LONDON – Coldplay LD Paul Normandale is using the Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Wash FX units to create a lighting experience to complement the band’s ultraviolet spectacular in Europe. At each gig, fans are being asked to wear a radio-controlled lighting device wristband that omit either blue, white, pink or yellow on cue to music, turning the entire stadium into a sea of dancing orbs.
More details from Philips Vari-Lite (http://www.vari-lite.com):
LONDON – LD Paul Normandale is set to wow arena audiences in Europe on Coldplay’s Xylo Myloto tour with a lighting design crammed with Philips Vari-Lite luminaires.
Normandale, whose design credits include Bjork, Depeche Mode, Shakira, and the Stone Roses, is using the Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Wash FX units to create a lighting experience to complement the band’s ultraviolet spectacular.
Coldplay’s current world tour promotes the band’s Mylo Xyloto album release. The Mylo Xyloto Tour is the fifth concert tour by Coldplay. Following an extensive tour that kicked off in Europe before entering a full-production show in the UK and the United Arab Emirates, the tour continues until the end of 2012 with shows in North America, Europe and Australasia.
“We started the tour in festivals,” explains Normandale, a long time Coldplay collaborator. “The idea was an evolving design that can scale all the way into stadiums from a core aesthetic. The band wanted a vivid ultraviolet feel, with a sphere of energy that could transform from small to massive.”
To create the right look, Normandale is using the Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Wash FX units, which feature an output that exceeds 50,000 lumens, as well as varied new options for color and beam control.
“The 3500 allows me to use just one light with where I would normally have to use two,” comments Normandale.
The VL3500 Wash luminaire features internal zooming beam optics with Fresnel options, an interchangeable front lens system and an aperture wheel. The fixture provides CMY color mixing, variable CTO color temperature correction, dual five-position color wheels, a separate dimmer, and an independent dual blade strobe mechanism.
The 3500 fx is the backbone of the festival into arenas and now stadium show, with 34 units including 12 on the upper concourses of the stadiums. As Normandale says, “Few lights have the power to cut through from so far away.”
The band has its own strong vision for its live performances. At each gig, fans are being asked to wear a radio-controlled lighting device wristband that omit either blue, white, pink or yellow on cue to music, turning the entire stadium into a sea of dancing orbs.
Normandale says, “Coldplay is all about live audience interaction, the OED wristbands are given free to every member of the crowd and interact with the lighting and performance, basically it is 60,000 people of pixels.”
David March, Director, European Sales for Philips Vari-Lite, says, “We are thrilled to see Vari-Lite play such an important role on this phenomenal Coldplay live show experience. Thanks to Paul Normandale, who continues his 20-plus year association using Vari-Lite luminaires. Again Paul has created a visual feast that is both subtle and powerful while perfectly complementing Coldplay, who deliver a dynamic live show for their fans.”
