Lighting Designer Don Weeks utilised Robe LEDWash 600s for the most recent US leg of legendary progressive rock band Yes’s 2013 / 2014 international tour, for which they are performing three classic albums – ‘The Yes Album’, ‘Close To The Edge’ and ‘Going For The One’ in their entirety.
New York-state based Weeks has worked for Yes for two years. The creative starting point for this tour was based on a design first created in spring 2012, which presented a starker and more scaled back stage set up than in the past, with no scenic element, and just an upstage video screen.
The idea was to supplement the locally supplied lighting rigs at each venue with a compliment of ‘specials’ which included 15 x LEDWash 600s.
The venues were a mix of small to large theatres, casinos and some amphitheatres, so they needed something that would adapt and work in all of these spaces.
With the extra lights being in close proximity to the band, having a cool lightsource like LED was a great advantage in helping keep the temperatures comfortable onstage, and one that the band “Were very happy with”, explains Don.
The LEDWash 600s were specified by Don after using Robe products several times before, mainly when touring in Europe. They were supplied by leading rental company VER out of their LA office.
The LEDWash 600s were rigged on ground supported trusses and used for back-lighting and also for in-air fans and effects, usually grouped in threes with a different colour for each set of three fixtures.
Additionally, they functioned as highlighting washes for various stage positions, illuminating band members during some of the set’s epic solos.
Don particularly likes the LED ‘ring’ effects which can be created with the individual LED control. He programmed and operated lighting for the show using a grandMA full size console.
The Yes tour is scheduled to continue in the UK and Europe in spring 2014.
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