Kyla =^ ..^=
2011-01-06 07:10:33 UTC
An Interview with Roger Waters
Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular kicks off 25th anniversary at Center.By
Jonathan Williams
For the AJC
Not quite two months after Roger Waters brought “The Wall” tour to town,
Pink Floyd fans get another treat as the Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular
returns to Atlanta. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the show moves from
its normal location of the Fox Theatre for two shows at the more intimate
Center Stage. Each show will feature lasers and lighting choreographed to
“The Dark Side of the Moon,” as well as a second act of other Floyd hits.
Show creator/producer Steve Monsitere discusses the show’s evolution and why
Atlanta is the first city on the 25th anniversary tour.
.Q: The Atlanta shows will be the kickoff of your 25th anniversary. Why do
you tend to start your tours in Atlanta, especially for your anniversary?
A: We’ve always done very well in Atlanta. It’s one of the top five markets
we do and for a long time it was probably the top market. We were succeeding
in certain markets at certain times of the year, so, as they say, if it ain’t
broke, don’t fix it. Atlanta’s always been really good for us in January. It’s
a big city that offers a lot of entertainment options and in January, a lot
of big shows don’t tour. So we don’t have a lot of competition and there’s a
lot of promotional activity. Frankly, I think that after the Christmas
holidays, people are anxious to get away from their families and get out.
Q: How has the show evolved over the past 25 years?
A: In the beginning, it was very crude, what you could do with lasers. It
really stayed stagnant like that until the late ‘90s, when software just
really started to speed up. In the past [few] years, solid-state lasers have
become cheap enough to use on tours. The difference with the lasers is that
in the old days, you had to carry transformers and pieces of equipment that
were thousands of pounds and the size of a work desk. It took water to cool
the lasers, high-powered electricity to power them and it took up half the
truck just for a few lasers. Now we get better, brighter lasers out of
something the size of a suitcase. Computer technology has really driven
everything smaller and everything is sharper and crisper. About six or seven
years ago we started using a German-based video editing software system that
allows us to do high definition on three giant screens. Generally speaking,
the same sort of advances that consumers experience in their everyday lives,
we’re experiencing the same sort of advances with production equipment.
Q: How would you say seeing this show compares to actually seeing Pink
Floyd?
A: What we do with the music is completely different from what Roger Waters,
Pink Floyd or any band that’s covering Pink Floyd would do. We interpret the
songs, sometimes literally, the way the band meant them to be interpreted.
But some of the stuff from “The Dark Side of the Moon” lends itself to lots
of different visual interpretations, so we get to be creative visually.
So there ya have it:)
Love,
Kyla
Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular kicks off 25th anniversary at Center.By
Jonathan Williams
For the AJC
Not quite two months after Roger Waters brought “The Wall” tour to town,
Pink Floyd fans get another treat as the Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular
returns to Atlanta. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the show moves from
its normal location of the Fox Theatre for two shows at the more intimate
Center Stage. Each show will feature lasers and lighting choreographed to
“The Dark Side of the Moon,” as well as a second act of other Floyd hits.
Show creator/producer Steve Monsitere discusses the show’s evolution and why
Atlanta is the first city on the 25th anniversary tour.
.Q: The Atlanta shows will be the kickoff of your 25th anniversary. Why do
you tend to start your tours in Atlanta, especially for your anniversary?
A: We’ve always done very well in Atlanta. It’s one of the top five markets
we do and for a long time it was probably the top market. We were succeeding
in certain markets at certain times of the year, so, as they say, if it ain’t
broke, don’t fix it. Atlanta’s always been really good for us in January. It’s
a big city that offers a lot of entertainment options and in January, a lot
of big shows don’t tour. So we don’t have a lot of competition and there’s a
lot of promotional activity. Frankly, I think that after the Christmas
holidays, people are anxious to get away from their families and get out.
Q: How has the show evolved over the past 25 years?
A: In the beginning, it was very crude, what you could do with lasers. It
really stayed stagnant like that until the late ‘90s, when software just
really started to speed up. In the past [few] years, solid-state lasers have
become cheap enough to use on tours. The difference with the lasers is that
in the old days, you had to carry transformers and pieces of equipment that
were thousands of pounds and the size of a work desk. It took water to cool
the lasers, high-powered electricity to power them and it took up half the
truck just for a few lasers. Now we get better, brighter lasers out of
something the size of a suitcase. Computer technology has really driven
everything smaller and everything is sharper and crisper. About six or seven
years ago we started using a German-based video editing software system that
allows us to do high definition on three giant screens. Generally speaking,
the same sort of advances that consumers experience in their everyday lives,
we’re experiencing the same sort of advances with production equipment.
Q: How would you say seeing this show compares to actually seeing Pink
Floyd?
A: What we do with the music is completely different from what Roger Waters,
Pink Floyd or any band that’s covering Pink Floyd would do. We interpret the
songs, sometimes literally, the way the band meant them to be interpreted.
But some of the stuff from “The Dark Side of the Moon” lends itself to lots
of different visual interpretations, so we get to be creative visually.
So there ya have it:)
Love,
Kyla