West London UK based rental company Entec is enjoying a busy start to 2013, with recent projects including the supply of lighting equipment and crew to LD Tony “Beamer” Austin for the recent UK leg Paloma Faith’s “Fall From Grace” tour.
Entec has worked with Austin and Faith’s Tour Manager Pete Hillier on many previous occasions. Last year they supplied kit for a couple of high profile one off shows for the talented and critically acclaimed Paloma Faith in Ipswich and also at the Larmer Tree Festival in Wiltshire, co-ordinated by Production Manager John Gray.
Austin was very pleased to be working with Entec again. “They are the ideal combination of a slick, smooth and efficient rental operation with a great family atmosphere and a real passion for their work,” he comments.
He also used the opportunity to test out some Martin Professional MAC Viper profile moving lights for the first time - with which he was very impressed.
The rig was shrewdly designed as two overhead trusses (front and back), plus a floor package which can be neatly split for potential festival work that might utilise only the floor ‘specials’.
Overhead were 12 x Martin MAC 700 Washes, 12 x MAC 700 Spots and 12 x Robe LEDWash 600s, with 12 x ETC Source Four profiles with different lenses for key lighting. The front truss also featured four 4-lite Moles for lighting the audience.
Strategically positioned on the floor were another eight Robe LEDWash 600s, four MAC Vipers, three Atomic strobes and a concession to old style ‘conventionals’ in the form of two PAR 64s for moody close spotting of Paloma Faith.
Austin used a grandMA full size console for control.
Each fixture was used in a truly all-purpose context, with an eight piece band to light as well as creating the potent theatricality and an intense visual backdrop to Faith’s multi-layered performance.
One of Austin’s starting points for the lighting design was Josh Grace’s elegant set design, constructed from mirrored flats which brought a flourish of Deco to the stage and also produced some great interaction with the lighting.
Conjuring up images of smoky jazz clubs to lavish Busby Berkley style kaleidoscopic choreography, Austin took advantage of being able to bounce back-light off the mirrored surfaces and work the aberrations and reflections produced into specific looks and scenes, resulting in a provocative Noir style matching Faith’s enigma.
With the final production elements of the tour only confirmed in the new year, everything had to be co-ordinated very rapidly before it commenced. Austin comments that Entec pulled out all the stops and “Were brilliant as always” at making this happen.
Entec supplied two very experienced crew - Andy Emmerson – who programmed the show with Austin – and Ewan Cameron. They had just one day of technical rehearsal at Three Mills Island Studios in east London before hitting the road, which saw some frenetic activity from the lighting department!
They played a mix of venues from Academies to town / concert halls and theatres, and Austin’s rig proved itself extremely scalable and able to work well whatever the available stage size.
The show has received excellent reviews and Austin has relished working with an artist like Faith where there is plenty of scope for being imaginative and interesting with visuals.
Entec completed the lighting package supplying a sumptuous blue velvet Austrian drape hung upstage and a set of blue velvet mid stage curtains on a tab track which opened after the first number. She started the show in front of these, outlined only with the light from a profile fixture.