Electronic dance music is more than just music, it is an experience. People go to shows and festivals to experience the lights, the crowd, the performers and more. But the light show doesn’t happen over night, a team is behind the spectacular performance, and the man behind the lights at the Perry Stage at Lollapalooza is Steve Lieberman.
In a recent interview with RedEye that was in the Chicago Tribune Steve Lieberman talks about his experience with lighting design. He started as a “barback and floor mopper” in the 80s and now is designing for some of the biggest festivals, Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival and Lollapalooza.
When it comes to building a great lighting design a lot comes down to the the trust the company has for the lighting designer and vice versa. C3 puts on a number of festivals throughout the world, Austin City Limits, a number of Lollapaloozas and Shaky Beats Music Festival, are just a few that they present. But the light show at Lollapalooza is made possible from the trust they have with Steve Lieberman and his team.
Because there is not as much of a live show aspect to DJ shows, the lighting is crucial. “They have their light show, which really needs to both aurally and visually enhance that experience and translate the music into a more immersive experience.”
As a festival attendee it is easy to forget the hard work that went into every aspect of the festival. From the music to the lights, every person plays a crucial part in a successful year. We might only see lights but the people behind those spent years figuring our their craft. You can read more of the interview here and next time you are at a festival take a look at all the lights and planning that went into that show.
Important things happen in Pacific Northwest nightlife, and DMNW will send you alerts!
