The Knight of Illumination USA Awards (KOI-USA) ceremony and gala dinner returns to Las Vegas this November, championing the work of local and international lighting and video designers across the United States. The Awards cover design work in the sectors of Theatre, Live for Broadcast, and Concert Touring & Events.
The KOI-USA Concert Touring & Event judging panel, led by judging chair and lighting designer John Featherstone, consisted of content director for Live Design Marian Sandberg, tour director and choreographer Barry Lather, designer and cofounder of sculpture design company HYBYCOZO, Yelena Filipchuk, tour manager Angie Warner, and director of production company Upstaging Inc, John Huddleston.
The Concert Touring & Events Shortlist has been revealed as:
The MA Lighting Award for Club Lighting:
Sean Burke for Robbie Williams Live in Las Vegas
Steven Douglas for Hozier’s Wasteland, Baby! Tour
Dom Smith and Kelly Sticksel for Lady Antebellum’s Our Kind of Vegas Residency
The SGM Lighting Award for Corporate Event Lighting:
Patrick Dierson for Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Unveiling
Cory FitzGerald for Audi e-Tron World Premiere 2018
59 Productions for Apollo 50: Go For The Moon
The disguise Award for Concert Video Content:
Michael Figge and Ryan Chung for Lady Gaga’s Enigma Las Vegas Residency
Emery Martin and Kerstin Hovland for The 1975’s The Music For Cars Tour
Olivia Sebesky and Pixomondo for Aerosmith’s Deuces Are Wild Las Vegas Residency
The Elation Award for Stage Lighting:
LeRoy Bennett for Lady Gaga’s Enigma Las Vegas Residency
Nick Whitehouse, Dom Smith, Tony Caporale, Erik Andersen, and Brian Vaughan for Billie Eilish’s When We All Fall Asleep World Tour
Steven Douglas and Nick Whitehouse with Cosmo Wilson for Aerosmith’s Deuces Are Wild Las Vegas Residency
The LMG Touring Award for Corporate Event Video Content:
Scott Stevens and Victory Hill Exhibitions for The Hunger Games: The Exhibition
59 Productions for Apollo 50: Go For The Moon
Adam Young for 007 x SPYSCAPE: Driven
The Robert Juliat Award for Festival / One Off Lighting:
Bruno Poet and Richard White for Björk’s Cornucopia
Ben Dalgleish for Posty Fest 2018
LeRoy Bennett for Ariana Grande’s headline performance at Coachella 2019
The GLP Award for Arena Lighting:
Baz Halpin for Taylor Swift reputation Stadium Tour
LeRoy Bennett for Paul McCartney’s Freshen Up Tour
Cory FitzGerald for Beyoncé & Jay-Z’s On the Run II Tour
Commenting on this year’s Concert Touring & Events submissions, John Featherstone, Chair of the CT&E judges said: “It has been such a joy being the category chair again for Concert Touring & Events at KOI-USA. I started in concert touring and event lighting design 35 years ago, and I would have thought by now I’d have seen everything, but I am constantly delighted and amazed by the creativity of all the nominees – many of them friends, colleagues, mentors and heroes of mine.
“My fellow judges Angie, Yelena, Marian, Barry, John, and I have had the hardest time deciding between all the remarkable, thoughtful, and diverse work that has been submitted. We are an industry full of so many amazing, talented, and creative people. This process always inspires me to work harder, dig deeper, and do better work myself, and count my blessings to be in such a rewarding field. My heartfelt congratulations to all the shortlisted designers!”
