TPi: One of the most awe-inspiring elements of the live events industry is the constant quest to raise the bar on what is possible. It’s an industry that strives to deliver the unthinkable. The latest tour to shatter expectations is none other than Californian funk rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers (RHCP) who, with the help of TAIT Towers and long-time Creative Director and LD, Scott Holthaus, have produced the largest-ever tourable kinetic light installation.
4 comments:
I first saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers when I was a freshman in undergrad. We all drove up to Kansas City to see the show, and I remember being completely blown away by all the crazy scenic pieces and stunts that the performers did. For one song the drummer and his set flew down on a chandelier. Later in the show, the lead singer jumped onto it and it looked like I was out of control. This article reminded me that the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ shows have always been not only a musical performance but also a theatrical performance in some ways. The article comments one of the gorgeous scenic pictures as “setting new standards in automation technology”; and I fully agree. It is pleasing to see that the Red Hot Chili Peppers have continued this form of musical performance art, and are really taking their art to the next level.
I really appreciate the level of detail that this article goes through in explaining every single part of the production, and I was intrigued by practically every section. Every time I hear about TAIT I absolutely expect the product to be fantastic, and I am coming to find that they perform best in the kind of abstract technological and design space of band tours and trade shows. The possibilities behind those individually addressable and micro-winches is truly amazing, and I can only imagine form those photos the kind of forms and stage shapes these things are capable in the hands of a capable programmer and designer. I still do have an interest in sound as well, and I loved reading about the sound and monitor setup. I never had control of the sound rig at any of the venues I worked in, but there were a couple one-man shows that I actually did the complete sound design for and I still sometimes vaguely think about going back to it.
This is absolutely amazing, and an incredibly in depth and informative article, as well. For me, what's coolest about this is the level of collaboration and design that had to go into this. Normally, I think people think of concerts as a lesser form of production art--since many think of a concert as a fun, wild experience, and theatre as a more refined one. Personally, I tend to disagree with this notion--I think that concert experiences, while drastically different, can have the same level of art and emotional response as theatre does, despite it's drastic differences. Some of my coolest experiences, influenced by design, have been concerts. While it certainly isn't as refined as theatre, I think it still is an art form , and certainly one that is underappreciated in some ways. I wish I could see this rig in action--in all aspects, it seems like an overwhelmingly impressive rig.
This was really cool, i was thrilled to read this article as it was very well composed and easy to read. there was definitely a lot of work that must have gone in to make this article a reality, which is great considering the fanbase for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. i agree with alex in that many people often view concerts as entertainment but not art, and i think in many ways it is just another side of the theater industry, because there is truly a great amount of work, and art that makes these shows so great. i have never seen them in concert, but i would be thrilled to see such an impressive concert rig, and truthfully, the Red Hot Chili Peppers as well. i thought it was pretty cool to hear about TAIT again, and i have to say i am continually more and more impressed by the rigs they put together. also i thought it was pretty cool that a childhood friend of mine now lives in lititz and i think it might be because her father works for TAIT.
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