Sublime With Rome is a musical collaboration between bassist Eric Wilson formerly of the band Sublime, and singer / guitarist Rome Ramirez, presenting an eclectic mix of Sublime’s distinctive ska punk and their own original material. Sublime recorded three studio and one live album before abruptly disbanding in 1996 following the untimely death of lead vocalist / guitarist and inspirator, Bradley Nowell. They still have an enormous cult following.

Four Cyclones are on the tour – supplied by Karate Pinky Visual Design together with other special effects and the control console – and they are positioned upstage at the base of the backdrop.

Scott was the person who originally thought of the Cyclone – a moving head integrating a ring of 24 high powered RGBW multichip LEDs and a fan as a tool to create some fabulous visual atmospheric effects. He took his idea to Robe who developed it into a unique product and brought it to the market.

It was the first time that Aaron had used Cyclones, and he was “Blown away” - literally – by the fact he could zoom the LEDs in and out, and when fully out, easily cover the entire backdrop with high quality colored light.

Directly downstage of the Cyclones are four Vesuvio liquid fogger units. In some songs the Cyclones are used to to blow the smoke jets horizontally over the band, so Aaron can get a lot more than just the standard straight-up effect from a typical cryo-unit.

He also uses them as a tight beam wash to backlight the drummer and along the amp line.

Aaron is well impressed, and this has certainly given him plenty of ideas for incorporating Cyclones in his own future designs, “I have some upcoming projects for which I can definitely use them,” he commented.

Aaron has been an industry professional all his working life and lit his first bands aged about 12, his enthusiasm fired by his father’s own passion for live shows and owning a regional production company in Omaha, Nebraska.

He is running the show lighting – including the Cyclones – on a grandMA2 light console and the overall lighting vendor for the tour is Clearwing Productions from Milwaukie, Wisconsin.

The tour runs through the end of August supporting the release of Sublime With Rome’s new album, “Sirens”.

Photo Credit: Todd Kaplan