Chauvet colours Counting Crows’ catalogue
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“With 25 years and seven albums of music, we have a very large catalogue of songs that can be played on any given night,” said Zielinski. “This creates a need for a diverse, flexible rig. I like to have a lot of colour palettes and video content to keep up. I also need versatile fixtures, which is why I like the STRIKE 1s for this rig. They fill a wide range of roles for me, like accent lighting, backlighting and blinders.”
At times Zielinski uses his STRIKE 1 fixtures with amber shift to create different moods for more reflective songs or for those moments when frontman Adam Duritz reflects on the band’s history. Zielinski also calls on the 230W LED fixtures for audience lighting. “There are many fans who have turned out for Counting Crows concerts every year for the past two decades, so the connection with the audience is important,” he said. “The band feeds off the energy of the crowd.”
In addition to having designed the show, Zielinski is running the boards for the 48-city tour, which began 27 June at Taco Bell Arena and ends with a 22 September appearance at Nashville’s Pilgrimage Festival. Although he turns the STRIKE 1 fixtures up full blast for ballyhoo moments, he is doing little busking, given the size of the show, which has 60 songs programmed.
The warm white glow created by the STRIKE 1 and its emulated red shift, which mimics the dimming of incandescent lighting, help Zielinski evoke throwback moods during the show’s retrospective moments. He incorporates “tiny bits” from each of the Counting Crow tours that he’s been a part of over the years into his 2018 design.
“There is an element of nostalgia in the show to go along with the forward-looking music,” said Zielinski.
(Jim Evans)
