FROM A CONCERT-ATTENDEE AT NEW YORK'S APRIL 5 1977 TANGERINE DREAM / LIVE LASERIUM CONCERT AT AVERY FISHER HALL:

I loved the live laser show accompaniment and it was far and beyond anything else that accompanied live music for many years.  Even a great band such as Nektar with light show whiz Mick Brockett did not compare to that evening in 1977.

Being onstage with Tangerine Dream, the Laserium Live Laserist had a clear view of the band, and them of what he was creating visually overhead, which apparently aided the synchronization between visuals and music. 

Sometimes it seemed as if Richard Vanceunebrouck-Werth was playing along with them, and other times as if his laser artwork was inspiring the band, with other-worldly hypnotic vortices, serene seas of scintillating jewels floating in space, and sensitive counterpoint visual accompaniment to Edgar's searing guitar work.  The extraordinary breadth and depth of visuals was often stunningly revivifying, while softer passages were imbued with grace and beauty.

It was the most amazing and novel work and the fans there that evening were ecstatic.    

AL EDWARDS

THE MUSIC OF THE TOUR WAS RECORDED AND EDITED INTO WHAT IS LARGELY REGARDED
AS TANGERINE DREAM'S  MOST PIVOTAL LIVE ALBUM IN THEIR DECADES-LONG CAREERS.  

THE DOUBLE DISC ALBUM BECAME KNOWN AS ENCORE.

The label was VIRGIN RECORDS. Below is the back cover. 

The cover of the album is the first photo above.

The tour started in Milwaukee and ended in Los Angeles.
A second planned tour started with a performance at Los Angeles Outdoor Greek Theatre, photo above, the morning after.
The tour credits are shown more clearly below.

Written and played by Chris Franke, Edgar Froese and Peter Baumann. aka TANGERINE DREAM

LASERIUM Live Laserist: Richard Vanceunebrouck-Werth

LASERIUM Field Engineer: Phil Gaskin

Tour Concept: Charles Levison and Andrew Graham-Stewart

Tour Coordinator: Andrew Graham -Stewart

Stage Manager: Gerald Bakal

Road Crew: Chris Blake, Ken Capper

Computer Engineer: Hartmut Heinze

Cover Photograph: Monique Froese

Layout: Edgar Froese

PHOTOS AT RIGHT WERE TAKEN ON THE TANGERINE DREAM / LIVE LASERIUM U.S. TOUR

THIS WAS THE  FIRST TIME LIVE LASER ART ACCOMPANIED MUSIC CONCERTS

THE TANGERINE DREAM MUSIC WAS TOTALLY IMPROVISED BY THE THREE MUSICIANS DURING THE CONCERT.

THE LASERIUM LASERIST INTERPRETED THE MUSIC LIVE WITH IMMEDIATE VISUAL IMPROVISATIONS.

THIS WAS UNLIKE ANY PREVIOUS LASERIUM SHOW, IN WHICH THE MUSIC AND MOST OF THE VISUAL COMPONENT WAS PRE-RECORDED.

PHOTOGRAPHS ABOVE WERE TAKEN ON U.S. TOUR OF TANGERINE DREAM AND LIVE LASERIUM

PHOTO AT RIGHT OF LASERIUM LIVE LASERIST
RICHARD VANCEUNEBROUCK-WERTH , TAKEN ONLY MINUTES BEFORE THE FIRST PERFORMANCE TO A SOLD-OUT AUDIENCE IN THEIR FIRST VENUE, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

Because of a shipping delay of the huge 20' X 35' rear projection screen, there were no rehearsals, despite being arranged for the first tour date,  Milwaukee.There were no known cues, and not even a common language in the group, as the band spoke German only.

The only connection was the music, which was completely improvised!
The live laserist had to be ready for anything.

LASERIUM did not have an actual live performance instrument at this time - there was only the console and projector that read cues on tape, with the taped music of regular LASERIUM shows.

Consequently, the live LASERIUM laserist, Richard Vanceunebrouck-Werth, had to jury-rig the device used to program those taped LASERIUM presentations, and then added several electronic modifications of his own, thereby allowing the first complete live control of a LASERIUM projector.

The only preparation for that first concert was years of musical training and experience, familiarity with Tangerine Dream's music, and a short list of numerical references that Richard was able to put together a half hour before the first showtime for "will conceivably work" - which is visible in his hand in the photograph here.

