EP007: Candace Brightman
In this retrospective episode, legendary Grateful Dead lighting designer Candace Brightman discusses her 40+ year career lighting live music and explains her design process through four decades of technological evolution. She also reflects on being a woman in a male dominated industry and the role psychedelics played in her career. Her and host Luke Stratton discuss how she accidentally started working in the music industry, and what it was like working for such icons artists including the Dead, Santana, Bette Midler, Widespread Panic, and the GD50 Fare Thee Well shows. This episode also includes a brief phone interview with GD50 promoter and Capital Theater owner Peter Shapiro, who recalls the impact Brightman’s work had on both the band and other designers… and he settles the “Santa Clara Rainbow Rumor” once and for all.]
EP006: Phish Part 2 (Chris Kuroda, Andrew Giffin, Terry Smith)
In the 2nd half of their two part interview, Lighting Designer/Director Christopher Kuroda, Associate Designer and Programmer Andrew Giffin, and Lighting Crew Chief Terry Smith dig deep into the inner workings of Phish’s light rig. Recorded at Front-of-House and back stage inside Madison Square Garden during the band’s historic 13 night “Baker’s Dozen” run, Chris, Gif, Terry, and Luke discuss Gif and Terry’s origin backstories, the inner workings of programming the lighting and automation systems, and Kuroda’s secret tricks for lighting the vocal jam in You Enjoy Myself.
EP005: Phish Part 1 (Chris Kuroda, Andrew Giffin)
Lighting Designer/Director Christopher Kuroda and Associate Designer and Programmer Andrew Giffin tell all in this exclusive two part episode on Phish‘s new light rig. Recorded at Front-of-House inside Madison Square Garden during the band’s historic 13 night “Baker’s Dozen” run, Chris, Gif, and Luke discuss the new truss automation system, the history of Phish light rigs over the years, working with Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, and this season of Game of Thrones.
EP004: Michael Smalley
In this three hour marathon episode, Luke delves into the mind Michael Smalley of Twin Designs. From his storied history lighting EDM DJ/producer Bassnectar to his culturally rich experiences working with rapper Pitbull, Smalley tells all from his creative design process to the interworking of his lighting console. Topics also include a crash course in “timecoding” and the balance of ego versus art.