So I’m a fan of this band. Seeing Lunar Lander at the Launch Party reminded me of them. They’re performing at Ally Pally in September and have (to their surprise) sold out - their comment to that being that they can now afford some “wizz bangs” - I reckon a Laser Show accompaniment would be perfect.
So I’m wondering if any professional laserists here (who might also be fans) would be interested in doing something? Clearly this is not a job offer, but merely a suggestion that this should happen…
Rob Stanley would be (imo) the perfect laser show designer for this band. He is also an avid fan and a very creative laser show designer / operator. Just my opinion, tho like you say it would be amazing to see this band performing with lasers… ![]()
I was surprised at how approachable and small scale PSB are - for example, the social media page on Facebook is actually done by one of the band - I’m not sure if it’s Wildgoose or one of the others, but I get the impression that if someone with the appropriate credentials and qualifications said they’d like to do it (for a sum of money that the band could afford) then it could be done.
I really love the enthusiasm - PSB are a brilliant band and lasers do feel like they would fit aesthetically. I worked with them on the Cosmic Shambles show at the Royal Albert Hall, and I remember them being really down to earth and good people. It was a real career highlight for me - that was the show where an actual Apollo astronaut joined me on stage to play my Laser Lunar Lander(!)
In my experience, venues like Alexandra Palace are a whole other level from the smaller clubs and venues. To make lasers read properly in a room that size you’re realistically looking at 20-30W systems minimum, along with transport, crew, a very fast get-in, and a lot of advance paperwork and safety planning. It can be a lot!
I’m sure you know that PSB make extremely strong use of imagery and large video screens. Lasers and bright projection or LED walls tend to fight each other, so you either redesign the visuals around the lasers or accept that they will only really work for specific moments or one or two tracks. Timeline-programmed laser shows take a lot of prep time, so it’s rarely something that can be improvised or “busked” across a full set in a touring context.
In practice, when lasers are used with bands at this level it’s usually very targeted - a couple of songs, a specific moment, or a bespoke one-off where the production is built around it. That can be amazing, but it’s not a small or casual undertaking.
And although it can look like bands at this level have really “made it”, many artists still struggle to make the finances work. Kate Nash has spoken very openly about this recently, which is well worth a watch.
I hope this doesn’t sound too negative - reaching out can work, and I still do it myself with artists I love. In reality, most of the time I never hear back, which I think is pretty normal. One rare exception was working with Nik Kershaw, which I did on a costs-only basis. It made sense creatively and was useful for me in terms of testing lasers in a touring environment, but even then the logistics and costs had to be very tightly controlled to make it workable.
I hope this context helps, and gives you a clearer idea of what’s involved if anyone does decide to reach out to PSB. Good luck!
Seb
All very true. I think they’d probably rather spend the money on a LEM!
I did wonder what you were doing at the RAH in the pics you shared the other day.