Twenty-four Robe BMFL WashBeams are highlighting the fans for U.S. country star
Kenny Chesney’s current stadium tour… chosen by lighting designer Mike Swinford
specifically to illuminate the audience for his “Spread the Love’ tour.
Swinford, who has been a lighting professional for over 30 years, has lit the hugely
successful chart topping singer-songwriter’s shows since his first headline tour in
2001. In that time he’s seen the whole visual concept for the live show evolve and
change, with the main objective now being to create big impressive yet simple and
straightforward looks, “It’s more about the music than a load of lighting fluff or
gags’ he states.
The BMFL WashBeams were purchased by Morris Light & Sound of Nashville, which
coordinates technical production for Chesney’s annual tours.
They are positioned on empty seats around the side of the stadiums (not sold as
they are at 90 degrees to the stage), from where they can throw all the way to the
back bleachers and around the venue.
It’s the first time Swinford has used any Robe products in his work and he’s pleased
with the results, “In an initial test we found BMFL WashBeams to be a perfect light
for this purpose due to their flat beam field, shuttering and long-throw capabilities,’
he explained.
Lighting for the tour was programmed by Mark Butts and is being looked after on
the road by lighting director Phil Ealy.
The most challenging aspect of lighting the show, reveals Swinford, is “Illuminating
all the fans without being offensive or too in their faces, thereby giving Kenny the
look he wants for each show’.
Every stadium requites a unique set up of the BMFL WashBeams to achieve this,
requiring a detailed out-of-the-box approach rather than something more standard!
“Robe seems to have a big hit in the BMFL line’ he commented.
Swinford has also recently used Robe’s PATT 2013 retro tungsten spotlights for a TV
shoot and really loved them!
