<p> <img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMioy_5GxvI/AAAAAAAAF-8/9dFrtDoEAZQ/s400/IMG_2567.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p> The <a href="http://www.nin.com">NIN</a> show last week, aside from being one of the best shows I've ever seen, also had the most innovative use of lights and video that I've ever seen. It started with a wall of moving lights behind them that could put strong simple images behind the band and a helluva lot of wattage such as: </p><p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMio5dBhHiI/AAAAAAAAF_8/3-xpEwkC4Xw/s400/IMG_2577.jpg" border="0" /></p><p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMio2jMIraI/AAAAAAAAF_k/xP6JUQpeisk/s400/IMG_2573.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> But then, down came a transparent screen with thousands of individual LED lights which created interesting pixellations and changing the stage dimensions, as below. </p><p><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMio_f60z9I/AAAAAAAAGAo/GPb7uNhH0QA/s400/IMG_2583.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> <img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipDlITQJI/AAAAAAAAGBI/Wv3hJM7DiP8/s400/IMG_2589.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> <img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipG3XLEiI/AAAAAAAAGBY/eAg8PxDPRV8/s400/IMG_2594.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p>But what if you introduce a second transparent screen covered with LED lights, and put them at varying heights and depth, creating an entire stage scene? Notice that at this point, they're playing a jazz kit, stand-up bass, mandolin, and yes, Trent on marimbas. Faaaantastic. I love how Trent is slowly acclimatizing his fans to new musics and instrumentations, which should allow him to still keep his fans as he ages. Whether intentional or not, it represents a good grasp on psychology. Regardless, these scenes are beautiful, and at one point looked like they were covered in pouring rain (though I didn't really nail that shot): </p><p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipLVJlUhI/AAAAAAAAGBo/H4TzmEdKGnU/s400/IMG_2596.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> <img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipQtQHYiI/AAAAAAAAGCA/gs5Pb6By39E/s400/IMG_2600.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> <img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipTio2j9I/AAAAAAAAGCU/2JG7hfNOFI8/s400/IMG_2602.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> <img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipVeAG8cI/AAAAAAAAGCc/cBmwm-ecAfY/s400/IMG_2605.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p>Screens up, they started using them in a way that reminded me of Roger Water's concepts of closeness and separation that inspired <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=3&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FThe_Wall&ei=_YTJSITcCJmWsAPVpMiWBg&usg=AFQjCNGrnLAY-GgZegjcxSfJr5keD83EiQ&sig2=WKfhrhc3PBoaHOmpo7HQsw">The Wall</a>. Here the digital curtains are reacting instantaneously to Trents motions behind them.</p><p> <img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipX2dBEfI/AAAAAAAAGCs/TZUnWvJVa9Y/s400/IMG_2607.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p> Gotta love the sea of cellphones.</p><p> <img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipb2HlBMI/AAAAAAAAGDE/TPEezSLQR-4/s400/IMG_2611.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p>And to top it off, they used the screens to create a visualization of their drum machines. Band members actually got up, pressed the boxes to turn on beats, and you could see the bright white beat moving across and reacting. I've never seen anything quite like that before. </p><p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipehIM6_I/AAAAAAAAGDU/_MTp6DbxChs/s400/IMG_2613.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> And finally, a simple use of the LEDs and lights together to create a scene that felt like it had real dimension, mimicking their <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FYear_Zero_(album)&ei=EYXJSJjkOJ-WsQOY7ZSPBg&usg=AFQjCNGiKU3lqAi9_GeiU3ZmAhoqmqVjiw&sig2=l7zymYD-G1v1z1XrkYuuVg">Year Zero</a> album backcover. </p><p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipgkloyzI/AAAAAAAAGDs/2bBCB0W3-jE/s400/IMG_2617.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> Why am I showing this? Because they're pushing the boundaries of how lights and video should interact with the band, stage, and music. We're all used to seeing neat eye candy at live shows, but it's usually just that: candy to make you go "ooo" and give you something to look at while you listen. It sets a mood, and often changes timing with the pace of the music. But this is well beyond that. The lights and video were part of the band, and the stage. It reacted directly to both the music and the band members, and actually became immersive. It was like quite literally seeing the album art come alive onstage, so it became part of the storytelling. I wouldn't be surprised if crowd interaction became part of it next. Good show, fellas. </p>
01:55 PM
|
3 Comments
|
Tags: inspiration, music, video, lighting, nin