Mumford & Sons follow Delta Route with Kinesys posted: 16/06/2019
Talented UK alt-folk rock band Mumford & Sons are midway through a world tour promoting their fourth studio album, Delta, which dropped at the end of 2018. The live show features a stunning and highly creative lighting design by long term LD Ed Warren and Phil Kaikoura which includes an extensive Kinesys automation system.
The Kinesys Apex System being used on the tour was chosen and invested in by UK-based Brilliant Stages who designed and provided the mothergrid system. Also in use are a series of bespoke spine trusses designed to span under venue score boards. The Kinesys motors are mounted inside Brilliant's own custom truss sections, with two motors per section of truss that are then attached to the mothergrid spines through connection plates.
The lighting design started with Ed and Phil receiving a brief from the band containing -amongst other things - some cryptic statements about what Delta meant to them, which was followed by several months of back-and-forth, with set / video designers Stufish, Ed and Phil all throwing different ideas and proposals into the mix to see what stuck.
Show designer Ric Lipson from Stufish always planned an in-the-round show which brought many physical challenges for lighting - restricted positions for overhead trussing, sightlines, the band being able to move freely around the space, etc. Setup and rigging time were another major consideration as the dates were booked before the production was finalised!
All of this led to the essence of the lighting design being based on a series of moving pods. These could be varied according to the size and shape of the venues and followed Ed and Phil's original concept, which was to fill that over-stage void - common to in-the-round stage designs - with practical production elements.
Often, this space might be filled with LED screens, but Ed and Phil explained that the band have never been keen on big LED video looks, so they instead produced a solution to transform the space that could build and change throughout the show and also offer a level of inclusion' for the audience.
The flat 5ft high stage in the centre of the arena measures 12 by 7.5 metres, and above this are the 14 lighting pods - trusses connected by a special cradle - and each one is picked up by the two Kinesys 500kg Apex motors.
The pods were designed to be more sculptural than utilitarian. The shape came loosely from the classic Mumford wings with a slight copper powdered coating reflecting the lights from above when the pods are lowered.
The construction of the pods is designed so they simply split in the middle with a few catches. From the dolly, it only takes a couple of crew to clip each end of the pods together, before they are attached to the Kinesys Apex motor and flown up in a matter of minutes.
The pods are each loaded with four Portman P2s, a single Martin MAC Aura XB and a GLP JDC1 LED strobe and they move into different positions and looks.
There are also six lighting trusses, with the four centremost also each on two Kinesys motors making up a total of 36 Kinesys points.
Ed had previously used Kinesys on the band's last Wilder Mind tour, but it soon became clear that Delta would be a whole new level in terms of automation complexity and sophistication.
As the design developed and started to involve a huge number of live' moves happening above the band and the stage space right in the centre of the arena, they wanted a super safe automation product and the new Apex system ticked this box with its almost endless list of safety protocols and protection, explained Ed.
On a design note, he adds that it was also capable of creating the very fluid and elegant moves and subtleties we needed for the different pod scenes.
A series of shapes are created throughout the set combining the fourteen pods and four lighting trusses, varying from asymmetric and a sloping low ceiling over the stage, to pointing the pods out to face the crowd, creating a wall of light.
This shifting architecture provides a fantastically dynamic environment for the performance.
The pods also move in a wave formation during a couple of songs and a slow corkscrew motion on others bringing an additional energy to the show.
For the big pyro moment during Darkness Visible all three of the lighting trusses fly in as low as possible to the stage - around 7ft - just above the band's heads, with pyro comets shooting up into the rig creating a super dramatic look.
In addition, there is a ring of lighting trusses around the stage with Zactrack controlled Claypaky Scenius Unicos which are mapped seamlessly so they fade between zones around the space for key lighting.
Automation proved a perfect visual solution for this scenario where Ed and Phil needed to get as much variation as possible in a technically challenging in-the-round format, stated Ed.
With no backlight and working only with lighting from directly above the band, they had to be imaginative and think out-of-the-box to get the best effects.
The 36 Apex motors are being controlled by Luke Williams operating a Kinesys Vector PC based controller - part of Brilliant's purchase which was masterminded for them by Ben Brooks.
During the production rehearsal period at Fly by Nite's studios in Redditch, Luke, Ed and Phil created around 30 different and unique pod looks including an all-important V formation - a nod to the classic Mumford wings', and the aforementioned eye-catching continuous corkscrew movement.
At the top of the set, the pods start in a homed' flat position. A few numbers in, some pods - still in the flat position - sneak down to their mid' height flown positions as the first moves start to unfold.
As the set builds, more interesting looks are introduced, in
Europe Stories
09/11/2025
Dalet today announced a transformative leap forward for media operations: Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) that unifies the Dalet ecosystem under one natura...
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
17/09/2025
It was the ultimate convergence of pop culture and literary prestige: Last night, Dua Lipa brought her Service95 Book Club podcast to the stage for a special li...
17/09/2025
Transatlantic collaboration combines experience and agility to drive innovation in network design and delivery
Luxembourg, September 16, 2025 - SES, a leading ...
17/09/2025
Wednesday 17 September 2025
UK artists capture icons of stage and screen, inclu...
17/09/2025
For the Moon Safari anniversary tour, AIR opened the doors to their backstage. Just a few hours before the Paris concert, DPA met with two key figures of the te...
17/09/2025
Auditions will be held in Dublin, Cork and Galway
The County Parade returns f...
16/09/2025
Hace una d cada, la m sica latina representaba apenas el 8% de las reproducciones globales en Spotify. Hoy, constituye m s de una cuarta parte (27%) de toda la ...
