Arsenal
ARSENAL – LOTTO ARENA, ANTWERP | MAY 2022
What Cate says:
I’m based in Antwerp, so it was fantastic to work with local electronic band, Arsenal. Creatively they are an inspiration. Plus, playing a hometown arena meant they attracted an enthusiastic and adoring crowd.
I worked in close collaboration with band founder and creative mastermind, Hendrik Willemyns. We first met in October 2021 with the show scheduled for December 2021. At that time Hendrik was looking for a ‘cathedral of drapes’, something to echo the changing moods of the show. Sadly, the show was postponed to May 2022, due to Covid restrictions.
We reconvened in February 2022 and by then much had changed. Hendrik felt we needed to take a different creative and visual direction and embrace the themes of hope and possibility.
He wanted to juxtapose structure and chaos with a large imposing scaffolding configuration dominating the arena. The expectation was to transform, emphasise or shroud the structure using a combination of light, shadow, and smoke.
As the concept developed, Hendrik wanted to bring the natural world in. We positioned trees inside the scaffolding structure to create an eerie environment, using an organic layer to contrast with the harder, straight lines of the steel work.
As a lover of the outdoors, I relished the opportunity to embrace the natural world on stage. Plants bring incredible presence and texture to any environment, and they can filter and reflect light beautifully. The process was organic, and full of pleasing surprises.
We layered the stage with different lighting fixtures from multiple angles, working them in with the trees and plants to create contrasting moods and dramatically different visual environments.
We deployed taller, more uniform trees - a little like those you might find in a European park – with an assortment of tropical trees and plants, which delivered a naturally more chaotic, jungle vibe.
Hendrik divided the setlist into five scenes: Africa & South America / Southeast Asia / Europe / Future (light), Future (dark). The lighting design further reflected these themes with layers of different fixture types, often hidden within or around the trees, or simply suspended behind for backlight.
Africa & South America was warm, sensual and at times a euphoric party feeling. Portman P1 tungsten punched through the trees and warmly backlit the tropical plants, while occasional beams broke up the foliage, transporting the party from Antwerp to Lagos or São Paulo.
Southeast Asia leaned heavily on the tropical foliage. We deployed cooler colours with fluorescent tubes dotted between the plants in the scaffolding structure, juxtaposing the height and presence of the scenic elements with the jungle growing within.
Europe focused on the ordered row of trees that lined the upstage of the band risers and the regimented form of the structure. Beams of light accenting the often-melancholy songs.
And as we looked to the future, sometimes the forest disappears altogether with only the scaffolding visible in the vertical beams of light. Hard, cold, often dystopian and in stark contrast to the warmth and chaos embraced throughout this show.
It was an absolute gift to work alongside Hendrik and the band for the curation of this show. Hendrik’s pursuit of perfection pushed me and the team to move outside of the realms of what would be considered the “norm” for a one-off arena production and instead explore the possibilities of what can be done, when you refuse to take no for an answer. A refreshing approach and frankly, I enjoyed being kept on my toes. :)
What the client says:
Show Design Concept - Cate Carter & Hendrik Willeyms
Production Design - Cate Carter
Lighting Programmer and Operator - Kristof De Dycker
Lighting Director - Yann Windy (WNDY)
Production Manager - Jan De Keyser / The Magic Office
Tour Manager - Matthias Nuytten / Lobby Call
FOH Audio Engineer - Peter Claes
Production Supplier - Splendit
Scaffold and staging supplier - 360 Events
Trees and Plants - Green Rent
Artist Management - Filip Van Moerkercke / Playout!
