Brothers Gow has done over 500 live shows since the quintet was formed in Flagstaff, Arizona in late 2007, and it’s safe to say that no two performances have ever been the same. Fans never know where this jam band is going to take them musically as it seamlessly blends rock, funk, jazz, reggae and other genres in fresh new ways. Such music calls for a lightshow with the speed and suppleness to wrap itself around the band’s free-flowing sound, which is exactly what lighting designer Matt Collier is providing on its current “Fly With Me Tour,” using a collection of Chauvet fixtures.
“Brothers Gow is a band that makes a lot of transitions, embraces a lot of different styles of music and is always ready to improvise, so being quick is very important,” said Collier. “Having basic and static red or blue lights on stage wouldn’t do this band or its music justice.”
Collier created a light show that reflects the band’s improvisational spirt. At the heart of his rig is a 20’ overhead truss with eight evenly spaced eight SlimPAR 64 RGB LED par style fixtures from CHAUVET DJ accompanied by an equal number of CHAUVET Professional Q-Spot 260 moving heads. His rig also includes four CHAUVET DJ Intimidator Wash Zoom 350 IRC RGBW moving fixtures as well as additional SlimPARs. The Intimidators are positioned on the floor, either upstage or downstage, depending on the mood of a particular show; and the SlimPAR 64 fixtures are used as accent and truss lighting.
The Fly With Me rig is more than just fast on stage, said Collier, it’s also quick and easy to set up and tear down, an essential attribute given the group’s touring schedule. The truss at the heart of his rig is made up of 5’, 10’ and 5’ sticks to accommodate stages of different sizes, while still allowing Collier to keep a symmetrical design. “I pre-wired the truss and zip tied two cords to it,” said the LD. “This makes setup a lot easier and cuts the amount of time required in half.”
