Welsh reggae-metal band Skindred played their first arena headline show in March at the OVO Arena Wembley, England, with Claypaky Mythos2 and Sharpy Washes supporting the musicians’ intense, high-energy performance.
Will Furze, the band’s Designer and Lighting Director, discussed the show with Skindred band members last year while on tour. They wanted to incorporate existing elements of their stage set, which featured artwork from their latest album “Smile,” and lasers were a must-have as well.
Furze decided to use the existing tour backdrop and four vertical scrim frames for the Wembley show then designed a one-meter high riser to elevate the drum kit with six-meter “wings” on either side to accommodate lighting fixtures. The set riser was also dressed with custom scrims that continued the look and feel of the “Smile” album’s artwork.
In selecting lighting fixtures Furze aimed for an uncluttered rig so he looked for a hybrid-style light that could perform multiple functions. “I chose 40 Mythos2 as they are the best ‘hybrid’ fixture on the market,” he says. “I like the physical appearance and form factor of the Mythos. The large front lens is aesthetically pleasing and looks fantastic on camera.” Twenty-four Mythos2 were flown across five trusses while 16 more were mounted on the stage set with eight flanking each side of the drum kit. “They were absolutely the right choice for me as they looked spectacular!” Furze declares.
He also positioned six Sharpy Washes on the downstage edge in two clusters of three fixtures. “I love the compact size of these fixtures and the punch they give along with the ability to get a nice tight beam,” Furze reports.
“I have always liked the optics of Claypaky fixtures; the aerial and beam effects are beautiful. Deep saturated colors were also integral to my lighting design, and I really like Claypaky’s mixing system and ability to get the exact colors I want, especially the red.
“The fixtures performed flawlessly. The Mythos gave me the different aerial and beam looks I wanted and more. I couldn’t have been happier with them. In addition, Claypaky offers excellent support and customer service. I’m always impressed with their fast response time and comprehensive help with my fixtures.”
Siyan LTD was the main lighting supplier for the Wembley show with BPM–SFX supplying lasers and special effects.