The Smashing Pumpkins + Marilyn Manson co-headlining tour was out this summer with the Pumpkins set designed and directed by Lawrence Upton and Manson’s set designed and directed by Jon Eddy. PLSN spoke with Craig Gaff, lighting designer and director at UV Lighting, about the Pumpkins side. UV Lighting, based out of Chicago, is Gaff and Upton’s design and consulting company. The tour’s lighting provider was DPS Inc.
Craig Gaff
Lighting Designer, UV Lighting
“There are basics that both band LD’s are utilizing, such as [Martin] MAC Vipers, Sharpys and Atomics. While both bands use minimal front lighting, Lawrence chose the [Vari-Lite] VL4000 spot based on the features it has for his Pumpkins set. He chose the Ayrton MagicBlade for the type of effects that it’s capable of producing. With the VL4000 and the Ayrton MagicBlade, we knew that we could do things with them that would eliminate the need for video, lasers, and other EFX. Each LD had their own floor package as well, while relying heavily on the GLP impression X4 for uplighting effects on the set.”
Upton had an idea for a “cityscape” set, but didn’t want to have a truck full of set carts, according to Gaff.
“He had the idea to ‘invert’ it, like stalactites. Then it just made sense to do it with soft goods. That is where Jeff Flowers and Rose Brand came in. We had an idea and a visual ‘concept,’ so to speak, and without having to CAD everything out ourselves, Jeff and his team were able to turn our concept into reality — in a very short amount of time, I might add.
“Lawrence has always had innovative ideas and has thought well outside of the box. I mean, look at his lighting style with The Crystal Method, which is how every EDM show is lit today. It’s little things like that. He could have had a rig with 500 fixtures and a ton of video, pyro, and EFX, but he wanted to try something that really hadn’t been done in the rock ‘n’ roll world, it was a straight-up classic theatre gag. I have always admired Lawrence’s creativity.
“The Pumpkin’s Billy Corgan always has the final say, and a lot of input on what his show looks like. The side-lighting thing was something Lawrence started years ago, and Billy liked it. I can assume because it makes you feel less exposed out there. I mean, I come from a performing family, so I know full well the guts it takes to get up in front of a crowd and do what he does. So Lawrence turns it into a theatrical design in that respect.”
DPS is the tour vendor, with John Lee as the tours’ representative.
“Everyone has known John Lee for years and knows he will always go the extra mile for you. With the support he has from the owners and management at DPS, he really has the ability to do everything that is needed for a production of any kind, without cutting any corners. We worked with him for three bands this summer, and every package was prepped beyond our specifications. DPS went way above and beyond so that every production was easy to put together for each artist. When we had preprogramming that needed to be done for a floor package, Tom Huston and Brittany Maurette of DPS always gave us exactly what we requested and, of course, nothing would have happened without Milton Diego’s CAD talents.
“Our hat’s off to Jon Griffin, who was able to program what Lawrence wanted in a very short amount of time. Lawrence moves fast and is hard to keep up with a lot of the time. Jon just came in and got it done. And again, a huge thanks to DPS for the use of ‘The Grid’ at their shop. To be able to set up the entire rig — there is really no substitute for that.”
Smashing Pumpkins 2015 Tour (co-headlining with Marilyn Manson)
Crew
Lighting Designer/Director: Lawrence Upton/UV Lighting
Lighting Programmer: Jon Griffin/House To Half
Lighting Co: DPS, Inc./John Lee
Lighting Crew: Drew Johnston (crew chief), Dave Schmieder, Celine Royer, Vreje Bakalian
Soft Goods Co: Rose Brand/Jeff Flowers
Soft Goods Tech: Leith Duvall
Production Manager: Rodney Johnson/Brown Note
Tour Manager: Doug Goodman
Trucking: Averitt Express
Gear
2 grandMA2 consoles w/NPUs
24 Vari*Lite VL4000 Spots
18 Vari*Lite VL3500 Washes
22 Martin MAC Vipers
31 GLP impression X4s
20 Clay Paky Sharpys
9 Ayrton MagicBlade-R fixtures
12 Atomic Strobes w/Atomic Colors
4 DF 50 Hazers
2 JEM ZR 44 Foggers
Related links: www.uvl2.com, www.dpsinc.com.
For more tour photos by Steve Jennings, go to www.plsn.me/PLSN-Pumpkins.
