Multi-platinum recording artist Trace Adkins and NASCAR superstar Danica Patrick co-hosted the fourth annual American Country Awards last month at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, featuring production design by Steve Bass, lighting by Tom Kenny, and art direction by Kristen Merlino.
Kenny, who says the experience was “a very relaxed and wonderful production,” notes that his design goal was “make it big and beautiful like the sound of country music. All the artists bring their A game to the show. It is known for exposing new talent in the country world and for tributes to older, more traditional country artists.”
The set, Kenny says, comprised “one huge wraparound LED screen and then another more high-res custom shaped LED screen downstage. I’m always involved with the vibe of the video content, but I work from the idea that all things visual should work together without fighting each other."
Kenny’s lighting (full list below) featured a “very large beam fixture rig including over 100 Robe Pointes, 100 Clay Paky Sharpys, and a plethora of Vari-Lites, Robe 600s and Martin gear. I love the Robe Pointes but also am a big fan of the Chauvet Nexus 4x4 panels and the Solaris strobes.” Ian MacAndrews created the screen content, Felix Peralta programmed the lighting, and Bryan Klunder was the lighting director. VER supplied the lighting, and All Access Staging & Production built the set and staging.
Lighting Equipment
140 Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Wash
50 Philips Vari-Lite VL 3500 Spot
20 Philips Vari-Lite VL3515 LT
24 Philips Vari-Lite VLX Wash
130 Clay Paky Sharpy (custom)
50 Clay Paky Sharpy Wash
100 Chauvet Professional Nexus™ 4x4
100 Robe Pointe
36 Robe 600 LEDWash
24 Robe 1200 LEDWash
36 Martin Professional MAC Wash
24 Martin Professional MAC Aura
24 Martin Professional MAC Viper
16 Martin Professional MAC III
24 Solaris LED Flare
80 Philips Color Kinetics ColorBlast TRX
36 Philips Color Kinetics iiW® Blast
24 Martin Professional Atomic Strobe
36 PAR
14 Lycian FOH and Truss Followspot