitted, three of which were used on each of the three curved video screens, made up from Pixled F-11 panels supplied by XL Video.
HSL's Mike Oates comments: "We're very proud to work on a tour of this calibre and with Andy (Proudfoot) and the team, all delivering such high production values. Matt has made a superb job of the design, the whole show is absolutely world class with the popularity and stature of the tour speaking for themselves."
(Jim Evans)
