20
20
PL & P
he was particularly excited by the possibilities of the JDC1s . “ They ’ re incredibly flexible . You ’ ve got a blinding white LED array surrounded by fully pix-mappable RGB modules and then , to top it off , the whole thing can tilt ,” he remarks . “ To increase their flexibility even more , we ’ ve mounted them so they ’ re recessed into concave mirrors so I can bounce the light around instead of always shooting it directly at the audience . At times , we even feed low-res video content through them and the X4s . The creative possibilities with this wall are just endless .”
Throughout the first few songs , we begin to fully comprehend the complex build of the main stage . The two downstage tiers are also lifts that run the full width of the stage and the third tier is actually split into three lifts itself . Bennett takes inspiration for his creations from many sources – fashion , art , nature , and , in this particular case , architecture . “ I had seen a rendering for this proposed hotel in Switzerland , Hôtel des Horlogers , and it inspired me to create these lifts which not only elevate , but tilt .”
The fronts of the lifts are covered in blow-through LED screens and each tier has 30 Robe Spikies installed underneath it . The transparent screens allow not only the Spikies to shine through , but also ensure that the JDC1s can do the same when the lifts are elevated .
Although the main stage is capable of many different configurations , Bennett exhibits remarkable restraint in not playing all his cards at once . “ I always try to hold back something until late in the show ,” he explains . “ On this tour , for instance , I get through about 10 songs on the main stage without having shown everything it can do because I know we ’ re going to end the show there and I still want to be able to create something exciting and new .”
After a brief video interlude ( for a costume change ), Lady Gaga launches into her tune “ Applause ” and things get even more interesting . The three pods over the audience ( which up to this point appear to be not much more than cool video surfaces and convenient places to hang audience lighting ), reveal their true nature – each one conceals a bridge that lowers in one at a time as Gaga begins a long journey from the main stage to each of the satellite stages and , eventually , the B stage .
Each of the two round satellite stages is mounted on scissor lift mechanisms , which allow them to rise up to about 12 ft . high and meet the bridges as they descend . While Gaga is clothed head to toe in black for this tune , the dancers accompanying her on this journey wear a variety of colourful floral prints to match the imagery being projected onto not only the pods , but mapped to the bridges themselves as they fly in ( and , occasionally , flip onto their side ). To provide the necessary resolution and brightness , 22 of Barco ’ s new UDX-4K32 Laser Phosphour projectors are used .
Much of the content created for this tour is by filmmaker Ruth Hogben , a close collaborator of Lady Gaga ’ s for the past few years . Bennett works closely with her to determine how to best use this content . “ For me , video is most exciting when it ’ s used in new and unconventional ways ,” says Bennett . “ I like to use the shape of different surfaces to my benefit rather than just having one large , rectangular screen .” ( He adds with a laugh , “ It ’ s actually kind of refreshing when I do a show for , say , Rammstein , where we don ’ t have any video – just lots of lights !”)
Once Gaga reaches FOH , the cloth is pulled away to reveal the crystal-shaped B stage and perhaps one of the most stunning showpieces on tour anywhere right now – Gaga ’ s piano . Built out of clear plexi and covered in an iridescent film , it literally sparkles like a jewel when lit up . And , like everything else on this tour , the piano has a trick up its sleeve . Each key is mapped to a single laser beam ( that ’ s 88 beams !) that shoots out of the piano as she plays .
“ When Gaga sits down at that piano , in some ways , it ’ s the end of the road ,” says Bennett . “ We wanted to create a place that was other-worldly , where she can truly show off her talent . No band , no backing tracks – just Gaga , her voice , and her piano .”
During the design process , Bennett works closely with his art director , Peter Aquinde , to shape his initial concepts into reality . “ I ’ ve been working with Roy for over 20 years and , over that time , we ’ ve developed a verbal shorthand when bouncing ideas back and forth ,” explains Aquinde . His job has become much more involved through the years . Initially , he was just doing drawings and renderings , but now , as the tours have grown in complexity , he still does renderings but also deals directly with Tait Technologies , the company that built the stage for this tour and many others with which Bennett has been involved .
“ When dealing with Tait , my primary focus is to ensure that LeRoy ’ s vision is carried through the engineering and building stages ,” comments Aquinde . “ For the Joanne Tour , Tait was involved much earlier than [ usual ] because there were so many advanced technical elements that it made sense to streamline the process a bit . We also needed to rough out the footprint for Live Nation so they could get tickets on sale . Sometimes we need to find a compromise between Roy ’ s design and the realities of budget and engineering . While I understand that what we ’ ve envisioned is not always possible , I also have to make sure that Tait hasn ’ t simplified an element to the point where it completely loses its magic ; often , I have to work with them to massage things back to the original vision .”
One of Aquinde ’ s other functions is to manage a huge database of inspirational images that he and Bennett have collected . “ Having a large collection of pictures is one thing ; it ’ s another to be able to find a certain image quickly when we ’ re in the middle of a conceptual brainstorming
20 | Winter 2017