During our interview with this Portland, Oregon based designer we wondered how many miles he’s traveled in his successful career. We never got to ask him, but if we had to guess, we’d estimate that it’s probably enough to circle the globe more than a few times.

Ever since he started pushing cases around at The Crystal Ballroom on Burnside Street in his home town, Eric Price has been immersed in show production. After graduating from Full Sail University, his career has revolved around lighting – and after honing his skill over years on the road, Price can light with the best of them. Whether it’s using perpendicular beams to converge on an artist down stage, or hitting a band with side washes from the stage deck, he is a master at shaping space with light angles.

Price plies his lighting skills wherever and whenever he can, from live music venues and clubs, to arenas and amphitheaters. He once spent almost an entire year touring with Taking Back Sunday. When we asked how he kept his sanity during that period, he responded that he still tours almost all year long.

Indeed, he once said that after spending six weeks at home, he gets restless to get back on the road. So, on the road he always goes, working for a long and impressive list of clients that has included Mastodon, Alkaline Trio, Thrice, and Skinny Puppy.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” Steve Jobs once said. It’s a sentiment that has powered this designer’s career. He shared insights with us into being on the road doing what you love – and doing it very, very well.

In Mastodon’s Mega Monsters tour, you had a very large and impressive video wall with colorful psychedelic content that had its own storyline, yet you managed to use lighting in such a way that it wasn’t overshadowed by video. Can you tell us how you balanced light and video in that case?
“In that case, there was a lot of discussion with the band about the video content. Certain songs, we wanted the video to shine through and lead the way. Then, for other songs, the video was intended to be more of an accent to everything. It was dictated by the music in many respects.”

On that tour Mastodon coheadlined with Gojira, and you and their designer, Pete Cary collaborated on a joint set. Earlier in your career, when you were lighting Taking Back Sunday, you collaborated on a co-design with Coheed and Cambria’s LD. What was the biggest challenge in meshing two creative visions in a design?
“The biggest challenge when collaborating on a design is giving all the artists what they need or want. If the visions of the bands are not lined up, it can be tough for the LDs to share their own design aspects. Fortunately, in both of the tours you mentioned were a pleasure to co-design.”

There was a strong narrative element to your design for Mastodon on that Mega Monster tour. Do you think there is more story telling today in tour designs?
“I believe there is. Given the outstanding advances we’ve had in technology, artists and LDs have so many more options these days, so we are all able to express ourselves in more specific ways.”

You make impressive use of lasers and pyro in your work for Mastodon. How do balance using these design elements without over-using them?
“It can be tough. Everyone LOVES pyro and lasers. It’s just a matter of discussing the overall goals of the show and how to achieve them. As a rule, less is more, until it’s time to go nuts!”

On the opposite side of the coin, we were impressed with how you used dark space and deeply saturated colors in Mastodon’s Brazil run. You made really good use of dark space on your tour with Alkaline Trio. How would you describe the role that darkness and shadows play in your design?
“I think the less-is-more approach can be applied to that as well. Over use of your design tools can cause the audience to get too focused on the lighting or video. The music should always be the focus. With a rig the size of Mega Monsters, it’s easy to over-use everything. Dark space, and solo spots etc. make the big moments look bigger.”

Your shows with Alkaline Trio are smaller than the arena tours you do with Mastodon. From your perspective what are the pros and cons of working bigger and smaller venues?
“Small venues certainly present different challenges, such as stage size, trim heights, house rigs to be cloned and so forth. The larger shows have their own issues, you have opposite challenges with more gear issues, being further from stage etc. So, they are really completely different animals in my opinion.”

Earlier in your career you did a year-long tour with Taking Back Sunday. What was that like? How did you keep your sanity?
“I’m still touring most of the year! Fortunately, I work for a lot of great individuals that really make sure we are tanked care of. On a daily note, for sanity health, I play pinball whenever possible, I’m starting to play golf. Anything to really just take my mind off the work and stay fresh.”

You mentioned that you like to play pinball games. Do you think that influences how you see things as a designer?
“I don’t think pinball necessarily influences my designs, but it plays a role in my hand/eye coordination for sure! It helps with my rhythm and tempo –which are terrible!”

The nature of video screens is changing with the growth of blow-through walls, 3D effects and the like. How is that impacted the way you approach your designs?
“I don’t normally have a role of designing video content. So, I generally spec screens to fit the environment. Indoor vs outdoor, venue size etc.”

What kind of impact do you see AI having on your work in the years ahead?
“I don’t know that AI will ever be programming an entire show in my lifetime. But perhaps it will be assisting in show file creation. Maybe something similar to a PSR (partial show read), to speed thing up for us. Design is such a specific thing and as you mentioned, artists and LDs are wanting more and more to tell a story.”

Why did you become a lighting designer?
“The reasons I became a Lighting Designer were—Number One: – going to a lot of Phish shows growing up. And Number Two: the first time I saw Stop Making Sense by The Talking Heads. The lighting just really drew me in and enhanced the experiences.”

How did you get your start?
“My first production job was pushing cases at The Crystal Ballroom in Portland Oregon. I then decided to attend Full Sail University. After graduation, I moved to Chicago for the production opportunities.”

Looking back on your career to date has there been one project or tour that most influenced your development as a designer? 
“All the tours I’ve done have contributed to my personal growth. Everything is a learning experience.”