Jack Thomas Design Story of the Year/Senses Fail Scream Team Tour with CHAUVET Gear

	"I just programmed each song with intent to convey its energy visually from dark subtle bridges to exciting choruses with lots of motion and intensity," explains Thomas. Photo: connorlazmedia

Post-hardcore punk pioneers Senses Fail and Story of the Year concluded their 19-city coheadline Scream Team Tour on December 13 at the Riverside Auditorium in California. Reflecting this deeply rooted bond in light, while underscoring the two multi-platinum bands' music, was a Jack Thomas lighting design that emphasized warmth and emotions. Avoiding "typical strobes" and video walls, Thomas relied on dark space and changes in brightness levels to convey the mood of the music.

Thomas sometimes angled his light sharply downward, creating pools of monochromatic brightness against a sea of darkness. At other times, he covered the stage with crossing beams of light Relying on changes like these, he created a continuous flow of varied looks for the two bands.

"I'm very grateful that Ross Landis (tour manager) entrusted me with this," says Thomas. "It gave me the opportunity to stretch my creativity. I designed, programmed, and ran lights for Story of the Year and Senses Fail on the tour, working with Mike Null on putting together the floor package supplied by Allen Deneau at Bandit Lites."

With limited stage space and fixed lighting in set carts, there was no "wiggle room" for physical changes in the rig from one band to the other. As a result, Thomas relied on his programming skills to give each band its own look on stage.

"I just programmed each song with intent to convey its energy visually from dark subtle bridges to exciting choruses with lots of motion and intensity," explains Thomas. "Since I've never been one to use a lot of conventional 'strobes.' I sprinkled them in here and there tastefully during peak energy moments. Otherwise, I liked to strobe different groups of fixtures throughout the rig creating depth and layers."

Helping Thomas accomplish were 12 COLORado Solo Battens and nine STRIKE Array 2 fixtures from CHAUVET Professional, all of which were used at times to create strobing effects. Thomas also relied on his high output battens to light the band, positioning four units downstage and an equal number mid-stage for side lighting -- the two other Solo Battens flank the 8' by 18' drum riser.

The STRIKE Array 2 fixtures in Thomas' rig served multiple purposes in his design. Arranged in three 8' sections behind the drum riser, the fixtures delivered bursts of brightness during explosive moments and contributed to crowd lighting for the show's many singalongs.