Tobias Rylander and Michael Straun on Designing Hayley Williams' Intimate Stadium Show
The visual experience of The Hayley Williams Show was crafted by Swedish designer Tobias Rylander and lighting director Michael Straun, who aimed for a more intimate atmosphere rather than a conventional rock concert vibe. At Forest Hills Stadium in New York City, projections of Williams' face and silhouettes appear on white drapes, ensuring her band shares the spotlight. They delved into the themes of her album Ego Death through discussions with her. For an October performance at the Hollywood Bowl, the stage was designed as a low, wide 'island.' The production features layered fabrics, programmed visuals, and adaptable lighting, prioritizing projection techniques over LED displays. Rylander insists that lighting design is rooted in 'physics' and dismisses the role of AI in his creative process.
Key facts
- Tobias Rylander is the Swedish lighting and conceptual designer for The Hayley Williams Show, working with longtime collaborator Michael Straun
- Wallpaper* saw the production at Forest Hills Stadium in New York City
- Williams' album Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party includes the tracks 'Parachute' and 'True Believer'
- The staging was designed low and wide so it could fit under the ring at the Hollywood Bowl, where the tour stops in October
- Rylander and Straun first met in 2012 while working on The xx's Coexist tour
- The pair have also collaborated on shows for The 1975 and Beyoncé
- Williams covers Nina Simone's 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' during the set, using hand gestures to cast devil-horn silhouettes
- Rylander states that nothing he shows an artist should be the product of AI
Entities
Artists
- Hayley Williams
- Tobias Rylander
- Michael Straun
- Nina Simone
- Beyoncé
Institutions
- Paramore
- The xx
- The 1975
- Wallpaper*
- Forest Hills Stadium
- Hollywood Bowl
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Hollywood Bowl
- Los Angeles
- Sweden