Willie Williams (set designer)

Last updated

Show design, U2 360deg Tour, 2009 U2 360 Tour Croke Park 2.jpg
Show design, U2 360° Tour, 2009
Show design, R.E.M., Up Tour, 1999 REM Up Tour 1999 A.jpg
Show design, R.E.M., Up Tour, 1999
Show design, George Michael, 25 Live Tour, 2006 George Michael 25 Live Tour A.jpg
Show design, George Michael, 25 Live Tour, 2006
'Vigil' installation, Canterbury Cathedral, 2006 Willie Williams Vigil Canterbury.JPG
'Vigil' installation, Canterbury Cathedral, 2006

William Peter Charles Williams (born 1959) is an English show director, stage and lighting designer and video director for concerts, theatre and multimedia projects. He is best known for his work with the rock band U2, and is recognised as one of the leading artists in this field. [1] William Gibson, writing in Wired magazine, said "Willie Williams combines a passionate delight in technology with an infectious low-tech joy. His innovations have become industry standards." [2]

Contents

He was born in 1959 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and raised on Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, [3] the son of Robert Woodman Williams, a singer and medical practitioner; he sang with South Yorkshire Opera. Williams excelled at mathematics and science in school and planned to study physics at University College, London. Punk rock encouraged him to enter the music industry instead: he began doing lights for various bands such as Deaf School and Stiff Little Fingers. [4]

Williams has been responsible for the design of U2's tours from 1983 onward, most famously the Zoo TV Tour (1992–93), and most recently U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere (2023/24). This residency, which opened the new building, was met with universal acclaim, with the UK's Daily Telegraph stating that U2 & Williams had "changed live entertainment forever". [5] He has also worked with musical artists such as R.E.M., [6] [7] David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Robbie Williams, Darren Hayes, [8] George Michael [9] and Self Esteem.

Williams has designed for the Montreal-based dance company La La La Human Steps. Other collaborations have been with Laurie Anderson, Marianne Faithfull and the Kronos Quartet, most notably on Sun Rings, a joint effort with NASA that combines the string quartet's music with video and audio material collected by the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft. [10]

In 2015, Williams designed the giant kinetic chandelier installed at Omnia nightclub at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. [11] He has exhibited his own kinetic light sculptures in several art galleries. [12] The sculptures, entitled "Lumia Domestica", create kaleidoscopic projections in the tradition of Nicolas Schöffer and Thomas Wilfred by refracting light through household glassware. Other public works include the creation of lighting installations at London's Southbank Centre and within Canterbury Cathedral; [13] "SkyChurch", a multimedia performance space at the Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington, and a permanent exhibit at Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum. [14]

Theatre works

Theatre shows Williams has worked on include Prima Facie , starring Jodie Comer, at the Harold Pinter Theatre, London and John Golden Theatre on Broadway, for which he won a New York Drama Desk Award; We Will Rock You , Little Britain Live , French and Saunders Still Alive, Steve Coogan is Alan Partridge and Other Less Successful Characters, The Fast Show Live, Barbarella and Pam Ann . [15] [16]

Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoo TV Tour</span> 1992–93 concert tour by U2

The Zoo TV Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of their 1991 album Achtung Baby, the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 1992 to 1993. It was intended to mirror the group's new musical direction on Achtung Baby. In contrast to U2's austere stage setups from previous tours, the Zoo TV Tour was an elaborately staged multimedia spectacle, satirising television and media oversaturation by attempting to instill "sensory overload" in its audience. To escape their reputation for being earnest and over-serious, U2 embraced a more lighthearted and self-deprecating image on tour. Zoo TV and Achtung Baby were central to the group's 1990s reinvention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vertigo Tour</span> 2005–06 concert tour by U2

The Vertigo Tour was a worldwide concert tour by the Irish rock band U2. Staged in support of the group's 2004 album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, the tour visited arenas and stadiums between March 2005 and December 2006. The Vertigo Tour consisted of five legs that alternated between indoor arena shows in North America and outdoor stadium shows internationally. Much like the previous Elevation Tour, the indoor portion of the Vertigo Tour featured a stripped-down, intimate stage design. Protruding from the main stage was an ellipse-shaped catwalk that encapsulated a small number of fans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elevation Tour</span> 2001 concert tour by U2

The Elevation Tour was a worldwide concert tour by Irish rock band U2. Staged in support of the group's 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind, the tour visited arenas across North America and Europe in 2001. Contrasting with the extravagant, outdoor productions of the band's previous two live ventures, the Zoo TV Tour (1992–1993) and the PopMart Tour (1997–1998), the Elevation Tour saw them return to indoor arenas with a much more stripped-down, intimate stage design. The stage featured a heart-shaped catwalk that encircled many audience members, and festival seating was offered in the United States for the first time in the group's history.

