Claypaky's Multifunctional Mythos 2 Delivers for Nothing But Thieves

	Photo: © Luke Dyson

Claypaky Mythos 2 fixtures have accompanied British alternative rock band Nothing But Thieves (NBT) on their extensive tour around Europe and the United States. The band's long-term lighting designer Steve Bewley specified the Mythos 2 for the fixture's versatility to help him to deliver a dramatic and dynamic set.

"I've used Claypaky on many occasions and I knew the Mythos 2 would be a great fit for the NBT show," says Bewley. "I needed a multifunctional hybrid light to get as many looks out of the rig as possible. I used them to create bold beam looks, as well as spot and wash looks throughout the show."

In spotlight mode, the Mythos 2 has a four- to 50-degree electronic zoom range, while its advanced color system consists of a CMY system based on three gradually fading color wheels, plus 14 color filters on three wheel¬¬s and two CTO filters to offer designers both highly saturated washes and dense beams.

The Mythos 2 fixtures were rigged on both flown and floor trusses across the width of the stage, above and below the video screens. "The fixtures held their own against the video screen, and the white colors really punched through," says Bewley. "I needed fixtures bright enough to work in both the smaller venues and arenas we were touring."

Bewley works closely with the band during the design process. "They give me a brief, which I base my design on, and we develop it from there. They give me a lot of freedom in what I do. Knowing the music inside and out helps me build a beat-perfect show, which creates the drama fans have come to expect of an NBT show."

"We rigged the fixtures on straight trusses to create lines of uniform beams," explains Bewley. These looks were supported by the fixture's 'pipe' effect feature, a fixed 2.5-degree beam. "I used the gobos with the pipe function to further reduce the size of the iris to create laser-like shots of light."

The Mythos 2 is equipped with two gobo wheels, an animation disc, and an interchangeable variable rotating wheel with 18+1 fixed metal gobos, including six beam reducers. Bewley used both gobo wheels in scroll mode to add texture to the light from the floor fixtures.

LCR supplied the lighting for both the UK and European dates. "Ben Hodgkins and Jake Humphries at LCR and all of their crew did an amazing job. Thank you!" concludes Bewley.

Bewley has an eclectic lighting history, having worked with the likes of Dizzee Rascal, Stormzy, Enter Shikari, London Grammar, Tinie Tempah, and 5 Seconds of Summer. In December 2018 he joined the team at multidisciplinary global production company Mandylights, to work alongside head designers and company directors Tom Edwards, Liam Tully, and Richard Neville.

Nothing But Thieves released their fifth EP, What Did You Think When You Made Me This Way? in October 2018. Their Autumn tour concluded in Dublin on November 27.