Live country music is getting a creative overhaul fuelled by US design studio COUR. Serving as the show director for country music star Jordan Davis, COUR has helped create a contemporary look for his Damn Good Time North American tour.
The stage design focuses on natural and rustic materials. Rather than going overly distressed, pine plywood sheets and cut planks bring a fresh edge to the show’s stage design. As a set extension for the show, specially created video content provides nostalgic photo moments and a colourful desert drive-through journey for the fans. The COUR team used a mix of 2D, 3D and filmed elements shot at Joshua Tree National Park.
Show Director Emily Buckner Pierce kept a warm, nostalgic look for the IMAG feed using physical lens filters and media server effects to bring a cinematic feel to the stage. With a split chevron downstage video wall, the team were able to have two separate feeds playing at the same time.
Emily Buckner Pierce, Show Director at COUR, said: “We were mindful not to let any aspect of the show overshadow him. These two principles guided every creative choice. To prioritise his presence, we treated camera feeds with cinematic quality, ensuring no distortion. In terms of content, we aimed to honour classic country themes like trucks, bars, and fields, elevating them aesthetically with tones of the southwest. We travelled west to capture footage, viewing the content backdrop as an enhancement to his storytelling. Our aim was to avoid veering into “music video” territory, where fans might focus on the LED screen instead of Jordan’s live performance”.
Hot off the heels of its design work on Noah Kahan’s 2023 Stick Season tour, COUR proved that country music can compete with the world of pop, rock and hip-hop to deliver innovative live experiences.
Based in Nashville, COUR specialises in creative direction, production design, and content creation, the team has contributed to live productions in recent memory. Among COUR’s portfolio within the past few years are projects such as Billie Eilish’s 2019 When We Fall Asleep tour, Paramore’s 2023 North American Tour, Suki Waterhouse’s 2024 Coachella Debut and Balenciaga’s Fall Winter 2024 Show at Paris Fashion Week.
