“I grew up immersed in performance from a young age, and as soon as I became aware of rock ‘n’ roll, I was hooked. I loved the theatricality of bands like KISS and Rush. I even built miniature rock shows in my garage enlisting friends to perform while I ran the lights! I studied theatre design but quickly ended up in the world of corporate entertainment and concert touring. The budgets were bigger and the toys were definitely cooler, but after 30 years as a professional designer, my favorite thing to design for is live music.
Design, at its core, is all about manipulating emotions - it’s storytelling. I approach every show from the perspective of the audience’s emotional journey. Just like a great movie, this arc is what makes the experience memorable. I have vivid memories of this from shows as an audience member, and what drives me is the desire to help create that same experience for others.
When designing Lionel Richie’s Las Vegas residency, we wanted to create a vivid and powerful show that looked more like rock ‘n’ roll than the pop shows it was in rotation with, while also fitting within the artist’s financial objectives. Through collaboration, and using almost every bit of lighting and video gear in the house rig, we reconfigured the venue into a more front-and-center design. The show led the audience on a visual journey through the setlist of hits, delivering intimate moments as well as huge rockstar visuals.”
