Robe Gets in a Panic

	Panic at the Disco's Death of a Bachelor tour. Photo: Todd Kaplan

Multi award-winning American rock band Panic at The Disco continues their Death of a Bachelor tour in the US with a striking production design created by Matt Larivée of Montreal-based creative practice Luz Studio, who worked closely with the band's lighting designer, Alex Specht.

Together they specified 50 Robe BMFL Spots, 10 CycFX8s, and six PATT 2013s which are prominent on the rig. The idea was to create a very dynamic stage aesthetic which would highlight the classiness of adding a Sinatra-style horns section to the lineup combined with a mysterious new cult logo.

The architecture of the rig with gold-painted ladders at the back, contrasted with five moving curved LED video "chandeliers" which meant the environment could easily switch from classic to edgy and contemporary.

The BMFL Spots are dotted around the rig on the upstage ladder structure, on the video chandeliers and the floor. They needed a high powered hard-edged luminaire that could slice decisively through the various video elements which also include three upstage fixed LED screens.

Specht had encountered BMFLs on multiple festivals recently and had been wanting to try them out for a tour. "They are very quick for a fixture that powerful,'' he commented.

It was also the first time that Larivée had worked with them, "nice fixture -- very versatile," he stated.

The PATT 2013s were rigged on mid-stage pantographs which came in during two songs only for maximum impact.

During Death of a Bachelor they mimicked elegant vintage prop lights, and in "Crazy=genius" they added some serious madness as fixtures on a psycho asylum ward!

Chosen for their "beautiful" appearance, Larivée appreciates the golden reflector and comments that they produce a "fantastic" incandescent glow when on at around 15%, while they can also be plenty punchy and full of attitude for rock moments.

The CycFX 8s were used as footlights, where they were very versatile, also doubling up as blinders and as front filler to complete the big production looks.

A major challenge of the design was ensuring a harmony between lighting and video and other visual components, a task made infinitely easier for Larivée as a show designer involved in all departments including the automation.

Luz Studio also created content for all 20 songs in the set which was replayed via a media server, programmed by David Robdeau from Luz Studio who also project managed their team and drew up all the plans.

Lighting was programmed by Specht who is out operating the show on the road and all the lighting equipment is being supplied by Upstaging.

The tour continued in the US through April.

Luz Studio was founded by Larivée in 2007 -- the same year he was nominated for a Parnelli Award for his work lighting the Pyramids in Egypt for a televised concert. In 2009 he started integrating video into his designs and hired a video content director to work on producing custom material. The company has now grown to 13 talented full-time multi-skilled creatives plus some regular freelancers, overseen by Larivée as creative director.