Why is there no single set "for the band"?

There is no single standard concert lighting package because different bands use light in completely different ways. One may only need clear front light, a few washes, and calm backlight, while another builds the entire show on several groups of moving fixtures, floor package, and precisely programmed cues.

The following are important:

• the genre and character of the music,
• the number of musicians,
• the arrangement on stage,
• the size of the stage,
• the scenography,
• the length of the concert,
• the presence of a dedicated technician,
• the use of playback,
• timecode,
• the requirements for cameras and video.

Therefore, one should not start with the question "how many moving heads does the band need?", but with how the show should look and what functions the system must provide..

If the organizer wants to understand the very structure of concert lighting design, material on how professional concert lighting looks will be helpful.. 

What is a lighting rider?

A lighting rider is part of the technical documentation of the artist that describes the requirements for lighting, control, and often also the stage and positions of fixtures.

It can include both general functional requirements and very specific specifications.

The rider may include:

• fixture plot,
• types of fixtures,
• required models,
• minimum numbers of devices,
• positions front, side, and back,
• floor package,
• type of console,
• requirements for the control network,
• addressing or patch,
• haze,
• followspot,
• show file,
• timecode,
• requirements for the technician.

A good rider should not be treated like a shopping list without context. Its task is to describe the conditions that allow for the recreation of the intended show.

Therefore, before the event, it is necessary to check which elements are critical, which can be replaced with equivalents, and which arise only from the preferences of the producer. 

How does the size of the stage affect the requirements?

The size of the stage affects not only the number of fixtures but primarily on the distances, angles, and the number of zones that need to be covered with light.

On a small stage, a few sources can effectively cover the entire band. On a wide stage, the same setup will create uneven levels and leave some musicians outside the proper light.

Depth is also important.

If the drummer is far behind the line of vocals and guitars, they may require a separate zone. Similarly, keyboards set on an elevation or musicians on the sides of the stage may need independent lighting.

A larger stage also provides more opportunities for effects. You can create several planes, use deeper backlight, additional side positions, or a more extensive floor package.

At the same time, the importance of rigging and a precise fixture plot increases.

How to ensure the visibility of musicians?

The visibility of musicians must be planned independently of the effects. Even the most elaborate show lighting does not fulfill its function if the audience and cameras do not see the main performers when they should.

However, this does not mean that the entire band should be evenly lit throughout the concert.

In many shows, visibility is an element of drama. The vocalist can be more prominently featured during the verse, while the whole band opens up only in the chorus. The drummer may work mainly in backlight for part of the song, and later get their own special.

The most important thing is that the lighting designer or operator has access to the right tools.

If the entire rig consists of beams shining towards the audience, it is not possible to automatically create good, stable light on the faces.

Therefore, a functional concert rig needs both effect layers and practical layers.

Front light

Front light is primarily responsible for the visibility of the faces and the front part of the musicians' silhouettes.

It is most often needed for:

• the main vocalist,
• guitarists,
• the bassist,
• the keyboardist,
• guest musicians,
• additional stage positions.

It does not have to be very strong or flat.

At a concert, front light usually works better, providing adequate readability while leaving space for more dramatic side and back directions.

With events involving cameras, the requirements increase. A vocalist who looks sufficiently readable to the audience may appear too dark on camera against a bright LED wall.

Therefore, front light should also be designed in relation to the video and camera production of the concert.

Backlight and side light

Backlight and side light are crucial for building depth and separating musicians from the background.

Backlight from the back of the stage can create a silhouette outline, a strong silhouette effect, or visible beams in haze.

Side light works from the sides and shapes the silhouette in a way that cannot be achieved with just the front.

In practice, these two directions often account for the "concert" character of the image.

Front provides readability. Back and side build space.

One can leave the front relatively calm, while creating all the drama through changes in color, movement, and intensity from the back of the stage.

This division is particularly useful because it allows for the visibility of performers without losing the dynamics of the show.

Wash, profile, and beam – what functions do they serve?

Wash, profile, and beam serve different tasks and should not be treated as simple substitutes.

Wash is used for wide coverage of the stage and building color surfaces. It can work as front, side, or backlight.

Profile allows for more precise control of the field and its edges. It is useful when one needs to illuminate the vocalist, the scenery, or a specific area accurately.

Beam creates a narrow, concentrated beam that works best as a spatial effect.

In practice, the team system can utilize all three functions simultaneously.

For example, wash creates a color background, profile leads the vocalist, and beam builds the effect during the chorus.

More about the categories of equipment is described in the material about what lighting devices are used during concerts..

Floor package – when is it needed?

The floor package is a set of fixtures placed on the stage floor, on risers or elements of the scenery. It is needed when the show requires specific directions and looks that cannot be guaranteed solely based on the local rig.

This is a very popular solution on tours.

The band can travel with their own floor package, while the main light above the stage is provided by the local supplier.

Such a package may include:

• moving heads,
• beams,
• washes,
• pixel bars,
• strobes,
• blinders,
• decorative elements.

The biggest advantage is repeatability.

If the band uses a similar setup of fixtures behind the drums and on the sides of the stage every day, the programmer can maintain a significant part of the show despite changing local conditions.

The floor package must, however, be coordinated with the stage plot, backline, power supply, and pathways for the musicians.

