The 62nd Grammy Awards became the first major broadcast event to utilize a large complement of Claypaky Xtylos fixtures when Lighting Designers Bob Dickinson and Noah Mitz of Full Flood Inc. deployed 60 Xtylos for Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani’s duet, “Nobody But You.”
In addition, 118 Claypaky Mythos 2 fixtures were part of the main set rig and the dish stage at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. PRG was the lighting vendor.
The show’s Creative Producer Raj Kapoor asked the lighting designers for a lighting installation that would separate Shelton and Stefani from the band and enfold them as they performed the romantic ballad.
“Raj was looking for lighting as architecture to surround the duo,” says Mitz. “We first thought of Mythos 2, but when we realized Xtylos would be available we made the switch.”
He notes that Xtylos had been on the LDs’ radar since last summer. “We were impressed by their color rendering, color intensity and the tightness of the beams. We were looking for an opportunity to use them.”
Lighting Director Madigan Stehly designed a series of custom carts for the Xtylos, the first moving head light with a laser light source. The Xtylos formed a pencil-beam cage of architectural positions between the duet’s verse and choruses starting with a lacy lattice look and transitioning to a straight aligned grid.
“The carts aligned the fixtures in a perfect grid, covered the joins and made everything accurate and repeatable. Xtylos was a perfect match for that performance; they delivered on the creative beam look we were going for,” Mitz declares.
Lighting Director Patrick Boozer programmed the Xtylos for the performance. “I am always cautious when programming a brand-new fixture for a live broadcast show, but the Xtylos worked perfectly out of the box and Claypaky support was with us 100 percent throughout the project,” he says.
“Having used them once, we can’t wait to put a large quantity of the Xtylos through their paces in a big, upbeat performance on a future project,” Mitz reports.
The LDs chose 110 Mythos 2s for the main lighting rig where they were arrayed in ribbons above the LED videowall; they were featured in multiple performances, including the collaboration between Aerosmith and Run DMC. Lighting Director Andy O’Reilly programmed the fixtures.
Additionally, eight Mythos 2s were built into the circular perimeter of the dish stage in the middle of the audience, which hosted Alicia Keys and a tribute to Nipsey Hussle. The fixtures were installed under glass and were revealed as needed by circular pieces of flooring material that covered the glass.
“The Mythos 2 served as a fully-functioning beam, color mixing, high-output spot in both the set rig and dish stage,” Mitz points out.
“It was an amazing experience to see this team create such a wonderful vision with the XTYLOS fixture,” concludes Ray Whitton, Western US Sales Manager for Claypaky. “The Xtylos were the lighting eye candy of the evening and truly an eye opening segment.”