Zachary Borovay is a media designer specializing in Broadway, Off Broadway, Concerts, Opera, Theme Parks, Corporate Events and Museum Installations. His work has been seen all over the world.

Mark Grey is an American classical music composer, sound designer and sound engineer.

Hugh Vanstone is one of the UK’s foremost lighting designers. He has lit more than 160 productions, working in all spheres of live performance lighting, as well as exhibitions and architectural projects. His career has taken him all over the world and his work has been recognised with many awards, including a Tony Award for his lighting of Matilda the Musical, and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Lighting Design in 1999, 2001 and 2004.

Paule Constable is a British lighting designer. She is an Associate Director for the National Theatre, the Lyric Hammersmith and Matthew Bourne's company New Adventures.

Rick Fisher is an American lighting designer, known for his work with Stephen Daldry on Billy Elliot the Musical and An Inspector Calls. He is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and attended Dickinson College, but has been based in the UK for the last 30 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Video design</span> Creative field of stagecraft

Video design or projection design is a creative field of stagecraft. It is concerned with the creation and integration of film, motion graphics and live camera feed into the fields of theatre, opera, dance, fashion shows, concerts and other live events. Video design has only recently gained recognition as a separate creative field. For instance, United Scenic Artists' Local 829, the union that represents designers and scenic artists in the US entertainment industry, only added the Projection Designer membership category in 2007. Prior to this, the responsibilities of video design would often be taken on by a scenic designer or lighting designer. A person who practices the art of video design is often known as a Video Designer. However, naming conventions vary around the world, and so practitioners may also be credited as Projection Designer, "Media Designer", Cinematographer or Video Director. As a relatively new field of stagecraft, practitioners create their own definitions, rules and techniques.

Peter Barnes is a British lighting designer, lighting director, show producer and set designer. He is credited with more than 150 designs for live music, film, television, dance, fashion, art and architecture. He is known in the live music industry as 'the UK's guru of pop lighting'. He was the show producer, lighting and set designer for the Spice Girls live shows including the massive, international Spiceworld tour and the Christmas in Spiceworld tour. He designed the lighting for Live 8 and his design was used around the world for all major Live 8 venues with an estimated worldwide audience of 3 billion people. In 2000 he was voted Lighting Designer of the Year by Live! Magazine and was nominated Lighting Designer of the Year by Total Production magazine in 2008, 2009 and 2010

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Innocence + Experience Tour</span> 2015 concert tour by U2

The Innocence + Experience Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of the band's 2014 album Songs of Innocence, the tour visited arenas throughout 2015. It was U2's first time playing arenas since 2005–2006 on their Vertigo Tour. Comprising two legs and 76 concerts, the Innocence + Experience Tour began on 14 May 2015 in Vancouver, Canada. It visited North America from May through July, and Europe from September through December. Shows were predominantly booked in pairs for each market.

Live Design is a monthly digital trade magazine, owned by Questex, that covers the latest projects and gear in live entertainment, including theatre, film, concerts, opera, ballet, architainment, and more. Columbia College Chicago's Theatre Department cites it for providing "comprehensive coverage for professionals in the fields of lighting, sound, staging, and projection." It originated as Lighting Dimensions, which combined with Theatre Crafts and Entertainment Design (1999-2005). Until December 2013, it was a print magazine, but has since converted to a free app with monthly issues for Apple and Android devices. Live Design is geared towards aspiring and established designers in the disciplines of lighting, audio, projection, and scenery. The magazine also manages its own website. Live Design is affiliated with the LDI trade show, and hosts the Live Design Master Classes and Envision Symposium. In her undergraduate textbook on stage management, Lawrence Stern recommends subscribing to the magazine and attending LDI as way for professional stage managers to keep current on theater technology. Live Design also presents awards and scholarships to younger designers, including the Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarships for undergraduates and the Rising Star Award to early career professional designers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elaine J. McCarthy</span> American projection and video designer (born 1966)

