Radiohead World Tour

February 23, 2004

Alternative rock band Radiohead are known for pushing the boundaries, both in the studio and on tour. Their current world tour “Hail to the Thief” is no different. Marked by a cutting-edge stage design of LED battens and Martin automated lighting, Lighting Designer Andi Watson is a perfect match for Radiohead’s perfectionist ways.

Andi, who helped beta-test the MAC 2000 Wash on a number of Radiohead’s European shows in 2002, is probably the world’s most experienced MAC 2000 Wash user. He gave the unit passing marks and uses 24 of those Wash units, along with 23 MAC 2000 Performance and Atomic strobes on the band’s current world tour.

Given a great deal of artistic freedom from the band, Andi utilizes some of this latest technology yet in a slightly different way. The complexity of Radiohead’s music is mirrored in Andi’s lighting design, with lighting and visuals correlating directly to what the band is doing on stage.

Andi has lined the front truss with eight MAC 2000 Wash and six MAC 2000 Performance, the Performance doing water effects and texture work on the finger truss, backdrop and across the band. Five curved finger trusses are dressed with three MAC 2000 Performance and three MAC 2000 Wash each, while eight floor-positioned MAC 2000 Wash are used for cyc work and aerials. Atomic Strobes are also featured in his design. All Martin lighting was supplied by Bandit Lites. 

Dominating the set, a large number of LED battens are installed end-to-end in vertical towers and spaced at 3-foot intervals across the back of the stage. Andi reports that the MAC 2000 Wash have no problem competing with the light intensity from the wall of LEDs.

Crew:
Lighting Designer:  Andi Watson
Crew Chief:  Andy Beller
Pixel Tech:  Ed Jackson
Technician:  Mick Freer
Technician:  Rob Gawler
Technician:  Wayne Lotoza
Technician:  Sam Harden
Technician:  Chris Keene