American hard rock band Heart were joined by lighting rental specialist HSL on the UK leg of their recent tour in anticipation of their new album Beautiful Broken. HSL supplied lighting and rigging equipment and crew for the band, whose career has spanned five decades.
The shows started with a special gig at the Royal Albert Hall that saw Heart accompanied by the 67-piece Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The same gig was filmed for release as a live DVD.
“It was an honour to be involved in a unique collaboration like this at a magical venue, as well as to supply the rest of the Heart UK dates,” said HSL Managing Director Simon Stuart.
The tour was project managed on the road for HSL by Lester Cobrin and back at base in Blackburn by Sean McGlone, with Lester liaising directly with Heart’s Production Manager Dale Doucette and Lighting Director Gabrielle Scheff who has worked with the band in various lighting capacities since 2012.
The Royal Albert Hall show was the first of a run of four on the band’s whistle-stop visit to the UK, with the DVD shoot meaning that Scheff had the additional parameter of cameras to consider in her lighting scheme as well as ensuring that the orchestra were well and appropriately lit.
Scheff’s rig comprised two overhead trusses – mid and rear – each loaded with MAC Viper Profiles, MAC Aura LED washes and MAC 2000 XB Washes from Martin by Harman. More Vipers were upstage on the deck, used for powerful through-the-band and aerial effects.
Also on the upstage truss were strings of ACLs, and Chromlech Jarag 5×5 blinders on the mid truss. There was no front truss – instead the band members were highlighted with Robert Juliat Cyrano followspots, also from HSL, each loaded with six saturated colours.
HSL supplied an MA Lighting grandMA2 console for the tour, Scheff’s desk of choice.