USA - Grammy Award-winning artist Gary Clark Jr is touring the world with his new album JPEG Raw, complete with a lighting scheme designed by John Adamo and Robert Fuller.
For the first US leg of the tour, John utilised Robe Footsie2s (RGBW) footlights and TetraX moving LED bars on his lighting rig, which were supplied by Bandit Lites.
Virginia-based John, who has been working with the singer and musician since 2018, said his starting point for this completely new production design was … the music. The artist’s collage of soul, blues, rock and funk is often complex and multilayered. John and Robert wanted to deliver an impactful design that complemented the dynamic range of the music.
Robe’s TetraX was chosen for its versatility as it can be used as a wash, beam or eye candy fixture as well as its ability to create subtle effects.
They positioned all 24 units on eight side torms flanking the band, three TetraX fixtures per torm. “The idea was to surround the band,” he explained. They were positioned to dovetail with angled risers and a tiered trussing system, helping to create the clean, modern look John and Robert envisioned for the show’s visual aesthetic.
With no video elements in the design, the focus was firmly on Gary and the band with only lighting to frame the performance, a challenge that was relished.
The TetraXs were rigged with the yoke straight outwards to offer a very specific axis of movement – when flat or angled – allowing multiple tailored shapes and kinetic effects to be produced.
This first leg of the US run was the first time that he had used TetraXs on tour, although he’s used the Tetra2s in several previous rigs. The fixtures were run in full extended pixel mode.
A row of eight IP65 rated Footsie2s was positioned along the downstage edge of the stage, with five other units deployed on the keyboard and drum risers.
John enjoys a solid working relationship with Robe North America, and – like so many – greatly misses the late Craig Burross, who passed away suddenly in May. John visited the Robe factory in the Czech Republic late last year and was impressed with the set up and that virtually everything related to all the fixtures is made there on site.
Another first for John was working with Bandit Lites as the lighting vendor, which “has been a wonderful experience,” he concludes.
Gary Clark Jr was back on the road in August playing the US West Coast, followed in the fall by Latin America, the UK, and back to Europe.
