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Tom Hannes & The Moonlovers bring David Bowie’s legacy to life with ADJ lighting

Touring cultural centers and venues across Flanders throughout 2026 and 2027, “Many Returns of the Day” is a live production from Tom Hannes & The Moonlovers, created to mark the tenth anniversary of David Bowie’s passing.

Blending musical performance with theatrical storytelling, the show demands a lighting design that is both expressive and adaptable - delivering atmosphere, movement, and visual impact in a wide variety of venues. Lighting for the tour is supplied by Roarr Light Support, with lighting design by Ruark Parmentier. The production makes use of ADJ’s Focus Flex moving heads alongside the retro-inspired Mini Dekker effect fixtures.

Parmentier’s relationship with the band began organically in 2023. “Our collaboration started quite by coincidence, as is often the case”, he explains. “Gijsbrecht Moeyersons, the FOH sound engineer, and I already knew each other from the PA sector. One beautiful summer evening, he asked me if I would handle the lighting for this great group. At that time, it was for their Nick Cave tribute program. That’s how it all began.”

For the Bowie tribute production, Parmentier selected the Focus Flex as the core fixture for his lighting rig. “I had noticed the Focus Flex in other productions”, he recalls. “I first used it during an album release show for the band Sonder, and now also for this Bowie project. It is a wash fixture I really enjoy using in theaters and other smaller settings.”

To complement the dynamic capabilities of the moving heads, Parmentier introduced a more unconventional element: ADJ’s Mini Dekker effect fixture. Originally released over a decade ago, the Mini Dekker brings a retro aesthetic with a modern twist, projecting vibrant RGBW beams through its 48 lenses.

“‘Many Returns of the Day’ marks the tenth anniversary of Bowie’s passing, and Tom Hannes & The Moonlovers honor this beautifully”, says Parmentier. “I wanted this project to truly shine. I was looking for a glitter-style backdrop to add some magic, and from a lighting perspective, I wanted a mirror ball effect. However, mirror balls are fragile and require additional lighting fixtures. The Mini Dekker is far more practical in use.”

“By coincidence, while working on the lighting design, I saw the Mini Dekker in another production”, he continues. “Once I realized it could be perfectly controlled via DMX, I was immediately convinced. When the band saw the effect during the first rehearsal, they were instantly on board as well. It became a beautiful addition to both the music and the show.”

Despite its unconventional role in a touring setup, the Mini Dekker has become a key creative tool for the production. “The LEDs do compete somewhat with the PARs and wash fixtures, but that actually makes it more interesting creatively”, states Parmentier. “It allows for a wide range of possibilities using color, dimming chases, strobe effects, and shapes.”

(Photos: Rudi Schuerewegen)

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