CHAUVET Professional and LD Systems Support Willis Underhill's Lighting for Diamond Rio and Austin Rodeo

	"I used the 12 Color STRIKE Ms in the rig to make the backlighting happen, and at the same time, I was also able to wash the crowd with a color to keep them from feeling disconnected from the band," says Underhill.

For the country band Diamond Rio's appearance at Rodeo Austin, lighting designer Willis Underhill went with bold color changes, dynamic aerials, and sweeping washes. He also kept his key lighting crisp and clean.

"There were three key things that helped ensure we had good face lighting," Underhill says. "Thanks to the rodeo lighting rig's great design, we had a wash far enough away from the stage. We also used followspots for coverage of the band members as the stage rotated. Last, and certainly not least, were our eight [CHAUVET Professional] Maverick Storm 3 BeamWashes that surrounded the 28' wide stage in the main hang of the lighting rig."

The Maverick BeamWashes were not the only CHAUVET fixtures in Underhill's LD Systems-supplied rig. He also drew on the performance features of the eight STRIKE Array 4 warm white strobe lights and 12 Color STRIKE M motorized strobe-wash units.

The STRIKE Array 4 fixtures were used for audience lighting. The Color STRIKE Ms provided color washing, pixel-mapping visuals, and strobing in the process, helping Underhill meet the challenges of working on a circular, rotating stage.

"I usually have upstage and downstage specials for every band member when lighting Diamond Rio," he says. "That wasn't possible this time due to the rotating stage. A big thing in this situation was being able to backlight the band. I used the 12 Color STRIKE Ms in the rig to make the backlighting happen, and at the same time, I was also able to wash the crowd with a color to keep them from feeling disconnected from the band. On top of that, I was able to provide some eye candy and strobe effects.

"The rodeo house rig made all this possible," Underhill adds. "There was no room on the stage for us to have a floor package. Everything was up to LD Systems. Big thanks to David Jackson and his crew there. They made it an easy night for me, so I could concentrate on creating the best atmosphere."