Dimmer Technician
End Client: Back On Your Heads | Technical Provider: dbnAudile
Straight off Massive Attack — on a train from Liverpool to Leeds for a handover with Tim, who covered the first show I missed. A complete role change: no audio, no RF, no IEMs. In a close team of three, I was Dimmer Tech.
Different discipline, different skills, a different pattern to putting it in.
The Day
After conversations with production and audio about who's having what space, the cases start arriving. The key aim early doors: get dimmers and motor control placed, powered, and a hot lead out to the riggers. Then it's feeder looms.
I like to play a game called, "Can I get actual rigging power to its locations before the riggers need the hot lead?" It's a fun game in the morning. Pinning together the cable bridge and slinging it is part of my duties, and that's usually what decides whether I win or not. It also takes me back to days of old of pinning together metres and metres of truss in hotels around Manchester.
Once feeder cables are out and secured to trusses, it's working with Vicki on stage to start floating trusses — so she and the crew can lock away the pre-rig wheels. Then power up the truss, we work closely to make sure everything is powered and receiving the correct data lines.
While stage is going in, I set up the dimmer console. On more than one show, I've gone out to help the audio system tech build FOH — and in return, he helps me build Paddy's FOH world. Good trade IMHO.
I also take charge of setting up Robe's RoboSpot follow spot system for both Paul and Rianne. Once we're up and trimmed, it's a case of working with Paddy on final trim heights — then lunch and a nap.
The Show
On comms throughout, listening for any calls for help, keeping an eye on the rig, and watching the RoboSpot operators in case they hit any issues. Then the load out: Clear floor feeders, get the back truss out first, bring it all down, pack it all in the truck. In reverse. Every time.
Great team. And catering brings breakfast butties to us mid-load in; I rarely get that on audio as we’re not the ‘early’ shift. Another little perk of being a lampie.
The Venues
Smallest on the tour: Cardiff University. Largest: Manchester Co-Op Live. Plymouth to Aberdeen. Three campaigns — 2023, Winter 2024, and a third already booked.