Week Zero - Jimmy Balistreri - Lighting in the Pit - Sample Post

 

Concert lighting has always fascinated me, ever since I first saw Aerosmith when I was in middle school. The sheer elevation that dynamic lighting can bring, even to a mediocre musical act, is remarkable. Last weekend, I attended a concert at the Warfield in San Francisco that made me wonder something about concert lighting that I had never before: Can a lighting designer make specific choices to make moshing more enjoyable? 

Now, my music taste has always leaned towards the rock world, so I have experienced moshing in all different environments, from barns to basements to 1920's ballrooms to modern outdoor mega venues. From my perspective, and judging especially upon the concert last weekend, I most appreciate timing of cuing and effects when moshing. The faster and more frantic it feels, even if it starts to push beyond the music (which last weekend felt like), it makes the moshing more enjoyable. The stark differences between colors, sharp movement, strobing, and hits that timed with the music made each rotation through the pit different, and it's what keeps pulling me back into the pit time and time again.