I first met these four brothers when they were the support act on a Onerepublic tour in the EU. Their music spoke to me and I asked if they would be interested in some help with the headlining club tour they were about to mount in the US. As it turns out, they were looking for a design that would bring arena-level production to clubs. I got right to work on a lighting and video package that would fit within limited truck space and could be set up by one lighting tech with limited local labour support. On a club tour, stagehands are called “loaders” and quite often go to work behind the bar once the show commences. It’s a different world from the arenas and amphitheatres in which I have toured.

Kongos is a very visually-oriented band made up of the four sons of John Kongos, a singer-songwriter in his own right and studio legend who pioneered digital recording techniques in the 80s and 90s. The band created all of their own content for display on four vertical, semi-transparent LED walls which were suspended in front of Christie Lites Dance Towers, allowing for an array of Martin Mac 101 and Atomic 3000 fixtures to shine through the video. The visual display was further expanded with three rear-projection screens suspended between these towers. The whole arrangement was flexible enough to expand to a larger club but could be crammed on to the tightest stages.

In addition to the lighting and video package, we toured with two “smoke cannons” which would send giant smoke rings sailing over the heads of the audience during the song “I’m Only Joking” - the surprise and delight of this moment was the climax to a visually diverse and exciting show in very intimate venues.