A lighting design without conventional movement effects: ChamSys on The Cribs’ tour

Lighting designer Tom Rawlinson used a ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M+ Stadium console to control the lighting for The Cribs' concert at Millennium Square in Leeds. The performance brought together thousands of fans and marked the band's return to the venue after ten years.

With every part of the 4,500-square-metre space packed, thousands of fans greeted the band with cheers and applause as soon as they took the stage. The enthusiasm continued throughout the 22-song set. Raising their fists, jumping to the beat of songs such as We Share The Same Sky and singing along in unison to well-known tracks such as Men’s Needs, the audience joined the three Leeds-born musicians, who have achieved international recognition and become one of indie rock's most influential bands.

Tom Rawlinson was responsible for creating a lighting design that matched the intensity of the performance and the band's musical style. To control the show, he used his preferred console, the ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M+ Stadium, with a MagicQ MQ250M serving as a backup system.

Rawlinson reflected the intensity of The Cribs in his lighting design. To achieve this, he positioned three rows of powerful lighting fixtures behind the band, directing them downwards or, more frequently, into the air, while avoiding direct backlighting, an approach he admits he is not particularly fond of. A large flashing illuminated sign displaying the band's name helped define the stage's visual identity.

The show made very little use of traditional moving lighting effects. "I'm not big on movement", explained Rawlinson. "I'm very much a position change type of guy". Indeed, the overall lighting aesthetic was direct and bold, in keeping with the band's music. As the concert took place during daylight hours, Rawlinson maintained high brightness levels throughout the performance.

Discussing the role his console played in creating this lighting design, Rawlinson commented:

I've been using ChamSys for quite some time. The people there are very supportive and easy to work with. The MQ500M+ is always my first choice as my main console. Its layout suits the way I work, and I like having multiple screens. During The Cribs tour, I've really appreciated the Group Cues feature. It's phenomenal because it has made it very easy to expand the number of fixtures at different venues.

Although Rawlinson has been a fan of The Cribs for many years, he only began working with the band four years ago. The Leeds concert and the current tour represent a milestone in his professional relationship with the group.

This was my first full lighting design for The Cribs, and I wanted to make sure they were happy, said Rawlinson.

The Leeds concert therefore marked a new chapter in his collaboration with the band, which began four years ago.