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Nick Jevons is half of ElectricFly Productions, alongside Philip Winward. They specialise in the ‘never to be seen again’ factor in production design!
During his early lighting designing years he toured with Elastica, Reef and Super Furry Animals, to name a few.
He currently embraces designing ambitious and challenging productions, corporate shows and launches, whilst always keeping a hand in creating edgy shows for bands.
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How did
you first start in the business?
My first touring experience was with A-HA, I was 18 and the only
traveling I had done was to Spain on holiday.
I embarked on a 3-month tour of Europe with my uncle ….. selling
T-shirts! He hired a white BMW and we drove around all of Europe in
it. Within 2 weeks I knew that this was the life I wanted to lead!
It was a truly an amazing experience.
Once that tour had finished I was hungry for more. Luckily I didn’t
have to wait long as my uncle asked me to tour with Tina Turner for
another 3 months around Europe. So that’s what I did for the next 2
years - I was a swagman.
After 2 years I was becoming bored with t-shirts and I started
hanging out with the lampy’s - asking questions and watching what
they were doing.
What attracted you to lighting ?
I love being able to translate music into light. Being able to
create moods and atmosphere. I love the whole creative process from
concept to design to implementation to operation. Plus ….. the sex
and drugs really helped!
What, when, where was your first
professional LD show and what did it involve kit wise?
My first proper tour was when I was 21. A friend of my dad was a
production manager, he was working for Van Morrison at the time and
got me the gig, which I was very nervous about but he gave me the
confidence to do it. I approached to Carl Burnett in Birmingham to
help me with the design and he gave me lots of good advice and told
me why you used certain lights for certain effects.
It was a front and back truss of par’s, ACL’s and source 4’s. with a
white cyc and some ground rows and a Celco 90 way console.
When did you start using Avo products?
I can’t actually remember it’s been that long ago - and Avo has been
a part of my career from the very start. I have known Steve (Warren)
for a very long time and he still breathes so much life and
enthusiasm – which is great – one of the things I really like about
the business..
What’s your most challenging/demanding
project to date - and why
Two immediately spring to mind!
The first is an event in Dubai – now in its third year. Each year it
has to be bigger, better, more different and special. This year we
will be projecting onto a 180m by 18m surface. There are lots of
other challenges with this project too - like the trim height of my
trusses – which is 35 metres …. And other interesting elements
include lighting His Highness the Sheikh without getting any lights
in his eyes !!!
The second was an event we did a few months ago called ‘Gig in the
Sky’.
We had to set up a real show on a plane en route to Athens. We
sourced all the batteries for the event to run a full lighting, PA
and backline set up (one and a half tones worth!), and we put LED
lights in the overhead lockers, rigged a PA in the aisles, put on a
full live band …. oh yes …. AND ran video too.
What do you like best about your work?
I now run my own production company ElectricFly which does a lot of
corporate events. One of our USP’s is that we present shows and
events with a twist of rock ’n’ roll. This allows me the creative
freedom to constantly come up with new ideas and designs. Instead of
working with one design for 3 or 4 weeks I now work with 3 or 4
designs a month.
My son Jake Jevons also now works with me and it’s great to see his
career starting off.
What were the last 2 albums you downloaded
or bought?
Claude Von Stroke, “Beware Of The Bird” (if you want to get the
party started right then this is THE one!) and Simian Mobile Disco’s
Attack Decay Sustain Release.
Who would you most like to see live?
Keane - not specifically because of the band, but I really like Rob
Sinclair’s work - I think he is one of the best designers around at
the moment.
Who/what would you most like to light?
My front room, the lighting in there is terrible!
What advice would you would give to an
aspiring young Nick Jevons ?
Make sure you get your PD’s from the tour manager and buy that
camper van as soon as you can.
Believe in what you do! |
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