Visual Terrain, a leading lighting design company, works on numerous live performance venue projects, which makes sense given that most of the designers at the firm began their careers in theatre.
From theatres to concert venues, clubs, amphitheatres, and arenas, Visual Terrain has illuminated over 80 different venues, mainly collaborating with concert venue giant Live Nation and the permanent installation division of concert tour lighting pioneers Bandit Lites.
“It’s funny how we came to work with both companies,” says Visual Terrain CEO and principal-in-charge, Lisa Passamonte Green.
“We first worked on the House of Blues Los Angeles on Sunset Boulevard in 2011, just five years after Live Nation took over the location, when they were updating the exterior lights for their porch and roof. It was a one-off project, and not something I thought would necessarily turn into continuing work."
Where It All Started: House of Blues Sunset, Los Angeles David Green
"Then, we worked with Bandit Lites on a project with The Hettema Group called Beyond All Boundaries, which was at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana. Both of those projects were great experiences, and as Bandit was already working with Live Nation regularly, they recommended Visual Terrain become a part of the team, and we’ve worked together ever since.”
Lighting design from concept to opening
Michael Mahlum, the principal lighting designer at Visual Terrain in Chicago, oversees most of the company's performance venue projects. He collaborates closely with the Bandit and Live Nation teams to manage lighting design from initial concept to opening day.
While Visual Terrain handles the interior and exterior lighting for guest areas, Bandit is responsible for the house performance lighting systems and the architectural lighting control systems in each venue. Their 15-year partnership has fostered a creative shorthand, enabling seamless understanding of each other's needs and fostering effective teamwork to reach shared goals.
Black Light Bar: Fillmore Minneapolis, Minnesota John Jenkinson
“The important part about all of the projects we have done over the years is that all parties involved act as a team,” says Mahlum. “With Bandit, Visual Terrain and the Blueprint Studio team from Live Nation all working towards a similar end goal, it allows the flexibility to create great experience spaces but also allows for the ability to take into account operational requirements.”
The team has developed a visual vocabulary and a kit of parts that give each venue a unique identity while maintaining the Live Nation brand.
This approach encourages creative diversity and exploration within a cohesive framework, ensuring each location feels connected to the larger brand. Economies of scale are achieved as even smaller venues benefit from similar lighting setups, allowing for cost savings through bulk pricing.
So far, Visual Terrain has created lighting designs for Fillmore venues across Philadelphia, New Orleans, Minneapolis, and an upcoming site in Seattle. It has also worked on House of Blues in New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Anaheim.
Recaptured Glory: Brooklyn Paramount Theater, New York Mike Mahlum
Additionally, the company has developed lighting for custom standalone venues in the Live Nation portfolio, including MGM Music Hall at Fenway Park in Boston, the Brooklyn Paramount Theater and Irving Plaza in New York, Vibrant Music Hall in Waukee, Iowa, The Wiltern and Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, the soon-to-open Riverside Amphitheater in Missouri, and numerous others.
See also: Lighting the way: Visual Terrain’s 30 years of creativity & innovation
A trusted partner
“Each venue we work on has its own distinct look and feel,” Mahlum says.
“The ability to work within new construction as well as historical spaces allows some of the most creative and complicated spaces that make the overall guest experience memorable. The world has become more complex, and the idea that a venue or performance space not only draws great artists but also makes people want to spend time there is important.
"It is not just about the show, it is about the entire experience from the moment you enter the door to the last note as you exit.”
Passamonte Green adds: “Each new project brings with it a unique set of design challenges and creative goals and this is what continues to energize Mike and the entire Visual Terrain team. We also know that all successful lighting designs take a village of people with a shared desire for excellence.
"Visual Terrain is so very privileged that both the Bandit Lites and the Live Nation team treat us as a trusted partner, and we strive to exceed their expectations on all our projects with them.”
Award-Winning: Hard Rock Cafe TampaThomas Fischer
Visual Terrain has experience working on various performance venues for different clients, including an outdoor amphitheatre for the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem, the Hard Rock Cafe at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida, and both interior and outdoor performance spaces at Dubai's Motiongate and Bollywood theme parks.
Not all projects are large-scale; the company also designed lighting for The Roost, a small lounge in Cathedral City, California, renowned for cabaret and drag shows, as well as Muriel’s Supper Club in Palm Springs, California.
“While our company is perhaps best recognized for our themed entertainment and architectural work,” says Passamonte Green, “the performance venue side of us has been in place for over 15 years, quietly becoming a key factor in our portfolio.
"We are pleased to also note that our performance venue lighting design shave been recognized with multiple architectural lighting design awards over the years, so I feel our performance venue lighting experience is every bit as distinguished as our Thea Award-winning work on the themed entertainment side.”
Out of the Ballpark: MGM Music Hall at Fenway Horne Visual Media
Visual Terrain recently shared details of a project working with the City of Santa Clarita. The city wanted to make an artistic statement in the middle of its largest community park, bringing an impression of water and tying it together with a newly commissioned sculpture by New York artist Sujin Lim, When a Cloud Met a Cloud.
Visual Terrain was brought in to devise a way to evoke a cascade of water alongside the city’s new exercise stairs, allowing it to flow to the sculpture.
