Paul Normandale has worked on lighting designs with One Direction since the "boy band" hit mega-popularity a few years back, noting that he originally got involved with the guys when "members of the band saw some Coldplay shows, and I guess didn’t dislike them." Designing the On The Road Again 2015 Tour, then, was a return to familiar territory for the designer.
Normandale says of his design, it’s possibly “the smallest stadium rig I’ve ever created,” adding that, “since most of the show is in daylight, the emphasis was really to allow the lights and lasers to really add a dimension to the performance in the last third of the show. His lighting prominently features 130 Harman Martin Professional MAC Auras, as well as eight MAC 101 CTs, 36 Clay Paky Sharpys, 39 i-Pix BB4s, 24 Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Wash FX units, 10 Ayrton MagicPanel™ 602s, and 52 ICD Elements KR10s.
Lighting effects fixtures include 42 SGM X-5 Strobes and six Novalight Super Novas, with atmosphere via six Reel EFX DF-50 Diffusion Hazers and four Martin Jem ZR44 fog machines. Followspots are six Robert Juliat Lancelots, and five Lycian M2s.
Check out more of Normandale's lighting plots.
Rigging is via multiple and various capacity chain hoists, six Kinesys one-ton motors and 16 half-ton motors, as well as 22 Kinesys Elevation Modules run on a Kinesys K2 console.
Lighting control for the tour is via a High End Systems Hog 4 Console, with two High End Systems DP-8000 processors. Dave Lee is the lighting director, who, Normandale says “does all the work.” Upstaging’s global lighting crew chief is Wayne Kwiat, with the lighting crew including Martin Garnish and Chris Roper.
Upstaging is providing the US lighting system, with Lite Alternative supplying lighting in Europe, as well as the control system worldwide. Sets and staging are by Tait and Brilliant Stages, Kinesys for motion control, and pyro and lasers are by Strictly FX.
One Direction On The Road Again Tour 2015 Credits
North American lighting supplier: Upstaging Inc.
Production Manager: Wob Roberts
Lighting Designer: Paul Normandale
Lighting Director: Dave Lee
Global Lighting Crew Chief: Wayne Kwiat
Global Lighting Crew: Martin Garnish, Chris Roper
Lighting Equipment
130 Harman Martin Professional MAC Aura
8 Harman Martin Professional MAC 101 CT
36 Clay Paky Sharpy Spot
39 i-Pix BB4 LED
24 Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Wash FX
10 Ayrton MagicPanel™ 602
52 ICD Elements KR10
42 SGM X-5 Strobe
6 Novalight Super Nova
34 4-Light Linear Mole
1 Weather Protection Package
1 High End Systems Hog 4 Console
2 High End Systems DP-8000 Processor
1 SAMSC Design Catalyst 4 Media Server
2 Data Processing Rack
2 24x 2kW Dimmer Rack
1 48x 2kW Dimmer Rack
1 Fiber Optic Network Control System
All Necessary Power Distribution Rack
1 Control And Power Distribution Package
1 14-Channel Intercom System
19 10' Black HUD Truss
1 8' x 8' Custom Fixture Pod
8 10' x 20” Black Box Truss
6 10' x 16” x 16” Black Box Truss
2 10' x 12” Black Box Truss
10 Pipe & Base
6 Reel EFX DF-50 Diffusion Hazer With Fan
4 Martin Jem ZR44 Fog Machine With Fan
Followspots
6 Robert Juliat Lancelot Long Throw Followspot
2 Robert Juliat Lancelot Power Distribution Rack
1 Robert Juliat Lancelot Power Distribution Package
5 Lycian M2 Medium Throw Followspot
5 Underhung Spotlight Seat
1 Lycian Power Distribution Package
Rigging
27 2-Ton Chain Hoist
24 1-Ton Chain Hoist
25 ½-Ton Chain Hoist
1 Motor Control System
6 1-Ton Kinesys Motors
16 ½-Ton Kinesys Motor
22 Kinesys Elevation Module
1 K2 Kinesys Control Console
1 Gacflex Spanset Package
1 Rig Steel Package
1 Shackle Package
1 Limpet Fall Arrestor System
Check out our full coverage, sponsored by Upstaging and Kinesys, at our Project In Focus on One Direction here, and check back often for continuing updates.