I'm curious what people's views are - if any- about lighting for your typical, let's say, 'rock' gig.
I've just started a whole new live project, my first gig last weekend (no need to ask I will say already: it went astoundingly well, I am very pleased
), and so I'll be gigging whenever and wherever for a while. In many small clubs there is obviously an in house lighting rig of sorts and often a lighting person controlling it. And here's the thing...I really don't like mediocre light shows.
I want essentially static (ie not 'disco') lighting that remains the same all through the set, or changes slowly. Mood lighting is fine - i'm not saying it has to be white spots - but I want people to be able to see me, what I am doing. At the risk of sounding just tiny bit pretentious: I write my colours into the music, man (sorry couldn't resist
)Or.... if I want 'frikkin laser beams' or whatever, I will bring them .... but I do not want your typical sub 500 capacity venue's half arsed, non- synced flashing, coloured lights or someone else's projections during my set - all controlled by some really nice guy ..... who I've never met and who has absolutely no idea what I am going to be playing during the set.
And I don't know why that is considered the way to do lighting in so many venues?
Am I the only one who feels this way?
I've requested certain lighting or sorted our own projections etc in the past when headlining, but it seems a bit much to start asking when you are further down the bill and playing venues that have 4 different bands on every night, with typically one or two of band's backline being used per night etc etc.
I know my music is a bit different (ie it uses virtual orchestras in places etc) but still, more than anything the whole disco lights thing for live music in small venues just strikes me as weird- period.
