Lighting was designed by Brian Jenkins and the fixture count included 80 x Robe Pointes and 48 x BMFL Spots.

The lighting rig was crafted specifically for these two shows, the 55 ft. trim height of the 12,000 capacity arena giving scope for installing a decent amount of kit! Variations of this design will be used for assorted one-off’s throughout the year, so with that in mind, Brian created an adaptable design with capacity for experimentation … and potential for future development.

The 80 Pointes were positioned around the diamond-shaped trussing over the stage and were the main workhorses of the show.

Brian commented that “they stand up to that duty exceptionally well” and allow him to accent the numerous “snaps, crackles and pops” in the music. He loves the fact that the product has a rotating gobo wheel and a nice frost, a welcomed feature lacking in some beam fixtures.

The BMFL Spots lined a series of horizontal trusses inside the diamond and also provided key light from the downstage trusses. Having used these multi-functional fixtures for a couple of years now, Brian knew they would be good for key light, but he’s been wanting to do a more BMFL heavy show so he could really put them through their paces in a heavily cued scenario .. and this proved a perfect opportunity!

“They can be snappy and dirty … which is sometimes a tough call for a powerful profile fixture, while they are also great for painting a scene and completing long and elegant ‘beauty cues’.”

The Maroon 5 show is fun, poppy, rocky and up-beat. The band are solid and tight, and lead singer Adam Levine charismatically works the stage and the audience as they play a succession of hits with no hidden gags or gimmicks explained Brian ... just an energetic and entertaining set.

Lighting equipment for the NYE shows was provided by Delicate Productions and the crew chiefs on site were Justin Freeman and Michael Green. “Jason Alt and his guys do a great job” said Brian, adding “Delicate has enjoyed a good working relationship with the band over the years.” Lighting and rigging for Maroon 5’s tours are serviced by Upstaging.

Brian has been using Robe products since the ColorSpot 1200E AT hit the market back in the mid noughties, which he felt was a great fixture for its time.

“Now Robe are cracking out some serious products” he stated, adding that he feels the manufacturer is really in tune with the “heartbeat” of the industry by making evolutionary fixtures rather than reacting to other manufacturers.

“Many of us are really excited that Robe is working hard to make their products available and affordable in South American markets which can be a challenge to tour using locally supplied kit. He mentions Brazil in particular, a territory where two major rental companies, LPL and Apple Produçeos, have invested steadily in Robe over the years and recently made large purchases of the latest kit.

He believes Robe is only just starting its trajectory! “They have some great products and are not afraid to take risks” he observed, citing the new Spiider as an example of an excellent wash/beam luminaire with a trick up its sleeve that is useful and economical to incorporate into a design in large numbers.

Brian visited the Robe factory in Valmez, Czech Republic last year and was further impressed, commenting that Josef (Valchar – Robe’s CEO) and his entire company “has a great vibe.”

Brian has been working – in different capacities – on Maroon 5’s creative team coming up to four years, including the 2015 tour when Leroy Bennett became show designer. The two enjoy a great collaborative relationship – Leroy does all the major US tour re-designs plus any extra special appearances by the band, while Brian designs events outside of the main tour including one-offs, mini-tours and specials. He and Jason Baeri will also usually program and be associate designers for any of Roy’s lighting / visual creations.