Production Designer, Ricardo Rojas’ creative relationship with Chicano Batman spans six years. “Our first show together was in a 1,500-capacity theatre in 2018,” he reminisces fondly – speaking to TPi’s Jacob Waite following their first arena show at the Kia Forum in their shared hometown of Los Angeles. “It has been so fulfilling to watch them grow and to play a small part in some of the more memorable moments in their career. I have always admired and respected their willingness to experiment with their music. You can hear their growth from album to album. The music has always been at the forefront of my mind when we collaborate. I draw inspiration from the arrangements, the lyrics, and the emotions that the music creates inside of me.”
What was the creative brief and inspirations for this design?
“From the beginning, they have placed a lot of trust in me. I always appreciate it when clients do this; it is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. They have always allowed me to come to the table with my own ideas. It allows me to create without limits and to push the boundaries of their previous shows. Chicano Batman’s music has always been so cinematic to me. After listening to their new record, I kept thinking that the design had to be cinematic. Every member of the band is so talented. The design had to highlight their musical prowess. My goal was to create moments that would match the energy of the music with drama, tension, and euphoria. I wanted the audience to feel like they were stepping through a portal into another world.”
Who was the technical vendor and account handler for this run, and what is your relationship like with them?
“The lighting and audio vendor was 3G Productions out of Los Angeles. Account Manager, Andy Ruiz, did an amazing job. It was my first time working with them.”
Walk us through the rig…
“The main element of this design is the 30ft circle truss. I wanted it to feel like a giant portal, something that would look like a scenic element. This is where the cinematic inspiration came into play. I love using tungsten fixtures; there really is nothing that gives that old-school rock ‘n’ roll, movie set feeling. I used 12 Portman P2 Hexalines, which were rigged with the inner segment at a 25° angle. This added depth to the circle, it made it feel like you were staring into it instead of at it. I also placed 24 Elation Rayzor 760 washes between the Hexalines. These washes allowed us to change the feeling of the portal from sharp and geometrical to fuzzy and wide. In the centre of the circle, was an old-school 10K Fresnel. It looks like a huge lighthouse light. My intention was for the portal to grow in intensity and complexity throughout the show. I held back at the start and slowly revealed layer after layer to the portal. We also had four lighting trusses on stage and a downstage lighting truss as well.”
Which technologies stand out on this project, and why?
“It’s all about the portal on this one. I wanted it to feel like the band was opening and manipulating this portal into another realm with their music. I always tell the band that the lighting reflects their energy on stage. They are the fuel in the engine, and I get to be in the driver’s seat. This design was super versatile and allowed for so many different looks throughout the set. I have to say, I loved seeing just the tungsten elements in the rig on. The blinders, the Hexalines, the 10K. With heavy haze in the air, it just felt so raw and unfiltered. I also loved the geometric shapes I was able to get out of the rig, which were the opposite feeling of what I just described. Circles are fun!”
What was it like to create your first arena-scale production for this band?
“It was so rewarding working on this project. I made a personal goal of designing my first arena-scale show going into 2024, and seeing it manifested into reality was so fulfilling. I know it will be the first of many more to come. Being able to do it with a band that I have so much history with, a band that encourages and trusts my creativity in its most authentic form – I could not have imagined a better group of people to have hit such a career milestone with.”
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Lighting fixtures:
28 Robe ESPRITEs
52 Elation Rayzor 760 Washes
24 Robe Tetra2 LED Bars
22 Elation Cuepix Blinder WW4s
12 Portman P2 Hexalines
A Mole Richardson 10,000W ‘Big Eye’ Tener Solospot
Creative direction, production and lighting design, programming and direction: Ricardo Rojas
Lighting and audio vendor: 3G Productions
Account manager: Andy Ruiz
Photography: Shaun Llewellyn
