Ladybird Studios go back a long way. It started in the 1970s when I helped run a mobile disco and recorded some of the bands we supported. My interest in lighting started around that time but became a hobby-horse of mine when I started playing in bands myself. Why was it that I couldn't convince fellow band members that an audience comes to see a show, not just four or five scruff-bags playing other people's music? Overall presentation, in particular lighting, is very important to me - but they just couldn't see it and in my opinion lacked vision.
I still enjoy playing music but my focus now is on creating the best show possible when other people are playing. I left my last band in around 2013 when my interest in lighting (and video / sound recording) took a higher priority - however I still bring that personal experience of being up there performing to the party. My passion now is making it happen, whatever 'it' may be on the day, and let the performers do their job to the best of their ability. Read more about that in 'How We Do It'.
Below are a few examples of recent work, and to the side is a more complete list. Some have associated links but others may be protected as many recordings are not in the full public domain. Contact me if you are interested in anything listed here.
I still enjoy playing music but my focus now is on creating the best show possible when other people are playing. I left my last band in around 2013 when my interest in lighting (and video / sound recording) took a higher priority - however I still bring that personal experience of being up there performing to the party. My passion now is making it happen, whatever 'it' may be on the day, and let the performers do their job to the best of their ability. Read more about that in 'How We Do It'.
Below are a few examples of recent work, and to the side is a more complete list. Some have associated links but others may be protected as many recordings are not in the full public domain. Contact me if you are interested in anything listed here.
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Brendan at Knockstock 2023Event: Knockstock 2023 - The Three Horseshoes, Knockholt, Kent. Date: 17 June 2023 Client: Mark Hadaway Camera: Keith Balderson - sorry about the poor sound, extreme digital zoom and lack of stabilisation. That's mobile phone cameras on a bad day for you. A white backdrop was used as a screen for projected coloured lights. We did this because we knew that most of the gig was going to be in daylight. In fact, as can be seen in the video, it rained whilst Brendan was playing so it got a bit dull. Five forward facing 'lightshow' fixtures are above the stage and waterproof fixtures are on stands in front of the stage near the PA. This is a typical set-up although we will extend the backdrop at future gigs and probably use moving wash-lights (because we have them). We will also position the front-of-stage lights higher, not use footlights, and have some basic white overheads to get a better light spread. Not clear in the video but better in the stills is the capability of our lighting software (QLC+) to dim fixtures from black, through RGB to white on one fader. This turns the back-row lights into stage blinders when required in the evening which can be very effective. 
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Bromley Garden Party 2019Event: Marvellous Motown at Bromley Library Gardens, SE London Date: 19 July 2019 Client: Torch Entertainment Camera: Unknown We were asked at short notice to help out technically and operate lighting for a three day concert hosted by Torch Entertainment. Hired for us were two matrix fixtures (either side of the stage), eight RGB parcans, two scanners (the round spotlight beams), two lasers, and a 200w floodlight. I immediately knew that wouldn't be enough to light the stage so I added another 200w overhead white floodlight, six more RGB stage floods, and a follow-spot. We relied on the 400w of white overhead floodlight to provide primary lighting. These couldn't be dimmed but were controlled by high power relays. The eight hired ADJ RGB lights were pretty useless for lighting the stage and in hindsight would have been better deployed facing the audience. Luckily we had advance sight of the user manuals for all the hired lighting so were able to make use of the scanners and matrix lights to good effect. The lasers were only used to project patterns onto the stage backdrop when the band wasn't playing. Our follow-spot was effective and was operated by someone who had done that before. |