The Third Company Announces "Turnkey Solution" In-House Production for John Mayer Tour

	John Mayer's The Search for Everything tour. Photos: Daniel Prakopcyk

Multi-Grammy-winner John Mayer has launched his new world tour The Search for Everything, with innovative production designs by The Third Company. This London-based, visual design and production house has created a dazzling array of effects for the tour, but this time with the rare advantage of offering complete in-house project delivery.

The Third Company previously designed the set and videos with Mayer for his successful Born and Raised world tour in 2013 and 2014; for the forthcoming performances a "turnkey solution" service has enabled designers to develop ideas for the visual effects from inception to completion. In doing this, a more efficient and time-saving process has been accomplished. All modifications made during the creation of the stage set and screen content have been made with a streamlined approach and in tandem with each other (according to the company, rather than by incorporating external companies which may slow the process).

The design team has created a fully immersive video landscape complete with an LED floor and rear wall. The LED floor measures 44' in width by 35' in depth, while the rear wall is 44' in width by 25' in height, resolution being 1760 x 960 for the rear wall and 2184 x 1680 for the floor. The two screens have been approached as if they are one seamless surface, which allows 60' of visual space to fill with John's musical journey -- which includes solo performances mixed with theatrical props, a full eight-piece band and the John Mayer Trio. The design allows for all of these variables, with theatrical wings, automated rigging, and rolling video risers to produce a truly unique and spectacular show for audiences.

Sam Pattinson, producer and creative director, Treatment Studio says: "As per usual, John's initial brief was a profusion of good ideas, all alluding to the theme: 'The Search for Everything'. To accommodate that much content and his back catalog of music, he wanted a show that could develop and evolve. We looked at several different approaches, starting with physical staging and sculptural LED. But as the narrative of the show developed and grew more complex, it seemed natural to simplify the set design to a video platform that could accommodate any aesthetic."

Damian Hale, video creative director says: "The overall premise of the show, based on the album and tour title, presents John as the host of a kind of magical TV show (influenced by those he grew up watching) where, through the screens, he takes us into the different musical worlds referred to as his 'dreams.' Streamlining the set allows us to use the screens both sculpturally and scenically with much of the content being more like digital sets than films."

"As John needs the freedom to change songs from one performance to the next we have approached the concert as a series of acts, or set pieces, that would suit a collection of songs with a similar mood or theme. The process has been made easier due to John's strong ideas and engagement with the show concept and his focus in terms of feedback, which means we are never working in the dark."

The tour will visit arenas across North America throughout April, before crossing the Atlantic in May for a string of European dates and wrapping up May 12 at The O2 in London.

The Third Company -- along with partner Treatment -- are the revolutionary visual design team who last year produced a diverse range of projects which included the Adele Live 2016 tour, the Pet Shop Boys residency at London's Royal Opera House, U2's IE tour, and the 50-screen installation created for The Rolling Stones' Exhibitionism, currently touring galleries across the USA.