UK - Lighting designer Matthew Button of Button Light has used the powerful new
Philips Vari-Lite VL4000 BeamWash to create a dramatic focal point of the drum kit
on Super Furry Animals' string of UK reunion dates.
The psychedelic-rock legends took to the stage for the first time since 2009,
supporting the deluxe 15th anniversary reissue of their long out-of-print album
'Mwng'.
Playing such venues as o2 Academy Brixton and the o2 Academy Glasgow, the Welsh
quintet were true-to-form with an eccentrically brilliant show that The Guardian
awarded 4 out of 5 stars. Button worked with drummer Dafydd Ieuan to design some of
the experimental show effects, including the transparent drum kit. Behind this the
designer positioned the super powerful VL4000 BeamWash, making him the first to take
the latest addition to the Vari-Lite product line out on tour.
"To make this idea really work, I needed a big wash/beam light to power through and
illuminate his legs in action on the double kick drums," explains Button. "The
VL4000 BeamWash luminaire was the ultimate choice for this with its incredibly
bright beam, meaning I only needed to use a single fixture. Its massive lens also
fitted perfectly just above the riser ledge and made the drum, the driving oomph of
rock music, the focal point of the set."
The VL4000 BeamWash combines stunning wash capabilities with intense beam
functionality and the ability to produce a powerful column of light. It provides
designers with a single unit that can serve multiple uses seamlessly without
changing lenses or adding fixtures.
"I am very impressed with the VL4000 BeamWash," continues Button. "The accuracy and
speed of its zoom allowed me to flick from beam to a very wide wash mode with ease
meaning we were able to achieve the exact look we wanted."
Super Furry Animals are set to play a number of festival dates this summer,
including Forgotten Fields in August.