Live Design had a chance to catch up and share a few laughs with Paul “Arlo” Guthrie as he made his way through Colorado with Nine Inch Nails, performing two shows at the Red Rocks Amphitheater.
Live Design's Jessi Cybulski translates the successful designer's satirical answers as he shares images and his plots for this iconic tour.
Live Design: You first connected with Nine Inch Nails in 2013. Almost a decade later what do you think is the main ingredient that bonds the music and your lighting?
Morning Satire From Paul “Arlo” Guthrie: My availability.
The Truth: The creative inspiration to show up and smash everyone’s faces live with his designs.
LD: Admittedly, NIN is my favorite band of all time! Trent Reznor and team are always pushing the envelope to do the opposite of everyone else for these live shows. As a musician yourself, what is your favorite part of being a lighting designer for such an innovative band?
Morning Satire: Getting PAID!
The Truth: Showcasing his diabolical design skills!
LD: What was your design concept for this tour? How involved are Trent and Atticus?
Morning Satire: Grubby and Painful. Trent and Atticus are involved but they are clean and relatively painless.
The Truth; Mike Paquin of Loud Hailer said it best, “A sharp knife; deceivingly innocent until its lethal power is suddenly unleashed and there’s no defense, nowhere to hide. Standing five across, a stage filled with smoke and eerie white backlighting is suddenly frenetic. Blazing-hot white lights flashing from all directions like a furious lightning storm inside a hurricane lit up the entire venue and ignited the sold-out audience.”
LD: What is the overall feel achieved by this design?
Morning Satire: Dread. Career Ending.
The Truth: VISCERAL, familiar, unpredictable, disorienting and exhilarating!
LD: Please tell us about the lighting rig.
Morning Satire: Pile up some junk and make it blink. If you are not puking, I’m not trying hard enough.
The Truth: Puke I did not, but had my head blown back and face lit up, I did.
LD: What innovations are we seeing from you on this tour compared to the last?
Morning Satire: I’m older and have more gray hair. I’ve lost some weight though.
LD: Are you pre-programming? Software used? Previz used? Or controlling live?
Morning Satire: All is run live to make it look like it was only half programmed by a blind bat and is being operated by a three-year-old in a remote/protected and insulated location.
The Truth: The band’s set list changed almost every night. Live Control allowed Guthrie to capture and frame the show in the moment, accompanying the band's present and honest performance.
LD: Was there a piece of equipment that became your favorite on this design? A specific workhorse for the production?
Morning Satire: It’s a toss-up between the espresso machine and the crypto miners built into the dimmer racks.
The Truth: 80 Par 64s on carts encompassing the band, giving light, and taking it away in a moment’s notice, paralyzing the audience.
LD: What type of special effects are used?
Morning Satire: All the effects are nonspecial.
The Truth: But that GOBO was so special #nineinchnails!!
LD: Was there any particularly new lighting or video gear that you found useful?
Morning Satire The padded standing mat at FOH.
The Truth:
LD: How does the lighting integrate with the video both technically and artistically?
Morning Satire: Technically there is no video which makes it artistic.
The Truth: Touché.
LD: Any particular use of color or interesting color choices?
Morning Satire: Most used color would be brown.
The Truth: As dry and brown as Guthrie’s satire is – his designs burst with color, hues of green, red, purple, and orange.
LD: Who built the set and staging? Did anything (budget, space, technical issues) affect your gear and/or design choices?
Morning Satire: Sanford & Sons. We took whatever was left at Upstaging once every other tour on the planet had gone out.
LD: What was the biggest challenge?
Morning Satire: Leaving my house/Not forgetting things at hotels.
The Truth: Ironic thoughts rolling in his head of “Am I going to die tonight by lightning strike!?”
Opening night at Red Rocks
LD: Any motion control? If so what system?
Morning Satire: We have two handheld par cans run by crew members (Armstrong).
LD: Any soft goods?
Morning Satire: We have a backdrop commonly referred to as the Dirty Diaper that got rolled in soy sauce and kitty litter.
The Truth: The pure natural red rocks.