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Vari-Lite VL6000 BEAM luminaires provided a bold visual connection for veteran American rock band, Collective Soul, on its recent tour of the USA.
For the Rock and Roll Express Tour, a co-headline outing with 3 Doors Down, lighting designer Joshua Dirks had a clear idea of his requirements. He says, “Because of the early timing of the set, I needed a fixture that made an impact in daylight, while still being beautiful when the sun goes down. After that, it was a question of ‘bang for buck’. I needed a big impact and a big look.”
With this is mind, Dirks decided to try the VL6000 BEAM. As well as giving the impact he needed, he found the solid beam looks created a clear connection between the band at stage level and the wider visual design of the show, including the video screen content created by Steven Jones and Ken Hale.
“The front face of the VL6000 is absolutely gorgeous,” says Dirks. “The VL6000s frame my stage; they serve as the connection between the stage and the overhead lighting rig. Rather than have the band play under a bunch of lights with that separation, the band is among the lights and the whole show feels more connected.”
Dirks positioned the VL6000 BEAMs in two pairs, upstage left and right. “I have one or two looks in the show where I pull them down and use them on the band in some super-saturated colors; they provide excellent eye candy for any cameras that happen to be around. Otherwise, they were shining out over the crowd, or framing the stage with those huge beam textures that I couldn't get from anything else in the rig.”
