Paul Normandale designed the set and lighting for St Vincent’s most recent Daddy’s Home tour (photo: Steve Jennings)
UK - Grammy award-winning musician, singer, songwriter, actress and producer St Vincent is renowned for her visual performances, an invigorating mix of grittiness, conceptual art and superlative music - a great match with lighting designer Paul Normandale, who also has a penchant for imaginative risk taking.
Normandale designed the set and lighting for St Vincent’s most recent Daddy’s Home tour following the launch of the album of the same name. He worked closely with the artist who had numerous ideas about the style she wanted onstage, and after some creative brainstorming, Paul evolved a dynamic set and lighting scheme to bring flexibility, texture, depth, and dimension to the stage that was also practical and tourable.
At the core of the touring lighting system were 19 Astera Titan Tubes. These were fully maximised as scenic, practical and effects light sources for the floor lighting rig which was based around a 16ft diameter revolve stage built by All Access. This touring lighting / set package was installed underneath the top lighting at each venue and facilitated the fluid dramatic theatrical style scene changes and backdrops supporting the show’s dynamics and narrative.
Running fully wirelessly, 13 of the Titan Tubes were the solution for a light source on the back wall of the motorised revolve set piece.
Attached at jaunty angles to the wall with a series of spring-clips for quick and easy rigging, the Titan Tubes worked as both a solid back light fixture on one side and as blow-through in conjunction with a semi-transparent cloth on the revolve wall which spun around 180 degrees to create a complete cityscape.
The remainder of the Titan Tubes were positioned on the floor along both sides of the revolve wall to provide up lighting for the background vocalists.
“Combining the essence of old-school theatre with the revolve and different backdrops and contemporary technologies - the Titan Tubes - meant numerous different environments skilfully could be created to reinforce each song,” explains Normandale.
Paul’s UK-based lighting rental company, Lite Alternative, owns Titan Tubes and Astera AX3 LightDrops, and he has been using products on different shows and events for some time. “The quality of the light is excellent, and they are extremely well packaged, so you have everything you need to hand.”
Operating lights on the St Vincent tour was LA-based lighting specialist Tess Falcone. It was the first time she had worked with Normandale, an opportunity she relished, commenting that “his creativity and industry knowledge is impressive, so I was over the moon to collaborate with him and help achieve his goals for the show.”

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