Lighting Designer Vince Foster Chooses Hog for Jamiroquai Tour

Lighting designer Vince Foster has once again turned to ETC’s Hog platform to deliver an impressive lighting show for the latest tour of renowned performing artist Jamiroquai. The current tour is operating on the newly released Tour Hog console, part of the next-generation lineup of Hog consoles.

With over three decades of experience using Hog consoles, Foster cites the intuitive design, reliability, and adaptability as key reasons for his continued loyalty to Hog. While running the Jamiroquai show on the new Tour Hog, Foster praises the console’s modern hardware for its durability and ergonomic flexibility. “I love the movable screen, the backlit and user-defined buttons, and the color-coded faders. The extra screen real estate and software improvements make it even more powerful,” he explains. With 64 universes built in, the Tour Hog - along with other new consoles such as the Stage Hog and Flex Hog - is equipped to handle medium to large-scale productions without additional hardware.

Foster first adopted Hog in the early 1990s, when the Wholehog transformed the way designers programmed moving lights. “Before Hog, we were using generic desks that weren’t built for moving lights – it was difficult and impractical,” Foster recalls. “The Wholehog revolutionized programming, particularly with the additions of encoders, palettes, push buttons, and a user-friendly interface. It made life a lot easier.”

For Foster, Hog has become second nature. “I’ve been using Hog for the last 30 years. It’s like a comfortable pair of slippers - I can almost program it with my eyes closed,” he says. The console’s intuitive patching system, built-in fixture library, and auto-menus allow him to set up shows quickly, swap fixtures seamlessly, and adapt to the fast-paced demands of festival environments.

Jamiroquai’s tour presents unique challenges, with set lists delivered just minutes before each performance and frequent improvisation by the band. Foster highlights the Tour Hog’s flexibility in this environment: “This show has no time code, and Jamiroquai often loops or improvises mid-song. Hog’s contents window allows me to jump between cues in a non-linear fashion, so I can adapt instantly to whatever the band is doing. It’s perfect for spontaneous programming.”

Reflecting on his long-standing relationship with Hog, Foster concludes: “Challenging sometimes, but on the whole I have a great experience running and using this desk-otherwise I wouldn’t have been using it for the last 30+ years. I’ve never used any other moving light desk. I like the desk, I like the interface, and it’s only gotten better.”

ETC Associate Regional Manager, Matt Cowles adds: “We’re really pleased to see Vince Foster continue to trust Hog consoles for a tour as dynamic as Jamiroquai’s. Hog was built to give designers the freedom to adapt in real time, and Vince’s work is a perfect example of that vision in action. His creativity and the console’s flexibility come together to deliver great shows.”

Photography: Sarah Clausen.