Elaine J. McCarthy is an American projection and video designer for theater and opera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Joshua Tree Tours 2017 and 2019</span> Concert tours by U2 in 2017 and 2019

The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 and The Joshua Tree Tour 2019 were two worldwide concert tours by rock band U2 commemorating the 30th anniversary of their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. The 2017 tour visited stadiums over four legs: North America from May to July and in September, Europe from July to August, and Latin America in October. The 2019 tour visited Oceania and Asia in November and December, marking the band's first ever concerts in South Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, and India. The band played the whole Joshua Tree album during the concerts, which included their first live performances of the song "Red Hill Mining Town". It was the first time the group toured in promotion of an album from their back catalogue, rather than a new release. As part of the tour, U2 headlined the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, in June 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Flannery</span>

Daniel Flannery is an American artist, creative producer, theatre director, scenographer, film/television director, director of photography and lighting designer.

Neil Austin is an English lighting designer. He has won two Olivier Awards and three Tony Awards and is the lighting designer for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, for which he has won an Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk, Helpmann, Outer Critics Circle and WhatsOnStage Award.

<i>Hype</i> (board game)

Hype is a board game published by Virgin Games, Ltd. in 1985 that simulates the rise of unknown rock bands in the music industry.

U2:UV <i>Achtung Baby</i> Live at Sphere 2023–24 concert residency

U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere is an ongoing concert residency by the Irish rock band U2 at the Sphere in Paradise, Nevada, in the Las Vegas Valley. Scheduled to consist of 36 concerts from 29 September 2023 to 18 February 2024, the engagement is inaugurating the Sphere with performances focused on the group's 1991 album Achtung Baby. The shows are leveraging the venue's immersive video and sound capabilities, which include a 160,000-square-foot (15,000 m2) LED screen with a 16K resolution that wraps around the interior, and speakers with beamforming and wave field synthesis technologies.

References

  1. ↑ Marian Sandberg. "LDI 2007". Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
  2. ↑ William Gibson. "U2's City of Blinding Lights" . Retrieved 1 August 2005.
  3. ↑ "Las Vegas Sphere: U2 creative chief on show, reaction and Sheffield life". BBC News . 6 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  4. ↑ Paul McGuinness (2008). U2byU2. ISBN   9780007196692 . Retrieved 15 July 2008.
  5. ↑ McCormick, Neil. "U2, Sphere review: this spectacular concert will change live entertainment forever". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  6. ↑ Larry Shaw. "R.E.M. Monster Tour". Archived from the original on 22 August 2006. Retrieved 3 March 2005.
  7. ↑ Hannah Kate Kinnersley. "Re:Sources". Archived from the original on 24 June 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2004.
  8. ↑ Ellen Lampert-Greaux. "Birdman" . Retrieved 1 December 2007.
  9. ↑ Live Design. "25 Live". Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2007.
  10. ↑ Kronos Quartet. "SunRings". Archived from the original on 19 January 2008. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
  11. ↑ Marian Sandberg. "Omnia Nightclub: The Chandelier By The Numbers" . Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  12. ↑ Meryl Doney. "Wallspace". Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
  13. ↑ Sarah Rushton-Read. "LSI online". Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2004.
  14. ↑ AW. "Architecture Week" . Retrieved 19 July 2007.
  15. ↑ IMDB. "IMDB" . Retrieved 6 June 2007.
  16. ↑ Marianne Sandberg. "Live Design" . Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  17. ↑ Mark Cunningham. "TPI 2002" . Retrieved 31 January 2005.[ permanent dead link ]
  18. ↑ Mark Cunningham. "TPI 2003" . Retrieved 31 January 2005.[ permanent dead link ]
  19. ↑ Mark Cunningham. "TPI 2006" . Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  20. ↑ Marian Sandberg. "LDI 2009" . Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  21. ↑ Mark Cunningham. "TPI 2010" . Retrieved 31 January 2015.[ permanent dead link ]
  22. ↑ Pollstar. "Pollstar Awards 2016" . Retrieved 2 December 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.