Large Complement of Claypaky Fixtures Shine on Rammstein's 2019 European Stadium Tour

	Rammstein on tour. Photo: Manfred H. Vogel

German rock band Rammstein just finished its first ever stadium tour in Europe with Claypaky HY B-EYE K25, Scenius Unico, Mythos 2, and Sharpy lighting fixtures, selected by lighting designers Ronald Greil and Patrick Woodroffe of Woodroffe Bassett Design, accompanying the show across the continent. Neg Earth Lights, London was the lighting vendor.

Rammstein began the stadium tour in Germany in May and wrapped in Vienna in August; the band will resume the tour next spring and summer. Rammstein's seventh studio album is in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 in the US.

"Our brief was to keep the lighting in line with the Rammstein aesthetics built over 25 years of touring," says Greil, who marked his first time working with the band. "It wasn't just another pop or rock show; it was more like a rock opera, all perfectly staged. We kept the focus on the band creating the canvas for them to perform on, which featured unique staging and architecture, a rig with over 1,000 lights and pyro."

The industrial-style set, with "Metropolis" and steampunk-inspired elements, had a 9m x 5m video screen upstage attached to a 38m-high tower so it could track up and down. Video content displayed the band's logo in different variations and IMAG, which was treated and distorted. The tower also held parts of the moving light rig and housed pyro at its summit. Additionally, two big scenic pieces were located upstage and two downstage and featured circular light fittings.

From a complement of some 128 HY B-EYE K25 fixtures Greil integrated about 40 of the LED wash lights into the scenic pieces' circular light fittings where they served primarily as aesthetic lighting. "We were one of the first shows that used a large quantity of K25s," says Greil. "We were positively surprised by their brightness and reliability. The band likes a lot of brightness and fire power, and the K25s did a good job."

Eighteen versatile Scenius Unicos were placed inside the tower's downstage edge where they provided key lights and side lights for the band. "We also operated them with a Follow-Me system so they acted as classic followspots, too," notes Greil.

The Mythos 2 spotlights were mounted on the upstage side of the tower, 20 fixtures on each of two verticals, and hidden from view. From that position they created interesting shadows and silhouettes of the set; their beam coronas also formed sun-like rays at the back of the tower. "Mythos 2 are a reliable fixture," Greil reports. "They're a versatile beam and spot units, that are not too heavy for a structure like the tower."

Eight Sharpys were also deployed for their signature beam lighting at the B-stage over lighting mix position.

"It was an absolute pleasure to work on the tour and enjoy the trust the band, creative team, and management put in us," Greil adds.

Woodroffe Bassett Design also did the tour's show design. Florian Wieder was the production designer, Cuno Hahn the set designer, and Faren Matern and Marc Brunkhardt the lighting directors. Further credits include production director Nicolai Sabottka.