Blinders, strobes, and other effects

Blinders, strobes, and other effect devices are not the basis of the system, but they can greatly enhance the dynamics of the concert.

Blinders most often shine towards the audience and help build shared moments between the stage and the audience.

Strobes are used for quick, strong accents.

Pixel fixtures, linear effects, and other sources that create distinctive looks may also appear.

The most important thing is to use them as accents.

If the blinders and strobe lights are used for most of the concert, they stop being effective. A good show uses contrast – part of the piece can be minimalist so that the next moment truly looks stronger.

Therefore, the rider should specify which effects are crucial for the show, and which can be replaced with another solution.

Haze

Haze is needed when visible beams and spatial effects are an important element of the show.

A fine mist in the air diffuses light and makes it visible not only on the surface where the beam falls but also along its path.

Without haze, many beams and effects will look significantly weaker.

A band using a lot of backlighting, beams, and intersecting beams in the show can therefore treat haze as an important element of the rider.

However, it is not always possible to use it.

It is necessary to consider:

• regulations and rules of the venue,
• fire detection systems,
• ventilation,
• outdoor conditions,
• impact on cameras.

In outdoor settings, an additional problem is the wind, which can quickly remove the mist from the stage.

Console and band engineer

If the band travels with their own lighting engineer, the type of console can be very significant.

The operator may have their own show file, workflow, and specific way of working. Switching to a completely different control platform just before the concert may mean the need to rebuild a large part of the show.

Therefore, the rider often specifies:

• a specific family of consoles,
• accepted substitutes,
• required software version,
• number of universes,
• method of connection,
• control network,
• ability to import the show file.

In the case of a band without its own operator, the local operator must know the flow of the concert and establish how to run the show.

Then setlists, recordings, and information about key moments of individual songs are very helpful.

Show file and programming

A show file is a record of the system configuration and the programmed show. It may contain patches, groups, positions, colors, effects, cues, playbacks, and other elements used by the operator.

If the band has its own show file, the local system must be appropriately adjusted to it.

This does not always mean an identical rig.

The operator can repatch part of the show to available devices, but then they need to know their functions and capabilities.

The biggest problems arise when the local supplier informs that they have "similar lights," but they differ in significant parameters.

If the show uses framing, and the substitute does not have it, a part of the cue will not be played back. If the original beam has a very narrow optic, and the substitute works more like a spot, the spatial effect will be different.

Therefore, programming and substitutions should be discussed before the event.

Timecode and playback – when are they required?

Timecode is needed when lighting needs to be precisely synchronized with playback, video, or a specific music flow.

In that case, the console receives information about the time position and triggers pre-programmed cues at specific moments.

This allows for precise synchronization of:

• strobes,
• color changes,
• fixture movement,
• blackout,
• effects,
• transitions,
• video.

Not every team needs this.

For concerts played freely, with improvisation or variable song lengths, busking or manual cue triggering may be more practical.

If the timecode is an element of the rider, the lighting advance should also establish its source, method of delivery, and responsibility for its proper functioning.

How to prepare substitutes for devices from the rider?

The substitute should be chosen based on function, not just by category and power.

If the rider requires a specific fixture, you should first check why it was specifically listed.

It may concern:

• zoom range,
• photometry,
• framing,
• gobos,
• color quality,
• speed of movement,
• type of source,
• character of beam,
• pixel control capabilities.

Only then can you find a device that serves a similar function.

One should not assume that every wash will replace any other wash.

When preparing a substitution list, it is good to provide:

• proposed model,
• quantity,
• position,
• the most important differences,
• possible limitations.

If the change is significant, it should be approved by the production manager or the person responsible for lighting on the artist's side.

How to conduct a lighting advance?

A lighting advance is the process of reconciling the artist's requirements with actual venue capabilities and the local system before the concert day.

This is when issues that would be problematic on the show day should be resolved.

The advance should primarily cover:

• the current lighting rider,
• fixture plot,
• house rig,
• available fixture models,
• substitutions,
• rigging positions,
• floor package,
• the console,
• show file,
• universes and patch,
• haze,
• timecode,
• schedule,
• time for programming and rehearsals.

It is also important to determine who brings each of the elements.

If the band has its own console and floor package, and the local company provides the rig above the stage, it is necessary to clearly establish the point of contact between both systems.

A good advance should end with a situation where the artist's production manager knows what to expect on site, and the local crew knows what will be needed from them.

It's not about mindlessly fulfilling every entry from the rider. It's about achieving a technically agreed solution that allows for the planned show to be recreated.

If the organizer receives the artist's rider, it is worth passing it for analysis along with the stage plot and schedule. This way,the preparation of concert lighting according to the band's rider can be finished even before installation begins.

Summary

The lighting needed by the band during the concert should come from its lighting rider, the nature of the show, and the conditions of the specific stage. The basis consists of lights for the musicians, front, backlight, and side light, while additional layers may include wash, profiles, beam, floor package, blinders, strobes, and haze.

In more complex productions, as important as the lights themselves are the console, show file, programming, and any timecode.

The most important thing is not the specific model of the device, but the function it serves in the show. Therefore, substitutes should be chosen consciously and agreed upon with the artist's technician.

In the implementation of concert lighting according to the rider a key stage is the lighting advance, which allows for the prior establishment of the existing system, floor package, substitutions, control, and the course of rehearsals.

Frequently Asked Questions