The creative concept behind Stormzy’s ‘Heavy is the Head Tour’ is based on the idea of balance. A balanced life, balanced mind, and balancing grime music with R&B.
// 2022
// Arena Tour
// UK and Europe
From beginning to end, the tour is a spectacle that features a 12-piece band, a two-pronged catwalk, a deconstructed crown, and floating scales. The design of the multi-layered stage creates a natural landscape of flat and angled slabs to create an energy that allows the show to evolve and for Stormzy to be at multiple heights.
The stage is a multi-layered design, reflecting the theme of the performance: balance. The design can be broken down into five parts.
The Main Stage.
The main stage is comprised of two video screens and is raked, with the sides of the stage raised up, providing an additional performance space. This space adapts with the show, at some points providing a platform for Stormzy’s MC, DJ Tiiny, and others, a small gospel choir. The main stage is like an island surrounded by a moat filled with lighting, smoke, pyrotechnics and fire.
The Thrust.
In addition to the main stage, a double catwalk stage descended into the audience, bringing Stormzy closer with his fans. This thrust also featured a gap in the centre to allow for fire, lighting and pyrotechnics to happen within the audience area.
The Slab.
The show also features a floating ‘slab’ that is wrapped with video and houses more lighting. This slab moves up and down and tips to create a visual identity and layering over the main video screen for the concept of balance. The slab starts the show sunken into the upstage moat and then is seen magically rising out at the beginning part of the show.
The Crown.
Above the main stage sits A kinetic, 6m wide, sculptural crown. It functions as a circular lighting rig, that can split, rotate, twist and become a large S, that descends around Stormzy in the song ‘Crown’.
The Scales.
To emulate the idea of balance, there are two floating weighing scales created as performance platforms. They are linked by an illuminated, automated spine that descends in ‘Wiley Flow’ to balance the rise and fall with Stomzy in one scale and DJ Tiiny in the other, floating over the stage. The concept of the weighing scales is echoed throughout the video content of the show.
FACTS
// 516 lights in total
// 6 performance areas
// 17m long dual thrust
Show Director Tawbox Creative Director Tawbox Producer Trevor Williams Production Manager Joel Stanley Lighting Design Tim Routledge Video Design & Animation Tawbox Staging Supplier TAIT Blackfriars Staging Stage Design STUFISH
