ART4D HAD A CONVERSATION WITH VORATORN PEERAPONGPAN, WHO BELIEVES THAT DESIGNING A CONCERT PRODUCTION TAKES MORE THAN LIGHTING DESIGN. IT IS TO CREATE THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A PERFORMANCE WITHOUT REGARD FOR TOOLS

TEXT: PRATCHAYAPOL LERTWICHA
PHOTO CREDIT AS NOTED

(For Thai, press here)

Wicked simplicity—that was what Desktop Error Discography Unplugged Bangkok was. On October 21st, 2023, the five members of the band sat together on the stage, facing each other. The acoustic sounds of instruments created a harmonious tapestry of sound. Ordinary white light softly enveloped the band members, casting a gentle aura that permeated the entire session. In a display of unyielding intensity, the stage remained shrouded in darkness, devoid of even the slightest respite. The performance exuded an air of intimacy yet maintained a discernible distance. It was straightforward but so refined, captivating the audience with the spell of music. That was an undeniable certainty.

“I wanted to create the kind of visceral experience that only the realm of live music can offer—a live performance where the audience can see how each instrument is played and where each musician’s emotions can be seen through their expressive countenances. If it were a normal concert, the light would usually go dark when a song starts and ends. But the light was always on during this concert, and everyone was able to see everything. I find that to be very human.” 

Voratorn Peerapongpan, the designer spearheading the concert’s production design, recounts. He’s a well-known figure among independent musicians as a production and lighting designer who devises the tools and techniques needed to craft unique and flavorful live performances. If you’re one of the people who have been following concerts by bands such as Desktop Error, The Yers, or Zweed n’ Roll, you’re probably familiar with Voratorn’s handiwork. They are among the bands that he regularly collaborates with.

One may think that Voratorn was an academically trained designer. But that isn’t the case. He didn’t have a bachelor’s degree in design but in music business. His professional journey in concert production began during his senior year of college, when he interned at SO::ON Dry Flower, a legendary music label that has been an incubator of emerging musical talents and new, experimental genres of music. His job at the time was to assist Koichi Shimizu, the label’s owner, with coordination, artist relations, and concert production. One day, he was introduced to DuckUnit, a team of veteran designers prominent in the media design sector who were working on the production design of one of the events held by the label. It was the day Voratorn’s preconceptions regarding concert design shifted. He witnessed how DuckUnit employed experimental methods and approaches that deviated from preexisting conventions.

“They have this unconventional approach, as if they’re experimenting on something. They would utilize work lights by connecting them to a dimmer to produce a flashing effect, or they would light up ladders or stairs. It was fun.”

He began following the DuckUnit team and assisting them. Voratorn kept working for SO:ON and helping DuckUnit on projects after graduating. Following a year of full-time work, he quit and began working as a regular freelance designer for DuckUnit. Voratorn was able to experience DuckUnit’s thought process firsthand, from his initial task as an assistant to being the one accountable for the design, experiences that have been somewhat of a cornerstone of his career and the creative endeavors that ensued.

“For example, you might think that red is the color to use for uptempo music and blue for ballads. But what DuckUnit does has taught me that this doesn’t always have to be the case. I can use strobe lighting to add intensity to a ballad performance, or the light doesn’t have to flicker on every beat of a fast-paced song. You should concentrate on the overall vibe of the show rather than dissecting it down into individual songs.”

“There’s also the way they use stage props, which are just everyday objects like simple light bulbs we use in our homes but wired to create certain flashing effects, or installing a bunch of rice bowls to resemble a tree. The way they operate and think is everything but traditional. It’s the transformation of something ordinary into something exceptional.”

“At DuckUnit, they don’t teach you a specific formula for how a stage should look for a particular style of song, but rather the ideas and emotions behind them. What is your motivation for doing this? What emotions compelled you to create this?”

Some of his first projects as a part of the DuckUnit team included concerts by prominent Thai independent artists such as 25 Hours, PALMY, HUGO, and LOMOSONIC, as well as lighting design for the Big Mountain Music Festival. He subsequently began working on his own, collaborating with alternative bands with distinct musical directions and approaches, such as Solitude Is Bliss, THE WHITEST CROW, or The Yers and Desktop Error, the latter two of whom have become his frequent collaborators.

“Working with famous artists or for large-scale festivals is different from designing a show for alternative bands. Bands or artists with big names are looking for production that is spectacular with top-notch visuals. With big festivals like Big Mountain, the lighting and stages have to be unique and fun to attract the attention of large crowds, while everything still has to maintain certain connections with the artists’ songs and styles.”

