Metallica’s record-breaking M72 stadium tour continues to play sold-out venues across Europe, supporting their eleventh studio album, 72 Seasons.
The tour features a 120-foot-wide, in-the-round stage designed by Dan Braun, including a centre-ring pit area and a spectacular lighting design created by Rob Koenig, Metallica’s long-term LD. The tour is known for delivering unique setlists each night and featuring different opening acts as well, with a schedule that typically comprises two nights in each city.
Koenig utilised 16 Robe iFORTE LTX Follow Spots and an eight-way RoboSpot remote follow system to ensure that the band can always be seen by fans from all angles and also look great on multiple cameras.
The 16 iFORTE LTX fixtures are positioned on eight 30-metre-high towers erected around the stadium field, focussed on the central stage. Playing in the round is one of their favoured stage formats as it allows maximum proximity and access to their wildly enthusiastic fanbase.
Each tower is rigged with large LED screens, and each has ladder torms extending down the full length of the screens, with the two fixtures at the bottom of each ladder being the follow spots.
Koenig chose iFORTE LTX FS, supplied by worldwide lighting vendor Premier GlobalProductions out of Nashville. The near throw from the spotlight to stage is approximately 14 metres, and the longer throw, to the other side of the stage, is around 35 metres, so they need something with plenty of power and punch. However, depending on the venue and the stage layout, the long spot throws can be up to 50 metres. “The iFORTE LTXs really shine over those longer distances,” enthused Koenig.
Koenig has been using RoboSpots on his lighting designs since 2018. “At the time, it was the only system with a zoomable camera and as our stadium stages are massive, and the band are highly mobile, this was the most flexible option for us,” he stated, adding that the system has been a great asset ever since.
At the start of the M72 tour, back in 2023, the tour was originally planned to run for 2 years, but stratospheric ticket demand saw it continue extending. The RoboSpot system utilised Robe BMFL WashBeam fixtures.
This year, these were upgraded to the IP rated iFORTE LTX. They had utilised iFORTE LTXs last year on several festivals: “The first time we lit the band up with these fixtures, we absolutely loved the way that they looked natively – the brightness, texture and the quality of the light were all spot on – with not a single complaint from anybody,” Koenig said.
Koenig still did his due diligence and conducted a shootout in January this year to assess multiple moving head spotlight options, a process that concluded with him choosing the iFORTE LTX.
“Firstly, they are comfortable for a performer to look at,” elucidated Koenig, saying that while this might seem obvious, he’s seen many moving head spot lights in action over the years. “And if my artist isn’t comfortable, then that’s it – pack it up and send it away! Part of my job is to ensure that artists feel as comfortable as possible while still being able to launch rockets off their faces.”
As well as ticking many other boxes, Koenig confirmed: “the light is simply THE most comfortable when looking down its barrel.”
The RoboSpot operators are positioned underneath the grandstands ensconced with video and monitor worlds.
They only have to point the iFORTE LTX FSs at their designated band member, as Koenig explained that they utilise the tracking zoom parameter from the RoboSpot stations, and all other colour and dimmer information comes from the FOH console, managed by FOH lighting technician, John Niles.
Koenig also appreciates the huge flexibility of the RoboSpot system. “The operators handle all parameters or just a single one like we are doing here, so depending on the gig, it can be as simple or as complex as I want it to be.”
On the road with M72, the RoboSpot system has a dedicated technician, “V” Ruby, who looks after it day-to-day.
Metallica fans will also be able to catch their heroes at Sphere Las Vegas in October, where they are headlining a 24-show Life Burns Faster residency.