Richard Vanceunebrouck-Werth was co-choreographer of the second-ever pioneering Laserium laser light show, LASEROCK, shown in planetariums and other theatres in various countries It was the first laser show ever to be based entirely on rock music, although there were Soul diversions in it, such as "Shining Star" which Richard choreographed based on his prior North American touring experience.

As a result of RVW's innovation and musical performance experience, Ivan Dryer selected him as Laserium's first-ever Live Laserist, accompanying Tangerine Dream onstage during its 1977 North American Tour.

Seminal Electronic Music Album  

MUSIC FROM THE 21ST CENTURY

GNP/Crescendo Record 1979

Featuring TANGERINE DREAM & 9 other artists including Steve Roach

Executive Producers: Richard Vanceunebrouck-Werth and Neil Norman

Richard secured the lead cut by TANGERINE DREAM which put the album on the musical map. Other artists included Steve Roach, Richard Burmer and Michael Garrison.

Starting in 1980, LASER PIONEER RICHARD VANCEUNEBROUCK-WERTH  designed, produced and performed many innovative laser/music spectaculars internationally,  including tours, huge sky-filling city-wide celebrations, special events, television shows and much more.

Seattle and Tacoma Arts Commissions commissioned several original and unprecedented live multi-media performances
by Richard Vanceunebrouck-Werth. 

Every year, Seattle hosts one of the country's largest arts festivals - BUMBERSHOOT.

Richard Vanceunebrouck-Werth secured direct control of the water jets in the SEATTLE CENTER INTERNATIONAL FOUNTAIN and
used them as a three-dimensional kinetic "screen" accompanied by music of TANGERINE DREAM and his own original music of AFFINITY. This was the first use of water as a medium for laser art.

The laser light show was seen and heard by tens of thousands of event attendees and including most of Queen Anne Hill.

Associate Laserist Steve Steer provided the cutting-edge MONARCH MUSIC sound system.

SYMPHONIC CONCERT ACCOMPANIMENTS  

Richard Vanceunebrouck-Werth was very ably aided by Associates Steve Steer and Sheila Chatelaine,
 and they performed live laser (and other light sources) accompaniments choreographed in real-time for very large events.
 

The Boise Philharmonic "Pops" presents
A Night in Space, A Galaxy of Sound & Light

RECORD CROWD AND HIGHEST NET INCOME

The Philharmonic drew a record crowd and its largest single concert net income with its "A Night In Space" pops concert. "I think even the rock and roll promoters would be very envious of these results," said the manager.

He credited a laser and light exhibition, produced by Richard Vanceunebrouck-Werth, which elicited shouts and whistles from the audience and resulted in two encore performances.

Idaho's largest newspaper:
"The Statesman

SEATTLE OPERA HOUSE SEATTLE SYMPHONY GALAXY CONCERT (BELOW)

This included a novel use of a scrim (transparent netting screen) - Laser aesthetics projected from rear (laser was center rear stage),
and other light sources projected from the front, allowing the SEATTLE SYMPHONY to be visible, floating amongst it all.
 

MANY ENCORES WERE COMMON!

At this concert, digital sampling musical instruments were introduced (not always accepted by conservative classical musicians
at the time). The laser projectors were located centrally within the Orchestra. Shown above, during an encore, are:  

SHEILA CHATELAINE          RICHARD VANCEUNEBROUCK-WERTH          STEVE STEER

Richard Werth's visual accompaniment to the music was a stunning enhancement, enriching and supporting the music for the most part, but leaping to the forefront of one's attention at a precisely planned moment. His musical training was evident. His knowledge and professionalism is first rate; his ability to work under pressure and adverse conditions is extraordinary. The success of the concert was phenomenal. The key had to be the laser lights!

MICHAEL WINTERS,  Boise Symphony General Manager  

To create a buzz about the then-new NATIONAL MAJOR INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE, the TACOMA STARS SOCCER TEAM
were introduced as GODS OF LIGHT in the TACOMA DOME for many seasons.

The illusions were conceived, designed and performed by RICHARD VANCEUNEBROUCK-WERTH.
 

CITY-WIDE CELEBRATIONS REACH FRONT PAGE HEADLINE
 

Seattle Post Intelligencer Front Page Headline: "LASERS AND JAZZ GREET 1985, SEATTLE STYLE"

New Year's Eve revelers painted the town a wide variety of hues last night .... thousands of Seattleites welcomed in the new year with lasers over Lake Washington....one of the most vivid celebrations in town was where Richard Werth projected a scintillating variety of blue-green laser patterns ... throughout the evening ...Times Square, watch out!

J.H & A.D.,Reporters, Seattle P.I.