LONDON  – Bigger isn’t always necessarily better, but it certainly helps when you’re lighting an iconic multi-platinum band at a venue like OVO Wembley. Martin Dudley knows this, which is why he added eight recently acquired CHAUVET Professional Rogue R2X Wash fixtures to his floor package for UB40’s recent UK arena tour.

“We just acquired the R2X Washes, and are very happy with the extra dimension they bring to a show,” said Dudley, the owner of Martin’s Lights Ltd. “On this tour, there was no time for pre-programming, as we came straight from some smaller shows, but the clone and morph facilities on my ChamSys console allowed me to add more lighting fixtures very quickly and easily. So, going with the Rogues was a very natural decision. This was something I wanted to do to give the show a more complete look in an arena setting.”

Dudley grouped the high output (up to 8,149 lux at 5 meters) RGBW washes in two sets of four fixtures each. He positioned them on flight cases located on the arena floor to the left and right of the stage. Using the fixtures for dramatic aerial effects, he expanded the width of the stage in both directions. This created the impression that the stage was larger than it was in reality, which was important, given the number of performers on it between the quintet and all of the supporting musicians.

The brightness of the Rogue R2X Wash allowed it to stand up against the output from the fixtures in the arena rigs. “The ACL looks from the Rogues blended very nicely with the lighting from our flown fixtures,” said Dudley. “We created some very dramatic colour changes with the aerial washes.”

Dudley relied on colour changes to evoke different moods during the one hour and forty five minute show. As he usually does, he limited his palette to two colours at any one time. He also covered the stage with captivating monochromatic looks for some songs, creating an aura of intimacy inside the big arenas. For other songs, however, he went with more elaborate reggae colour schemes involving red, gold a green.

“Typically, I avoid using too many colours because I think a simpler approach adds drama and elegance to the looks and stops things from becoming messy,” he said. “Most of the colour palettes suggest themselves to me from the style, tempo or title of the song. I’ve been working for the band for three years now, so I have a sense of how my show should flow with them.”

Part of every UB40 show design for Dudley includes an ample amount of audience lighting. It was something he did on this tour with help from his entire kit, including the Rogue fixtures.

“A UB40 show is very much about the audience singing and dancing along with the band,” said Dudley. “So, lighting up the audience at the right times is essential to bringing them into the show and connecting them to the stage.”

On this tour, the stage those fans were connected to seemed a lot bigger, thanks to Dudley’s decision to expand its impression with a skillfully deployed floor package.