XL account handler Chris Saunders has worked with the band since they first started using video, circa 1998. At that time they were still playing relatively small venues and their use of video was considered groundbreaking. He also produced their longform Day At The Races video, and has been involved with all their tours and live work ever since. Throughout, he has seen the application of video in the band's show visuals grow in ambition and innovation parallel with the development and availability of the relevant technology.
The 'Phonics live video visuals have invariably been a lighting design driven element - and Saunders has seen several LDs take the 'hot seat' over the last 12 years, including their current LD Canadian Brent Clark, whom he describes as "Highly creative".
"Brent has been with the band for a number of years, so he has a great rapport with them which is reflected dynamically in the show's visual design and operation." He adds that Clark is fully focused on making the video and lighting a seamlessly entity, and thinks this last flurry of gigs were "Among the best to date" in terms of integration of the two mediums.
Clark's design featured a large Pixled F30 screen at the back of the stage, 13.5m long by 4.5 high, which was fed with content stored on his own customised media server - a hybrid combining the best elements from the Arkaos and Vixen media servers. It was triggered via his grandMA console. Clark also produced all the playback content and fed two mini cams into his system, plus feeds from the XL Video IMAG PPU, all of which he effected and output to the LED screen via the media server.
The four-camera (Sony HXC100s) IMAG mix was cut by Paul Eggerton using one of XL's Kayak switchers. The cameras were positioned at FOH (with an 86 lens), two in the pit on sticks and one hand-held onstage. The camera package was supplied to the tour via Blink TV.
The IMAG was projected onto two 16 x 9ft side screens via two sets of double stacked Barco SLM12 projectors.
Saunders says, 'It has been a great experience working with a band over this length of time and really seeing their show evolve along with their musical output."
(Jim Evans)
