Stadium-scale design

System of a Down’s European stadium tour combined large-scale video with a versatile lighting rig designed to match the band's intense and unpredictable performance style. Starting in Stockholm and concluding with major shows including two nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a performance at Paris's Stade de France, the production delivered a powerful visual experience throughout.

The original concept was created by Rob Sinclair, with Andre Petrus, Meg Sinclair, Daniel Richardson and Matt Arthur collaborating to develop and refine the final showfile.

Lighting the show

Four automated 18-metre trusses, each edged with LED borders and loaded with 18 iFortes, formed the backbone of the overhead rig. These moving trusses altered the visual architecture above the stage while providing substantial output for audience-facing effects and band lighting.

Additional iFortes were positioned throughout the rig, including stage wings, floor positions and the front truss, giving Matt a large toolkit for creating both dramatic stadium looks and more focused moments.

Behind the main 60ft × 30ft blow-through LED screen, 96 iEsprite LTL fixtures were arranged in a 12 × 8 matrix across 12 ladder trusses. This allowed the matrix to become an active visual element, creating punchy beams that cut through the video surface or softer kinetic effects that complemented the content on screen.

Why iEsprite LTL?

Fixture testing at Neg Earth ahead of the tour led the team to select iEsprite LTL fixtures for the European dates.

With a large LED surface positioned directly in front of the lights, output was critical. The fixtures needed enough intensity to remain visible through the blow-through screen while giving Matt the flexibility to shift between aggressive effects and more atmospheric looks throughout the set.

RoboSpot integration

At the front of the stage, 12 iForte LTX fixtures provided key lighting. Nine were controlled via RoboSpot systems to follow Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian and Shavo Odadjian, while three delivered programmed key light for drummer John Dolmayan.

For Matt, one of the standout advantages of RoboSpot was the ability to integrate followspot functions directly into the showfile. Colour changes, strobes and intensity cues could all be programmed in advance, reducing the need to manually call followspot changes throughout the performance.

"Being able to pre-determine when follow spots change colour, turn on/off, strobe, etc. is a massive leap forward. I can be super focused on the show and getting all those cues bang on, every night."

Matt Arthur

The result

The combination of iForte, iForte LTX and iEsprite LTL fixtures provided a versatile lighting system capable of handling the scale and intensity of a 30-song stadium set.

From huge audience-blinder moments to more controlled and atmospheric scenes, the rig gave Matt the flexibility to support every dynamic shift in the band's performance while maintaining a cohesive visual identity throughout the show.

Matt also praised the touring crew and production team, who helped deliver the design across every stadium date.