Adlib Helps Big it up for Overtones Tour posted: 17/01/2020
Liverpool, UK-based production specialist Adlib continued its excellent working relationship with popular vocal harmony group The Overtones, supplying lighting equipment and crew to their latest UK tour, supporting LD and set designer Neil Holloway.
Adlib has in fact been an equipment supplier for the band since their career took off in 2010, and it's been a great journey for all involved to see the band's success. Neil, now a busy freelance designer working internationally for a diverse range of clients, was working full time for Adlib back in 2010, and that's also where his association with The Overtones started.
Ahead of this tour he got together with The Boys - Mike Crawshaw, Darren Daz' Everest, Mark Franks and newcomer Jay James Picton - and they all tossed thoughts and ideas around each one of them leading to a big band' look and style for the stage.
Understated elegance and a gentle symmetry defined the set which comprised of a central staircase flanked by two risers each side for the band, plus four signature big band art deco set pieces which all were constructed by the very talented backline crew!
Other parameters pertinent to the design included it having to fit the budget and into one truck shared with PA and backline, as well as being scalable to fit and look good in a variety of different sized venues.
There was no video on the tour, but a super-slick Overtones LED sign at the back - custom built by Light Initiative - set the scene, positioned just in front of a spectacular silver lam Austrian curtain from Adlib's drapes inventory.
Every lighting fixture on the rig had to be multi-purpose and work hard in several different contexts to earn its place on the tour.
The core moving light fixtures - Robe Spikies for the beams and Martin MAC Auras for the LED washes - were selected for their small size, power, and functionality.
Twenty-four Spikies were distributed on the back and mid trusses, 12 on each, while six of the 10 Auras were on the floor, three per side, for low level cross stage washes, with the other four on Manfrotto stands for cross lighting the band standing on the upstage risers.
They were joined by 12 x GLP X4 Bar 20 LED battens. Four Oxo Pixyline 150s, another RGBW LED batten fixture, were used to graze up the fronts of the four deco bandstand' set pieces.
Upstage on the deck, sitting on bespoke plinths made for the tour, was a row of seven Ayrton Bora S wash / FX moving heads which Neil used to create high-impact gobo effects.
He loved the 64-degree zoom and the scope and versatility this brought to the visual picture. Using a single Bora, he could silhouette all four Overtones against a kabuki cloth which dropped at the top of the show, and the stunning and intense gobo effects using all seven units impressed everyone.
He also utilised 80 x 1m LEDBLADES, a new mappable 16mm pitch LED strip product developed by a Budapest-based AV and rental company that is steadily becoming popular. These were used to outline the set risers and central steps, together with thirteen 3-metre sections on the mid-truss that produced a roof effect.
They were another fixture that Neil maximised fully in the show with colourful geometric chases and cool architectural looks. They brought a completely different dynamic to the stage and I will definitely be using them again, he stated.
Eight Portman P2 Hexaline bars were rigged vertically across the stage standing on tank-trap bases, bringing some cosy flourishes of tungsten to an otherwise all-LED lighting rig.
This carefully chosen and well-placed collection of very different fixtures thoughtfully programmed and intelligently used brought all the dynamics and depth that Neil envisioned, and - not that this was an issue - it pulled absolutely minimal power!
For front lighting, they hooked into the house profiles at each venue, typically between 12 and 20 x classic ETC Source Fours, which were used to light the forestage, The Boys, and the band.
At the essence of this design was the ability to adapt and fit the basic shape and essential look into all the venues on the itinerary for full visual continuity, a plan that worked practically and seamlessly.
Neil ran all the lighting from a grandMA2 light console.
Adlib sent Tom Webber as the head lighting technician, whose vast experience and knowledge helped ensure that everything was meticulously prepped before they hit the road, and he was assisted by James Britten. We were a great team, commented Neil, and everything I achieved creatively was enabled by and a reflection of how hard they worked each day to get everything in.
He added that his and the band's relationship to Adlib was a key to making the tour run smoothly, look great and represent great value. He lives quite close to Adlib's new warehouse and office complex in Knowsley and comments, The facilities and the kit they have now are world-class and truly fantastic. As someone who started off working there, it's a great feeling to see the company grow and develop so successfully and still retain all the personal touches and relationships.
