Interview
with
LD Kevin "Stick" Bye
 |
| LD
Kevin "Stick" Bye on tour with Elton John in 2002. |
| Photo:
Roger Malmer. |
Lighting
Interview Published: 15 Match 2006
When In the Spotlight meet up with LD Kevin "Stick"
Bye in December of 2005, he was busy with Elton John's latest
tour - the Peachtree Road tour. Kevin have put his Rock and
roll background in his lighting design for Elton John's shows.
Kevin have taken the time to talk about how he get started to
work with lighting, how it is to work with the music legend
Elton John and about his dreams of the future.
Kevin,
where do you come from?
I was born in Los Angeles, California. But I grew up in and
around New Orleans, La., so I call New Orleans home. It is where
my heart is.
How did you get in the
lighting business?
I lost a bet!! Well OK, I actually was working as a DJ years
ago. I had a club gig and a radio show. While spinning in the
club, I did not have the luxury of a guy to run the lights,
so I had to do it myself while mixing. But I was partying so
much that I knew that I had to move into another line of work.
I started doing local stagehand work for a couple of years to
gain some experience, then I went to work for Vari*Lite back
when it was an innovative and cool company to work for. I went
in as a low level technician and worked my way up to programmer.
What
have you worked within the lighting business?
Wow, thinking back, my first gig was with New Kids on the Block.
I stayed with them for a while, then did Rush, Guns and Roses,
Poison, G n R/ Metallica, then on to Kenny G, Michael Bolton,
on which I met a very dear friend, Yves Acouin, who has been
designing Celine Dion for years, Luther Vandross. Man, I have
to think about this, cause I went from boy band to metal to
light pop. What the hell????!!! In between touring I did a bit
of TV and a LOT of corporate industrial gigs, which I really
enjoy. I have been blessed to work with a lot of talented people.
How
is it to work with Elton John, and to take care of the lighting
for his shows today?
I have such a great time working with him, because he has a
short list of things he doesn't like,(lights in his eyes, being
left in the dark) and beyond that, I get to do what I want.
We actually don't talk to each other that much, although sometimes
he will ask me to do something specific with a particular song.
What
kind of lighting design do you use for Elton Johns concerts?
Elton's touring shows don't have a lot of set and scenic to
light, so I'm using the old method of painting the air with
something visually interesting. I am a big fan of beams and
graphic looks pointed out in the audience.
I am just an old school rock and roll-type designer,
so I use adaptations of different designs that have stuck with
me through the years. I have been fortunate in that I have worked
for some of the best LDs in the business, and therefore, learned
from the best about what works and what doesn't.
I was in the right place at the right time, because
the original designers, Steve Cohen and Robert Cochran, entrusted
me with carrying on their concept of the show. I took their
original vision, added my own signature looks, and went from
there. I guess it works. I have been with Elton John since 1999.
Can
you tell about Elton Johns Red Piano show in Las Vegas.
The
Red Piano show is designed and conceived by the amazing photographer
David LaChapelle . It is a very visual show, leaning heavily
toward LaChapelles' stunning film work, which is projected on
the largest Hi-Res video wall in North America. Approx. 40 ft.
high X 90 ft. wide. The stage itself is huge, about 110 ft.
wide and 85 ft. from upstage to downstage, which we fill with
inflatable set pieces and neon. It is a total departure from
the touring show and can only be seen in Vegas.
Was
it hard to share the same stage with Celine Dion at The Colosseum
in Caesars Palace?
Not at all. As I said, Celine's designer, Yves Aucoin is a very
dear friend of mine and absolutely the best at what he does.
We were able to bring him in as a consultant, and the result
is a very easy changeover between the two shows. A one day load
in.
Yves' show is very theatrical and beautiful, while
mine is more Rock and Roll in-your-face. I just re-trim his
magnificent rig for a more tiered, aggressive look. What can
I say? It seems to work.
Are there any people in
the lighting world that you look up to?
More than I can list here. Yves Aucoin and Steve Cohen, of course.
Patrick Woodruff, Roy Bennett is a personal favourite, Willie
Williams. Andy Watson. And a great friend of mine who co-designed
the last Elton tour, who now has a co-design credit on Aerosmith,
Benny Kirkham.
Any
dreams for the future?
I hope that I am heathy enough to do this for many more years.
I would love to collaborate with Yves and Benny again. I just
hope that I can do what I've always loved, lighting shows of
any kind! Or maybe just open a club so I can be the house DJ!
