USA - At first glance, it seems like 12 automated pods are hovering overhead in Trevor Drawdy’s design for Hardy’s blockbuster Jim Bob World Tour. In reality, there are only seven physical pods, the five other apparent lighting grids in the captivating circle of pods are virtual replications floating over the stage in a massive video space.
For Drawdy, this visual sleight of hand was part of a grand vision to create an immersive blend of the real and virtual for Hardy’s tour, which began 12 April at Country Thunder in Arizona, and concludes 24 September at Madison Square Garden. Balancing the “two realities” is, he says, an ideal way to reflect the genre bending, story-telling nature of his client’s music.
Drawdy recalled how this evocative design evolved: “The original spark came from Hardy’s team. They wanted to bring ‘Jim Bob‘s Cabin’ to life on stage, but I did not want to approach the cabin as just a static set piece. I saw this as a chance to create an immersive world that could evolve throughout the show. I pitched the idea of blending physical elements with virtual set extensions - and that’s where Lüz Studio came in. We collaborated closely to define the look and feel of that environment. I also drew a lot of inspiration from Hardy’s country to rock sound - and knew the production needed to support that range with dynamic contrast, not just in lighting, but in the way the stage feels from song to song.”
To help him achieve his vision, Drawdy worked with Bandit Lites to put together a lighting rig that wound up featuring 106 Colorado PXL Bar 16 motorised battens and 72 Color Strike M motorised strobe washes from Chauvet Professional. It was critically important to him that these and every other fixture in his rig work seamlessly with the VR- driven video element of his show.
“Blending light and video was a huge part of the design process,” explained Drawdy. “My goal was for the physical and digital worlds to feel seamless. I worked closely with the talented team at Lüz to sync video content with lighting, both thematically and spatially. We even matched the types of fixtures virtually in the video pods to their real-world counterparts.
“Timing-wise, I was careful about when video would take the spotlight versus when light should lead. In some moments, I start with lighting only, then slowly introduced video so the reveal felt earned. We also use haze/fog strategically to tie lighting and the video screen together within the space.”
Achieving this fusion of light and video, the real and virtual, required intense collaboration by many talented hands. Drawdy is quick to acknowledge his creative teammates. “Bandit has been incredible - Mike Stanley and Jake Tickle supported me from the early fixture choices through to custom packaging,” he said. “MooTV handled video and were amazing partners. Jordan Karow, our touring video director, made a big impact. Atlanta Rigging Systems brought the automation to life. Pyrotek gave us some insane looks with their Hydra and G-Flame systems.
“Tait built the set, thrust, and scenic fascia. And I can’t say enough about Matthieu Larivée and the team at Lüz Studio - Matthieu, Dave Pawsey, Rusty Rouhier, and Philippe Marquis all helped bring the hybrid visual world to life. Also big thanks to Hardy and the whole team for trusting me to help shape this world. Troy (Tracker) Johnson at Track Management has had my back on this design from the start.”
The harmonious balance that Drawdy and his collaborators achieved was clearly evident in the aforementioned overhead pods, which held most of the Color Strike M fixtures in his rig. (The other units are arranged in a row on the deck.) “They are the workhorses for me,” Drawdy said of the Color Strike M fixtures. “I used them both as strobes and wide floods, depending on the song. They gave me scale and punch without me having to bring in more truss.”
Adding another captivating element to the stage are the blow-through acrylic stepped risers that make it possible to stagger the band members visually without having them appear isolated. The rig’s Colorado PXL Bar 16 battens, which were positioned below the steps and along the toe rail fascia, accented them in a variety of colours, adding more depth to the visuals on stage.