Imagine Dragons

Visual spectaculars have become increasingly popular in the musical entertainment world, with big acts continually upping the production value of their concerts with immersive screens, exploding 3D imagery, and interactive techniques. Imagine Dragons’ Smoke+Mirrors tour was literally that – utilizing various visual tricks to fool the eye and shock the senses.

Barco’s award-winning XHD media server, projectors and High End Systems digital lighting combined to deliver full-colored 3D content and surreal imagery developed by Moment Factory and a team of talented collaborators.

Moment Factory served as the design team and developed the groundbreaking content on massive multimedia platforms, specifically eight LED columns which acted as screens for constantly morphing and shapeshifting video projection, completely driven by the Barco XHD-400 Series media server.

“Imagine Dragons began with a provocative ‘smoke and mirrors’ concept based on the notion that things aren’t always what they appear to be,” comments Creative Director Jesse Lee Stout of Moment Factory, who managed the content, lighting, automation and stage design of the show. “The Barco XHD media server performed perfectly, seamlessly managing the visual content on the main stage columns to create a dynamic focal point and complement the undulating, high energy of the performances.”

Show creators were able to create surprising moments, where the video content mimics the lighting, by aiming spotlights at the video walls to create the illusion. The team chose 44 High End Systems Solaspot Pro 1500 fixtures, primarily due to the light’s clean, crisp blending and fast shutter speed, which was essential for mirroring the musical dynamics of various songs.

To get a look behind the scenes, click here!