Professional Lighting & Production - Summer 2019 | Page 25

it to be totally real, so like the audience scanners, that’s really
reminiscent of shows from the ‘90s.”
Another element of the design that tapped into the under-
ground punk/rave motif was the additional stacks of loudspeakers
onstage with the duo, and on the note of authenticity, Risueño
adds that “of course, we had to plug them in!”
For their appearance at Ultra the following weekend, this time
on the smaller Worldwide Stage, they pared back the design for
an even more exclusive and underground feel, abandoning the
reactive canvas and upstage lasers in favour of the aerial and
audience scanning units, plus the blinders and strobes.
The contrast between that relatively minimal and understat-
ed design compared to Ultra’s more typical “go big or go home”
mantra was particularly notable – especially for Risueño and Pro-
duction Club, who were also behind The Chainsmokers’ mainstage
headlining set.
“Those were kind of the two extremes of Ultra,” Risueño says.
“We had so much pyro for Chainsmokers, which we knew nobody
else would match, so when you’re working with those kinds of
resources, it’s very easy to stand out and be unique; on the other
end, it’s way more difficult to be unique when you’re going so
minimal like with Dog Blood, but I love how it all worked out.”
He elaborates: “We were looking to exploit the uniqueness of
Dog Blood with the right colours, the right kinds of effects, and the
right tools. Everyone is using all the lights all the time; we’re doing
the opposite. That’s why, with Dog Blood, we went from concept
to execution rather than the other way around; we focused more
on subtracting to stand out, rather than adding, which I think is a
mentality we can bring to other designs in the future.”
Ultimately, the Dog Blood show is a new highlight on Production
Club’s list of credits, which is saying a lot considering their reputa-
tion for elaborate spectacles and one-of-a-kind experiences with
some of the biggest brands and bands on the planet.
“Here at Production Club, we have some amazing creative
minds, from laser programmers and operators to LDs to content
creation teams; it’s a big operation and we have to work very
closely together to do what we do,” Risueño says. “I think
this project was a great example of how that all comes to-
gether, especially when we’re outside of our comfort zone.”
That contrast also perfectly applies to the idea behind
Dog Blood – a union of two of EDM’s biggest stars doing
something far more sonically and visually understated
and organic than they would individually to wide acclaim.
“Both are creative geniuses, and that really comes out
in their music,” Risueño says about his clients and friends.
“They want to keep going and improving the show in the
same way they do their music, which I’m really excited
about. I’m really happy with the show, but also love the
idea that it will keep evolving and that we can find new
ways to do something fresh and unexpected that will
really get people excited.”
Andrew King is the Editor-in-Chief of Professional Lighting
& Production.
Summer 2019 | 25