16/09/2025
A decade ago, Latin music made up just 8% of global Spotify streams. Today, it a...
16/09/2025
Spotify is expanding our video lineup with a new partnership with Zoo 55, part of ITV Studios. For the first time, acclaimed content from ITV Studios is landing...
16/09/2025
Calrec has strengthened its collaboration with audio metering expert RTW by integrating RTW's new TMxCore metering platform across its full range of Argo IP...
16/09/2025
Leading space solutions company will use optical ground stations to deliver faster, more secure data from space
Luxembourg, September 15, 2025 - SES, a leading...
16/09/2025
Comscore Unveils The Scoreboard: An Interactive Destination Surfacing Consumer B...
15/09/2025
Global K-Pop sensation aespa is redefining what it means to be rich with the r...
15/09/2025
Every day, millions of people around the world turn to Spotify to enjoy the audi...
15/09/2025
After months of intensive planning and implementation, Brembo SGL Carbon Ceramic...
15/09/2025
Unique sports content orchestration platform builds momentum among SES's cus...
15/09/2025
-- Opens door to growth in renewable energy New Delhi, India - 15th September -- Global business and industry leaders from around the world are joining technol...
13/09/2025
Harmonic's Software-Based XOS Advanced Media Processor Provides Unparalleled Efficiency and Unlocks New Business Models SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 13, 2025 -...
12/09/2025
For fans, we know how important it is to stay plugged into music culture and dis...
12/09/2025
Link ping, Sweden and Shipley, United Kingdom, September 12, 2025 - Agama, the expert in video observability and analytics for service quality and customer expe...
12/09/2025
Feature-length retrospective from Studio Crook to air in 2026
Sir David Jason returns to the nation's favourite comedy channel, U&GOLD, for Open All Hours:...
12/09/2025
Friday 12 September 2025
The Boomtown Rats, Nyah Grace, Soweto Kinch, Royal Ballet and Madness also announced to perform at the ceremony on Tuesday
Sky today ...
12/09/2025
Wuppertal September 12, 2025
Riedel Unveils Ultra-Light Bolero Mini Wireless Intercom BeltpackAt IBC2025 in Amsterdam, Riedel Communications unveiled Bolero M...
12/09/2025
Wuppertal September 12, 2025
Riedel Communications Acquires hi human interfaceRiedel Communications today announced the acquisition of hi human interface fro...
12/09/2025
CORE+ virtually removes distortion, setting a new standard for church sound and giving worship teams the clarity and confidence they need.
Read the full artic...
12/09/2025
The Late Late Show is back with a bang after the summer break, and Patrick Kielt...
12/09/2025
The World Athletics Championships, Ireland v France in the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-final, the Irish Champions Festival, and two Sports Direct Men...
12/09/2025
The Records Show starts Sunday at 6.30pm on RT One and RT Player.
Katie Hanno...
11/09/2025
RADAR, Spotify's program for emerging talent, recently hit a major milestone...
11/09/2025
Link ping, Sweden, September 11, 2025 - Agama, the expert in video observability & analytics for service quality and customer experience, announced today the la...
11/09/2025
Under the USD 89.6 Million award, SES Space & Defense will provide global commer...
11/09/2025
Leading Balkan DTH provider adds capacity to consolidate its m:Sat TV platform at 23.5 degrees East and serve more customers across the region
Luxembourg, 11 S...
11/09/2025
UKTV's free streaming service U launches on Sky Q
Free streaming service U has launched on Sky Q in the UK, UKTV and Sky confirm today, expanding the footp...
11/09/2025
From the discreet 2061 lavaliers to 4099 and 4011 mics, the setup delivered clean, natural sound in one of the most challenging broadcast environments.
Read th...
11/09/2025
From rugged build quality to natural, detailed sound, the verdict is clear: big performance can come in a very small package.
Read the full review here!...
11/09/2025
Tonight on Prime Time
RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm
Tonight RT Prime Time...
11/09/2025
RT Statement: 2026 Eurovision Song Contest
At the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in July, a number of EBU members raised concerns ...
10/09/2025
Lossless on Spotify Premium is here.
Lossless audio has been one of the most a...
10/09/2025
The Television Will Be Revolutionised Sep 10, 2025
Written by Sunit Kotecha, Director of Delivery and Operations, YouView
2025 marks a century since the f...
10/09/2025
First of Spains F110 frigates get future-ready with Rohde & Schwarz communicatio...
10/09/2025
Harmonic's cOS Platform Supports DOCSIS and Fiber, Enabling Midco to Deliver Reliable Multi-Gigabit Connectivity to Subscribers SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 10,...
10/09/2025
RT brings three days of live radio, live entertainment, live news, live weather, personal appearances, and more
Join RT Radio 1: Morning Ireland, The Oliver ...
09/09/2025
Since 2020, Spotify's RADAR program has been a launchpad for emerging talent...
09/09/2025
In 2020, Spotify launched RADAR with a clear mission: to identify, nurture, and ...
09/09/2025
If you're on BookTok, you know the drill. You scroll, you tap, and suddenly your To Be Read list is overflowing with trending must-reads. Not unlike Spoti...
09/09/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
09/09/2025
Harmonic's VOS360 Ad SaaS Enables Personalized Ad Delivery and Seamless Integration with the Ad Tech Ecosystem SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 9, 2025 - Harmonic ...
09/09/2025
St. Luke's Episcopal Church in New Jersey needed audio that truly connects and they found the answer.
Read the full case study here!...
Mumford & Sons follow Delta Route with Kinesys posted: 16/06/2019 
