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Dark Matter tour visuals by Rob Sheridan

demetriosdemetrios Canada Posts: 88,615



Very excited to finally tell you what's kept us so busy recently: I’ve had the unique honor of directing/creating the first-ever tour visuals for one of the greatest live rock bands of our generation and a hugely formative part of my Seattle youth: Pearl Jam.

I haven’t worked in tour production/design since NIN 2014, but I always said I would go back to it one day if the right artist and the right creative connection came around. There’s a short list of musicians I’d drop everything and rewire a year of my family’s entire life to make art with, and Eddie Vedder is absolutely one of them.

Ed and I hit it off immediately and discussed an inspiring, experimental approach to creating textural video art inspired by the Dark Matter theme using decidedly tactile and analog methods, with the the album’s light-painted artwork as a jumping off point (I wasn’t involved in the album art / promotions, that was all underway when I came on board). My wife and collaborator Steph, who produced the project, set up a raw studio space here in Tacoma and assembled a lean local camera crew, and we spent two months filming in the experimental, open-ended, DIY style that I like to work. With macro lenses and the 1000fps Ember slow-motion camera (made by fantastic local Washington company Freefly), we followed paths of inspiration through elements and states of matter: Light refractions, chemical reactions, fluid dynamics, incandescent projections (including an old overhead projector that ended up in the show) and other experimental setups tracing the connective tissue of the universe. It was prolific and intense, and wouldn’t have been possible without Steph’s rapid problem-solving and a talented camera, animation, and post-prod team.

A grueling month of editing/programming/rehearsals later, the Dark Matter world tour is out on the road now, with two shows under our belt in Vancouver last weekend.

I’ll have a lot more to say about this production, the unique analog practical VFX we employed, and of course videos to share as more people start to see the shows and I maybe get ten seconds to breathe. For now, I’m off to Portland - show number three is tonight!






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    TJ25487TJ25487 Posts: 1,470
    This is awesome! I know some are bitching about the new effects but I think it rocks! Reminds me of the Sphere in Las Vegas. Visually stunning. 
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    MKSNYCMKSNYC NYC Posts: 324
    I’m psyched to see background visuals to create a new Pearl Jam live experience for this tour!
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    vedpunkvedpunk Posts: 857
    edited May 11
    🔥 Amazing work!  These visuals are incredible and really add to the live show experience.  The edibles will hit that much harder!
    Post edited by vedpunk on
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    CarryTheZeroCarryTheZero Posts: 2,384
    Wow, these photos look incredible!
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    May 30thMay 30th Posts: 1,675
    Wicked job!!!
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    TorontonianTorontonian Posts: 543
    So cool!
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    demetriosdemetrios Canada Posts: 88,615
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    BrainofBGABrainofBGA Australia Posts: 4,013
    Wow, these photos look incredible!
    They sure do! 

    Can’t wait for November! 
    Melbourne #1 '98
    Melbourne #2 '03
    Melbourne #3 '03
    Melbourne #1 '06
    Melbourne #3 '06
    Melbourne '09
    Melbourne '14
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    Planet of SoundPlanet of Sound UK Posts: 450
    Very cool, makes a nice change after so long.
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    demetriosdemetrios Canada Posts: 88,615


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    demetriosdemetrios Canada Posts: 88,615
      ·
    Photos from the last day of Pearl Jam production rehearsals in Seattle, May 1st 2024. The empty floor of Climate Pledge Arena, where we were putting together the Dark Matter tour days ahead of its debut in Vancouver, created a beautiful reflection of our light/video production that I knew we’d never see again, so I had to capture some shots of it.
    We are currently busy preparing the stage production for the upcoming Europe/UK leg, which will have quite a different feel in outdoor stadiums where we have to adapt to a different screen configuration and daylight conditions early in the set. Thankfully we’ll have big bright LED screens this time around. See you in Dublin!

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