“Working with events like Hedsod by Fungjai, a showcase of alternative bands and rising talents, allowed me to create a stage where each band or artist had the freedom to perform anything they wanted within a one-hour time frame. That’s when I understood that putting on a concert isn’t only about designing a flashing rhythm of stage lights that goes with a song. You can’t really convey the emotions behind a song by doing just that. You have to incorporate a lot of things, such as visuals. And while lighting is one of the main focuses, everything has to collectively come together to create the entire vibe for a show.”

Voratorn emphasizes ‘the mood of a show’ as something more than the lighting design or visuals presented on the screen. He creates the entire atmosphere for a show without regard for tools or methods.

Voratorn would listen to all the songs in the setlist for each project, whether it’s a concert he does with DuckUnit as a freelancer or on his own, to gauge the emotional graph of the entire show. He would then utilize the findings as a catalyst for the design. He would sometimes discuss with artists possible changes in the setlist in order to create a more complete and satisfying show.

“The setlist for each show has its own impact on my design. There were projects where I proposed certain options, such as performing a 30-minute session of ballads followed by fast-paced songs that go really hard, which would provide an intriguing contrast. But if I want a show to be more digestible, it may be a mix of uptempo, slow, and hit tracks.”

Aside from the playlist, one of the things Voratorn prioritizes is curating the overall atmosphere of the show. He talks about the ideas behind two of his most favorite projects, ‘Desktop Error 10th Anniversary Concert’ and ‘The Yers 10 Years.’

“Because Desktop Error has the vibe and sound of an alternative rock band from the 1990s, the lighting design is purposefully reminiscent of rock concerts from that era. To construct a set of red, blue, and green lights, I used only ordinary light bulbs and colorized filters. The lights didn’t move much during the show because the design experimented with different levels of brightness instead of movements.”

“The Yers 10 Years is another memorable project. The Yers is a band with its own distinct artistic direction, so when we were preparing this concert, I advocated pushing the art direction to the extreme by incorporating aspects of the artwork they would normally use into the design. We used basic production equipment and a limited amount of color so that when ballads were performed, the audience felt compelled to pay close attention, whereas fast-paced song performances were hard-hitting and incendiary.”

While Voratorn had no intention for his designs to have a specific signature, the overall tone of his work can be described as subtle and straightforward. He creates an environment in which people can concentrate on the music rather than the lighting and visuals.  

“In general, there is this element of flatness to all of my designs. They’re not super unique stage designs because the major focus is always on the music and the band. But it’s not that I don’t use any gimmicks. There are certain special effects, such as confetti and smoke. But there’s nothing visually striking or extravagant.”

Aren’t you concerned that the audience will become bored?

“There are times when I try to create something unexpected. We didn’t utilize any smoke during Desktop Error Discography Unplugged Bangkok, and there was no significant change in lighting angles or colors, so the crowd was solely concentrating on the music and didn’t expect to see anything surprising. However, after around ten songs, smoke appeared, and the color temperature changed. And even a few changes like these have a significant impact.”

“But there weren’t that many gimmicks, that’s for sure. I thought about it at first, wondering whether people would find it boring. I think those who don’t like it will probably never like it. But those who like this kind of vibe would feel like it was an introspective experience. When the sound was lowered, the silence would catch people’s attention, and they would naturally become more focused on the music and the musicians in the center of the stage, while the stage itself becomes merely a frame that helps curate this ambiance, which serves as a part of the entire experience.”

We asked, “Do you think it’s important for a concert and stage design to be photogenic?”

“It isn’t the most crucial thing. When I’m working on a design, I pay close attention to the light balance. If it’s white light, I want it to be white all the way through, and the same is true of other colors. But I wasn’t that focused on producing a visually appealing design that people would remember.”

Voratorn stated that this line of business isn’t for the faint of heart after enduring numerous hardships and tribulations and gaining substantial experience. It necessitates preparation, meticulous planning of ideas, and implementation. Along with a drive to see ideas turned into reality, there is also hard work and determination.

“If you’re interested in this profession, you must be willing to put in hard work and be tenacious because it involves a lot of planning, thinking ahead, and being prepared for the unexpected. The larger the scale, the more difficult the task.”

“The people who want to work in this field have to be driven to see your fantasies transformed into reality, and you have to have this desire for other people to see your visions and what you have created.”

When the music stops, a good show is one that ends with the audience’s roaring cheers. Even after the show is over, emotions and memories linger. On the other hand, a show that fails to leave a lasting impression will be forgotten. We asked Voratorn one final question: What is your definition of a good show?

“A good show should leave an imprint on people’s memories. When I look at pictures, I remember moments and feelings I had and why I made the decisions I did. They’re like a time capsule storing my own thoughts and emotions.”

instagram.com/voratornp