Fit For An Autopsy’s recent North American tour with Lamb of God put lighting designer Vinny Shaw’s adaptability to the test, as he was required to adjust his show to different technical configurations at every concert, relying on both busking and the capabilities of his ChamSys console.
This spring, Shaw found the perfect environment to put that working philosophy into practice while handling the lighting design for Fit For An Autopsy during a 27-date North American tour, which concluded on April 26 at the Music Hall at Fenway.
For Shaw, the tour had everything he looks for in a show: a deathcore band performing with relentless intensity, crushing breakdowns, heavy riffs and a loyal audience celebrating every song, especially tracks such as Warfare and Far From Heaven. Every night was a dream come true, although never quite the same as the one before.
Although Shaw used the same Squeek Lights floor package throughout the tour, he had to work with different rigs at each venue, sometimes radically different from one another. As a result, he was grateful to have his familiar ChamSys MagicQ MQ250M Stadium console with him at every show.
Every night featured a different flown rig, and occasionally a smaller stage footprint as well. This meant I had to adapt the show to different fixture models and quantities. Fortunately, ChamSys makes that daily adaptation very straightforward thanks to the simplicity of its patch cloning and morphing features, Group Based Cues and Grid FX. Even something as simple as being able to change a fixture’s mode directly from the main patch window helps keep show updates fast, he explains.
Beyond helping him adapt to constantly changing technical setups, the console also enabled Shaw to build a dynamic visual narrative. The show opened with a dark, immersive atmosphere, exploded into action from the very first notes, and alternated high-impact moments with dramatic blackouts that focused attention on a single member of the band.
It’s a show with many layers. Fit For An Autopsy’s songs combine heavy riffs, very fast sections and clean-vocal choruses. My lighting design aims to reflect that dynamic by using open white spots, blinders and strobe effects that contrast with dark, saturated colour palettes to emphasise key musical moments. There are also specific points in the set where I like to isolate the drummer or vocalist visually to reinforce the dramatic impact of the performance, says Shaw.
Many of the ChamSys console’s features helped Shaw overcome the challenges of this demanding production, even when working with a different flown rig every night. For starters, he highlights how the Cloning/Morphing tools enabled him to patch quickly and easily, reducing the time spent on the more routine parts of the day.
Group Cues and FX also proved invaluable, making it easier to adapt to different fixture combinations and moving-head configurations. Added to this was the compact size of the ChamSys MagicQ MQ250M Stadium and its robust flight case, a significant advantage for a lighting designer travelling coast to coast across the United States to complete 27 shows in less than two months.
“This console is incredibly compact for the power it offers”, says Shaw. “Being able to travel with my own console and set it up at FOH without requiring much space is always an advantage. It allowed me to focus more on the creative and enjoyable side of the job, which is ultimately what a tour like this is all about”.
