U.K. – Lighting designer Matthew Button of Button Light has used the powerful new Philips Vari-Lite VL4000 BeamWash to create a dramatic focal point of the drum kit on Super Furry Animals’ string of UK reunion dates.
More details from Philips (www.philips.com):
The psychedelic-rock legends took to the stage for the first time since 2009, supporting the deluxe 15th anniversary reissue of their long out-of-print album ‘Mwng’.
Playing such venues as o2 Academy Brixton and the o2 Academy Glasgow, the Welsh quintet were true-to-form with an eccentrically brilliant show that The Guardian awarded 4 out of 5 stars. Button worked with drummer Dafydd Ieuan to design some of the experimental show effects, including the transparent drum kit. Behind this the designer positioned the super powerful VL4000 BeamWash, making him the first to take the latest addition to the Vari-Lite product line out on tour.
“To make this idea really work, I needed a big wash/beam light to power through and illuminate his legs in action on the double kick drums,” explains Button. “The VL4000 BeamWash luminaire was the ultimate choice for this with its incredibly bright beam, meaning I only needed to use a single fixture. Its massive lens also fitted perfectly just above the riser ledge and made the drum, the driving oomph of rock music, the focal point of the set.”
The VL4000 BeamWash combines stunning wash capabilities with intense beam functionality and the ability to produce a powerful column of light. It provides designers with a single unit that can serve multiple uses seamlessly without changing lenses or adding fixtures.
“I am very impressed with the VL4000 BeamWash,” continues Button. “The accuracy and speed of its zoom allowed me to flick from beam to a very wide wash mode with ease meaning we were able to achieve the exact look we wanted.”
Super Furry Animals are set to play a number of festival dates this summer, including Forgotten Fields in August.
