How to design the stage lights of the club?
by Newfeel Ho on Jan 29, 2023
Stage Lights Of The Club
The creativity and possibilities for using party lights to create a space or enhance musical content are endless. The strobe light flickers at a specific frequency, and people will feel that they are in a stop-motion animation, frozen by light, and transcend reality in an instant. For some, it's their refuge. In fact, even a small number of lights can make the whole space different and can easily take people's breath away. Join us as we chat with some of the best in the stage lights and visual industry to see how light is used to create unique environments, enhance our perception of musical content, and ultimately make our nights memorable!
Party Lights and Visual Effects
Those who first fiddled with stage lights often used it to accentuate parts of a theatrical performance so the audience didn't miss key moments. On larger productions these days, the folks who play with party lights and visual effects often work alongside the DJ to bring the show to life. This requires the operator to respond quickly to the music being played, which is the job of the stage lights engineer.
Stage Lights Designer for New Feel Laser
Jessie is a stage lights designer for New Feel Laser party lights and a stage lights operator for stage shows. She explores her passion in some big clubs. Architectural, musical and visual pioneers such as Skudi Optics (Planet) and Ralph Regis (E-werk, Café Moscow), among others, truly inspire Jessie's visual aesthetic for future events.
The Importance of stage lights to Club
Good stage lights is not only important, but essential to creating atmosphere, expressing music, and sometimes even the building itself. The stage lights has to match the music and the ambiance, only then can the stage lights support the music.
The influence of Club concept on stage lights
First, the location itself is unique. From the point of view of a stage lights designer, the prohibition of filming and taking pictures is special. stage lights designers are not necessarily responsible for producing bright images for photographers or video, but rather have full artistic freedom in stage lights design to participate in the music and story of the entire scene. New Feel Laser's motto is "less is more" when it comes to stage lights technology, and it goes back to the origin of live creative performances, which is why there is no LED wall in the club. At the same time, there is freedom of creation here, with little restraint. I have been working here since 2012, and my work experience in the past few years also shows that no matter how the technology develops, New Feel Laser has always been loyal to the original idea and original intention.
The DJ's connection with the stage lights man
In many ways, a gaffer and a DJ play similar roles in a club. But it's important to establish a cooperative link between the two. For me, I can connect with them before the show—sometimes during the show. It is also possible for us to communicate on a non-verbal level, to understand the atmosphere, each other's wishes and expectations. The relationship between the two is also like the relationship between music and party lights. Which stage lights is right for which mood? I put a lot of emphasis on their connection, and my decision will change based on the DJ's musical style.
Source Of Inspiration
There are people close to me who look at my work critically and give me feedback. I also have stage lights designers among my friends who are also one of my sources of inspiration. I'm constantly rethinking, trying to reinvent myself, hoping to create something extraordinary in stage lights.
We then spoke to Dave, a professional in the industry who has been in the industry for over two decades, designing and controlling laser lights for many different occasions and styles of music. He offers some insight into his work on the show, memorable moments and how he thinks about his craft.
Key Challenges
New Feel Laser was tasked with creating visually challenging environments for the different stages and bars. Every club performance is different, not only in music, but also in atmosphere. The team of engineers at New Feel Laser had a lot of new content, so using timecode or other automation was next to impossible. We're reacting to what's coming from the stage, and there's some issues with the structure, but when it all comes together, it works really well.
The Key to Creating Unique Stage Laser Lights
Be as flexible as possible with stage lights the stage, get as far away from the idea of stage laser lights the song as possible, and create an aesthetic throughout the show. We didn't tell Richard what he needed to do, however, deep down in each of us there was a plan for the show, and we'd been together long enough to know it was going to work out.
How to coordinate laser lights with music
Every laser vision show has to match the music, beware of the possibility of making a mistake by trying to use everything all the time. At the beginning of the performance, the laser light artist should be the first to be excited. The audience has been waiting for a long time and has expectations. Don't worry about the possibility of ruining everything when the music fits, it's the changes that make the show even better. A visual shift marks a musical shift, and that's the goal. If the music is familiar, take advantage of these moments. I've also found DJs trying to create some shape with laser lights for their shows, and it's a great feeling when trying to read what they're doing and everything coming together.
How to make a laser lights show unforgettable
An unforgettable stage laser light show is the sum of all its parts, there comes a moment when everything falls into place and everyone is a part of it, catch it. A few years ago, there was a laser lights show where the temperature dropped in the middle of the laser lights show, almost from the tropics to the poles, and then a storm swept the venue. During an icy downpour, Polynomial floats out of a loudspeaker, from a pitch-black stage, lasers glisten in the rain, all at the same time, and a moment when everyone looks up. We were also later asked to pre-track the approaching storm.
Source Of Inspiration
New Feel Laser has been lucky to work with so many amazing people and learn a lot from them all. I tend to work on the anonymous end of electronic music, so I find it interesting and challenging for artists who need to be lit in a more traditional way. It's great when the artists work with you and really use the laser lights.
Convey The Artist's Ideas
When I first talk to people about making laser lights shows, I tend to find that people want you to do their stage sets. There are usually a few ideas as a starting point and the design evolves as the budget grows and the show is envisioned. There have been a few times in the past where what actually ended up being a live show was very different from what was originally conceived a few weeks ago. The virtual ability to produce realistic stage laser stage lights visuals has dramatically changed the creative process, artists can now see their performances and it is easier to give feedback on something that is easy to understand. There will be several rounds of back and forth as you get ready for your initial gig.
"Art can wash away the dust of daily life in the soul." Whether it is a club or a live music performance, the fusion between the two art forms of music and laser lights has produced many wonderful reactions. When done right, it can create moments that change people's lives. This creative collage continues to push musicians and visual artists into new territories.