World – Folk rockers Mumford and Sons are currently traversing the globe in support of their latest number one album, with lighting designer Ed Warren employing the bold bright wash and LED effects of 16 Clay Paky A.leda B-EYE K20 fixtures to deliver “some of the most impressive moments of the set.”
The ‘Wilder Mind’ tour has seen the British four-piece play sold-out dates across the USA, Canada and Europe. Warren specified the B-EYEs from Neg Earth to complement the rockier sound of the band’s new material.
“For this tour, my concept was about updating the usual Mumford aesthetic whilst still retaining their signature vibe,” explains Warren. “The graphic effects and brilliant colours from the B-EYEs complement the more traditional looks from a large wall of Par Cans.”
Warren is using the B-EYEs for backlight. Eight are positioned behind the 40-inch wide open-front band risers, which allow the light to shine through and illuminate the band. The further eight are placed underneath the riser to backlight the downstage positions.
“The B-EYEs provide such a bright wide wash it more than covers the stage with vibrant colour,” says Warren. “I also love the shapes engine and employ it to shine some beautifully haunting effects through the band. Not to mention the B-EYE delivers a very good pixel strobe which contributes to some of the most impressive moments of the set.”
The B-EYE is made up of 37 individually controllable RGBW LEDs. Its front lens may be rotated to create a plethora of small bright compositions.
“I’m confident the B-EYE will be very enduring LED wash light as it’s extremely versatile, reliable and innovative,” states Warren.
Working alongside the B-EYEs are 12 Clay Paky Sharpy Wash 330s, with Warren saying: “The Sharpy Wash 330s are great because I can create a very accurate side wash from afar. They fill the stage with an array of tungsten, steel and reds, and work very well as one of my main sources of key light.”
Mumford and Sons are set to embark on a UK arena tour this November and December, with dates including Manchester, Sheffield and London.