Watson, is also using 48 of i-Pix new production model BB4s on his front truss. This is a four cell high power homogenized 20 degree RGB lightsource. Additionally, there are14 i-Pix Satellites with holographic film mounted on the floor in and around the backline to light the band at close quarters.
This project started when i-Pix' Chris Ewington visited the US last October to see a new prototype narrow optic. He then showed Watson the BB 4 which was already in production in January this year, along with a test rig of the embryonic idea he had for the BB7 - without optics.
Once the new optic became available, Ewington sourced the first 12 and again met Watson in March, along with Radiohead production manager Richard Young and lighting crew chief Andy Beller, and showed the first prototype BB 7 with the new narrow optic.
Watson liked it and thought the fixture was exactly what he wanted, after which i-Pix priced up the project for Richard Young, and from this came an order to produce 206 fixtures (enough for two rigs) from scratch in just over five weeks.
Ewington comments: "From our experience, most shows spend months in discussion and a maximum of six weeks in prep, so this timescale did not come as a surprise. Our first fixture, the Satellite was developed under similar circumstances to coincide with Radiohead's last tour."
The BB4 uses i-Pix new custom LEDs produced by Lamina, and the evolution of the BB series produced the building blocks - both electronic and mechanical - that could be applied to the new BB7 using the narrow optic.
(Jim Evans)
