Italian group Måneskin are rocking their way through Europe with their Loud Kids Tour Gets Louder shows, backed by a highly technological lighting system that can morph into multiple different shapes to convey story and structure. At the heart of the lighting rig are Vari-Lite VL10 BeamWash luminaires from Signify, which are used to beam bright vivid colours and pastels onto the stage and as powerful followspots.
During each show, operators are manually utilising the pan and tilt functions on each of the VL10 BeamWash fixtures, highlighting each member of the band as well as washing the stage with dynamic lighting states. All the other parameters of the VL10 BeamWash are controlled by a lighting console, allowing the team to program the lighting in advance using timecode.
The lighting is the creation of Milan- and London-based lighting design company Blearred. “We chose to use the VL10s for several reasons,” said Blearred founder and Måneskin lighting designer, Jordan Babev. “Firstly, the long throw of the beam and the great output of the fixture make it an excellent choice for use in larger venues. We were blown away by the bright lighting output of the VL10s. Even in large venues, the fixtures are able to produce vivid, powerful beams of light. Secondly, the fixture is easy to handle when used as a followspot and they are relatively lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, which made it much simpler for our operators to follow the action on stage. The fixture is capable of producing a wide range of colours, including vivid, saturated colours as well as more subtle pastels and hues. It really offers us versatility.”
Blearred was asked by Måneskin’s Exit Management team, the production design team at Lemon and Pepper and the promotion team at Vivo Concerti to create the lighting solution for the tour, which visited North and South America and Japan before returning to Europe.
“Lemon and Pepper came up with a fantastic stage design and show concept that we were thrilled to work on,” said Babev. “The band wanted to deliver a show that told a story through the lighting, rather than using LED screens with video content. In terms of imagery and colours, we wanted to create a visually striking and cohesive look for the entire tour. We drew inspiration from the band’s music and aesthetic, as well as the stage design, to create a colour palette and visual style that would complement the show perfectly.”
Babev and the team responded to the energy of the Måneskin setlist, opting to use spotlights and strobes as their primary fixture type. “The show is very powerful from a musical perspective, so we wanted to ensure that the lighting was equally powerful, with plenty of dynamic states and movement,” said Babev. “At the same time, we also wanted to create moments of elegance and beauty within the lighting design, incorporating softer colors and more subtle effects to create a balanced and engaging experience.”
The VL10 BeamWash luminaires were supplied by Rome-based rental house Agorà.
Måneskin’s Loud Kids Tour Gets Louder tour, in support of their second and third studio albums, Teatro d’ira: Vol. I and Rush!, is playing arenas across Europe including Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome, Berlin’s Mercedes-Benz Arena and the Royal Arena in Copenhagen until the end of July 2023.
