Robe Gets Asymmetric for Mallory Knox Tour

	Mallory Knox in concert. Photo: Louise Stickland

Cambridge-based alt-rockers Mallory Knox have been rapidly gaining fans and critical acclaim from their energetic live shows and rousing festival appearances this summer running on the back of their second album Asymmetry released in late 2014 coupled with their solid sound and great music.

Right in the thick of all the Mallory Knox live onstage action is lighting and set designer Jordon Cooper who has worked with the band since 2013 after initially being asked to light a one off gig -- which they liked.

On the previous tour, Cooper has used Robe Pointes, and for this one as a floor package he chose 24 Robe LEDBeam 100s which were supplied by north Yorkshire-based R&M Productions together with four strobes and some LED battens. They hooked into the house overhead rigs at each venue.

R&M additionally built the set which was designed by Cooper and the band and inspired by the Asymmetry album artwork.

With the tour visiting such a wide variety of venues, culminating at London's Roundhouse, the whole scenic and lighting concept was designed from the ground up to be ultimately scalable, and to fit in almost everywhere.

Although the LEDBeam 100 is a small fixture, the brightness is intense, and having 24 at his disposal gave Cooper a massive amount of scope to create some very big and punchy looks.

The LEDBeam 100s were arranged as an array of 12 at the back, eight in the center, upstage of the drummer, with four on the floor in front of the drum riser. Either side of stage on scaffolding towers were another six in total, and the final six were positioned in two groups of three beneath the two large letters -- MK -- that comprised the main set pieces.

Rigged like this they added plenty of depth to the stage and highlighted the space. The rear ones were also able to spin round and hit the giant union jack backdrop ... which delineated this as "the homecoming tour" -- after the band have been busy working internationally for much of the year.

The lighting and stage crews at each venue have loved the LEDBeam 100 rig reports Cooper with a wide grin ... because they are so small, light, and easy to deploy. Other advantages include 24 lights that can be packed into a flight case and take up minimal truck space or even be easily towed in a trailer along with the backline.

Cooper used an Avolites Tiger Touch II console with fader wing for control. In addition to his very tidy rig, the set was highly effectively illuminated with LED tape.

At the Roundhouse he had access to another 32 LEDBeam 100s which are part of the house rig which is heavily Robe.

At the start of the tour he pre-programmed a considerable amount of the Roundhouse show -- integrated with his floor package -- using Capture Argo. This was morphed each day with whatever lights were available in the venue, so by the time he reached the Roundhouse at the end of the tour, he was in a much stronger position of being able to maximize all the additional lights available on a hectically busy day with precious little programming time.

Assisting him on the tour were techs Olly Suckling and Zac Leighton.

Cooper has been using Robe products for of the last two years, or so -- ever since his factory tour. "You know with Robe you'll get a decent product that is bright, affordable, and easy to maintain," he commented.

It's the first tour he's completed with R&M as the lighting and set supplier, and is really happy with the great service and support along with the friendly attitude and personal attention to detail.