Angles before anything else
How to light a band
Flat is the usual problem, and flat is an angle problem rather than a level problem. Front light makes faces visible, back light makes people three-dimensional, side light gives shape. A band lit only from the front is a photograph; a band lit from three directions is a stage.
The order to do it in
Step 1
Front light the vocalist enough that the audience can read expression. This is non-negotiable and comes first.
Step 2
Add back light across the whole band until they separate from whatever is behind them.
Step 3
Use side light for shape on the players, particularly anyone the front light is missing.
Step 4
Give the singer a slightly different treatment from the band so the eye knows where to go.
Step 5
Change the look on song sections rather than continuously, and save the biggest state for the biggest moment.
Drills that practise this
Build the Look
Reverse the Look
Energy Arc
Show Caller
Try it before you read more
Three briefs on a real club rig, scored on the stage you made, and you keep the picture. It takes about two minutes and needs no account.
Questions
Why does my stage look flat even at full?
Almost certainly everything is coming from the front. Level does not fix flat; angle does. One fixture behind the band changes the picture more than doubling the front wash.
Should the whole band be lit equally?
No. If everything is equally lit the audience has nowhere to look. Give the vocalist or whoever is taking the moment a little more, and let the rest sit slightly under.
More lighting guides
Stage lighting setup, in the order that actually works
Work out the order to aim and level a stage so it looks right from the seats and on camera.
DMX lighting explained, without the jargon
Understand what a DMX address is, why fixtures fight each other, and how to patch a rig without overlaps.
How to program a light show
Understand how a programmed show is built and why edits to one cue leak into later ones.
Stage lighting for small venues and bars
Make a small handful of fixtures in a low room look deliberate rather than thrown at the stage.
Stage lighting colours and what they actually do
Understand how stage colour mixes and which choices ruin faces.