Hailing from Ireland, Rend Collective is an eclectic mix of multi-instrumentalists who could be described (depending on the song) as a folk band, a rock group, or a worship troupe.  A total of 15 members make up the complete band, however only 6 tour and record.  After four studio albums and numerous tours, it would seem the odd structure of the group has only served to make them more interesting to fans.

Tasked with designing the lighting for the Rend Collective's latest tour, LD Tyler Santangelo sought to enhance what the band was already doing, feeding off the vibes given off by the group itself.

"Without any production the band can still hold their own just with the amount of energy each person gives off," said Santangelo.  "My job was just to come in and make what they were already doing look even better without distracting from them."

While the band wanted to have a panel look from at least one of the fixtures (which would end up being accomplished with Chauvet Nexus Panels), for the most part the group entrusted the young designer with full creative control.

Left to his own devices so to speak, Santangelo sought to create a rig that was simple and low on power while also possessing the looks needed to showcase his understanding of the group's songs.  The LD turned to 4Wall Nashville for the equipment needed to meet his requirements. 

Santangelo spoke of using 4Wall:

"I absolutely love renting from 4Wall.  This was my third tour in a row using them.  The customer service level of everyone that works there is amazing and the gear is outstanding.  I couldn't see myself renting elsewhere at this point."

The final gear list would include Martin MAC 101s and MAC 700s as well as the Chauvet Nexus 4x4 Panels.

"The Nexus Panels were something I have wanted to work with for a while.  With the band desiring that look and my personal preference of wanting to use them, I felt like it was perfect to add them as the main set pieces and providers of color wash."

Santangelo also put the Martin moving lights to good use.

"Being able to get more color on stage with beautiful solid beams that could also reach out toward the audience was something this design needed.  The MAC 101s were perfect for this.  As an added bonus, their fast movement allowed me to use them to dance along with the music."

A huge fan of profiles, Santagelo turned to the MAC 700 fixtures to provide wide zooms with gobos as well as fill in any empty space on stage.

"I used these for several diverse effects throughout the show, from just solid color wide as can be, all the way to a tight iris.  They were my most versatile fixtures on the rig."

Programming for the rig was handled by a Martin M1 Console, and other additions included TMB 4-lite Punch Lites, Leprecon UL-360 Dimmers, and Lex Distros with the ability to switch between single and three phase. The designer's choices resonated not only with the band, who praised Santangelo for his timing and grasp of the music, but also with the fans in attendance.

"The fans were into the show and the lighting never seemed to distract from what the band was doing, in fact it enhanced certain parts of it.   Every night a different crowd would have the same reaction to the same parts of the show, and many of the same types of pictures would be posted to the Rend Collective hashtag.  It was interesting to be a part of it."

For more info on Rend Collective, visit www.rendcollective.com For more on Tyler Santangelo, visit www.tylersantangelo.com or follow him on Instagram @tylersantangelo