Joshua Schultz admits that at first, he wasn’t overly enthused about lighting a show against a large, deeply rippled curtain background for Turnpike Troubadours when they performed at the historic Beacon Theatre. That changed when he saw how the background played off against light.
“I was sceptical, but I quickly fell in love with having another canvas to incorporate looks onto” commented Schultz. “Too many times having just a black backdrop deadens the stage. This curtain added another dimension.”
“I like to think in many different shades of a particular colour palette at each venue,” explained Schultz. “Someone once told me that they liked how ‘way out’ of the mould my lighting was with this look. That was odd to me a first because I’ve never really thought of it that way. This is just naturally how I go about programming. I like to evoke feelings from the crowd, whether it be by creating a shade of colour to set the mood for a certain song or painting a room and including that space in the band’s performance.”
Relying on a rig anchored by 54 CHAUVET Professional fixtures supplied by Squeek Lights, Schultz created a range to reflect the sound and spirit of each song.
“Although we kept our colour combinations simple, and often went monochrome, I moved through different palettes during the show,” said Schultz. I rely on colour not only to set the tone for the song being played on stage, but also to set the tone for the venue. Every show is a little different because every venue is different. So, I try never to have the same show twice, whether it’s by doing subtle changes in a look, or by going in a completely new direction with certain songs.”
Schultz utilised his fixtures to accent the architectural surroundings in the venue, including Greek columns that support a proscenium arch. A part of his design were 18 Maverick Force S Spot fixtures. “They handled the bulk of my looks,” he said. “They have such a punch for a fixture of that size – and thanks to their output, I was able to get some really bold looks and play off the amazing decor of the Beacon.”
The 30 Rogue R1 BeamWashes that were also in the rig were used by Schultz for overall stage washing as well as a collection of six STRIKE Array 4 units which were used as audience lighting.