Adlibs Jordan Willis (Account Manager) commented, It is always a pleasure helping Neil to bring his creative vision to life and this was absolutely no exception. We look forward to a continued working relationship and hopefully bringing more of his projects into fruition.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
13/11/2026
The UIM E1 Series wraps its third season this week with the Bombay Sapphire E1 Miami GP, Nov. 11-14, on Biscayne Bay at the Miami Seaplane Base on Watson Island...
13/11/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
13/11/2026
Singer-songwriter Benson Boone will headline entertainment for the Discover NHL Winter Classic between the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles St...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone, a 7th order ambisonic microphone array that captures spatial audio for immersive video prod...
13/11/2026
SMPTE has announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infrastructure and communications technology for the Solutions Hub at t...
13/11/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) has announced the theme and program focus for the 2027 HPA Tech Retreat, which takes place Feb. 14-18, 2027, in La ...
13/11/2026
Football Manager 27 Touch is available on Apple Arcade starting today. The game ...
13/11/2026
MotoGP has announced a two-year media rights agreement with ESPN covering the Un...
13/11/2026
Apple Sports, the free iPhone app, has added the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to its lineup of supported sports, in time for Saturday's UFC 334. The...
13/11/2026
The NBA and Fanatics Studios, the joint venture between Fanatics and entertainme...
13/11/2026
ESPN held its annual EDGE Innovation Conference last night and offered up an ove...
13/11/2026
Regional sports network gives Ithaca College, SUNY Cortland students a platform to thrive
One of the biggest games in Division III college football will be pla...
13/11/2026
Studer-inspired 500-series PWM compressor unveiled
The HLabs range already includes a couple of Studer-inspired offerings in the form of the PRE169 and EQ16...
13/11/2026
Download Now!
To view the white paper, please enter the following details:
--
First Name* First Name
Company*
Country* Please select your countryA...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Blue Lucy, the workflow orchestration and integration platform for broadcasters, rights owners and localisation companies, today announced an integration with c...
13/11/2026
Krotos announces Black Friday offers on Studio Pro and Studio Max
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
First-year annual plans start at US$195.99...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
New 7th order ambisonic microphone with 108 MEMS...
13/11/2026
Meet the Berklee Student Setting Planetary Motion to Music With his compositional platform SoniKosmos, Javier Roqueni aims to make the universe the ultimate i...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Amagi, the media industry cloud company, today announced a partnership with Golden Times Media Technology (stock code 920021.BJ), a Beijing-based media and tech...
13/11/2026
CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB), one of the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world, together with its Malaysian partner, Cedar ...
13/11/2026
SMPTE, the home for media professionals, technologists and engineers, today announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infra...
13/11/2026
iWedia, a global leader in connected TV software solutions, will present its software-first approach to DRAM optimization at Android TV APAC Summit 2026 in Bang...
13/11/2026
Beginning today, November 13, Apple HomeView is available for purchase at Apple Store locations, on the Apple Store online, and in the Apple Store app in select...
13/11/2026
From pediatric research to smart hospitals, AI is helping care teams spend less time on routine tasks and more time with patients.
Health systems and startups...
12/11/2026
Industry leaders examine how Dynamic Media Facility, Media eXchange Layer, and c...
12/11/2026
The junior Tar Heel is embracing the technical and creative challenges of live production while emerging as a leader and mentor in the control room...
12/11/2026
Gracenote, Nielsen's content intelligence business, has released its fifth a...
12/11/2026
RTL Deutschland will bring the NHL to free-to-air TV in Germany starting Nov. 30...
12/11/2026
Clear-Com supported On Air 2026, a 24-hour student-led broadcast connecting 45 u...
12/11/2026
uniqFEED has opened a Remote Operations Center (ROC) in Madrid, Spain. It is already operational, delivering virtual advertising for LaLiga matches. The ROC is ...
12/11/2026
Disney, ESPN and the NBA will present Dunk the Halls, the third real-time animated NBA game using Sony's Beyond Sports data visualization technology, on Chr...
12/11/2026
Van Wagner has launched Van Wagner RELAY, a digital platform for official athlet...
12/11/2026
Deal brings together two of the industry's most established graphics brands and significantly expands Vizrt's footprint in U.S. sports and regional broa...
12/11/2026
Euro TV Production GmbH of Austria has upgraded its outside broadcast vehicle with Lawo technology. The mc 36 Classic console in service since 2019 was replaced...
12/11/2026
Tagboard has launched Spark Resize, an AI-assisted tool now in beta that takes an existing graphic and produces a new version for a different aspect ratio or sc...
Adlib Helps Big it up for Overtones Tour posted: 17/01/2020 
