”I started working as a light technician ten years ago. Back then this kind of music-light- experience integration was part of the rave-related underground scene. Today it’s entertainment for the general public – it's the pop music of our time”, Alexander Hesse says.
At the time, future DJ-stars like Kygo, David Guetta and Avicii had just started off their careers – Alexander discretely admitting that he’s worked with ”most of them”.
”It’s been teamwork all the way, with friends and colleagues specialising in different disciplines. Together with the artists we’ve explored the creative possibilities of our mediums, taking their performances to the next level”, he says.
No matter if it's a one off show or a mega dance festival – the crowd is there to be entertained.
”Traditionally, if you’re going to a concert with, for example, Bruce Springsteen, you’re there to see and to hear The Boss. That’s it and you’re happy with that. But when attending this kind of event, you’re not there for the artist only – you want more. You want lights, moving pictures, special effects and pyrotechnics. You want an experience that blows your mind. That’s why I don’t call them DJs, I see them as producers and directors”, Alexander says.
Coordinated lighting is the key to the EDM-genre. Music and lights are to be perfectly synchronized, facilitated by the digital format and demanding advanced programming. Lighting and other effects are carefully orchestrated to enhance the music and it’s elements. Shows are directed and programmed by Alexander and his colleagues in the production team. The creative lighting design process takes place in close cooperation with the artist.
”We usually start with a creative meeting, discussing the artist’s vision. It’s an incubation process where I show pictures and movies from other performances and introduce new ideas and concepts. I usually draw my projects in CASTs Wysiwyg, allowing me to programme the lighting in a sartorial environment, complete with stage and everything. I edit in Photoshop and I also work with Vectorworks and SketchUp”, he explains.
The rampant development of LED technology has brought new possibilities to create spectacular light shows. When directing Kygo’s two-night sell out at the famous Hollywood Bowl, Alexander had 188 moving LED fixtures in action dispersed over flown trusses.
”LED has made it possible to use both fixed and moving fixtures in an innovative way. With its high output and low weight, LED fixtures allow me to work with a large number of luminaires and high effects, and its still manageable. Creating these effects with traditional fixtures was impossible. They were too heavy to handle – and trussing was out of the question”, he says.
”Also, LED walls have developed a lot over the last ten years. They have extremely good resolution, they are much larger and you can work with them in a completely different way." Alexander Hesse, Lighting designer and Director
Integrating the audience is a matter of course – and gone are old-fashioned lighters and smart phone flashlights. Interactive LED-wristbands are the hottest accessory.
”For Kygo’s show in LA, we used interactive LED wristbands. The wristbands, handed out to the audience on arrival, were controlled by an infrared signal to synchronize with the music”, he says.
So, where to head to have that mind-blowing EDM-experience?
”Of course, I’d say a Kygo-concert – or one of the many festivals worldwide like Amsterdam Dance Event, EDC Music Festival or Ultra. All the events taking place during Ibiza’s summertime are great. For a more traditional band experience? Coldplay. They tick all the boxes", Alexander concludes.
