Portman S-TRIBE Takes Center Stage on the George Strait Tour
OnServices deploys nearly 100 Portman S-TRIBE fixtures across stadium and arena shows, making them the creative centerpiece of one of country music's most storied touring productions.
The moment lighting director Stacey LaBarbera and lighting designer/programmer Skylar LaBarbera saw the Portman S-TRIBE on the LDI show floor, they knew exactly where it belonged: on a George Strait stage. Now in their second year using the fixture, the LaBarberas and production partner OnServices have made the S-TRIBE a signature visual element of the production design made to transition seamlessly between stadiums and arenas throughout one of country music’s most celebrated live productions.
A Production Philosophy Built on the Audience
The George Strait touring production is guided by a straightforward principle: the show exists for the people in the room. George has always been consistent in wanting to keep the crowd visible and making sure they can see him and the band on the stage. Over nearly four decades, Stacey LaBarbera has built a design language around that mandate, maintaining consistency across designs over the years while constantly elevating every detail of the production.
"We're not doing the show to create a look for us. We're doing it to give the audience an experience they'll never forget, painting a picture, lighting up George, making sure everyone can see him on the stage."
— Skylar LaBarbera, Lighting Designer/Programmer, George Strait Tour
The S-TRIBE: Unique by Design
The Portman S-TRIBE entered the production design for one reason: nothing else looks like it. Its distinctive multi-element silhouette stands apart the moment it powers on, and audiences notice immediately, regardless of their familiarity with the industry.
For the arena legs of the tour, George Strait performs 360 degrees in the round on a 36-foot diamond-oriented square stage. With 88 S-TRIBE units deployed in chandelier configurations overhead and along the stage perimeter, the fixture became the primary creative focal point on nights where production timelines limited the use of media content. The results were immediate: friends, family, and concertgoers with no lighting background were asking about the fixtures by name after the show.
The stadium configuration, featuring a 56-foot All-Access Staging and Productions rotating round stage, deployed 98 units integrated from down on the stage under the band risers and on a structure behind the band rotating with the stage, to up in the air between IMAG and creative media content video panels. Even alongside large-format video content, the S-TRIBEs held their presence, drawing comments from audience members who had never seen anything like them before. A custom mounting rail developed collaboratively between OnServices and the Portman team allowed fixtures to be positioned freely along any span of truss, resolving early rigging challenges before the first show.
"When we saw it at LDI, it was instant. We walked over, saw the light, and that was it — we have to have those on this show. Two years in, that reaction hasn't changed. One word: unique."
— Stacey LaBarbera, Lighting Director, George Strait Tour
"Our goal is to make sure our clients have exactly what they need to execute their vision. We don't want all the tours. We want the right ones, and we want to service them the way they deserve. The partnership with the LaBarbera team and with ICD and Portman made that possible."
— Donny LoDico, Director of National Lighting & Concert Touring, ON Services | ON Tour
Versatility: Audience Illumination and Atmosphere
Beyond its visual impact, the S-TRIBE's integrated audience blinder capability opened a creative dimension the team hadn't fully anticipated. Running alongside conventional fixtures, the S-TRIBE moles provided a second, distinct audience look at the desk, capable of dramatically amplifying crowd illumination when needed, or fading to a warm amber glow that reads as a natural incandescent source at lower levels. On both stadium and arena shows, this gave the team an additional layer of crowd ambiance control that proved immediately effective.
The production also deployed the Astera QuikSpot as backlight for band members, delivering warm-to-white color flexibility and zoom control that elevated the band presentation without drawing attention away from the performance.
The team is already planning to expand their Portman inventory for the next production cycle.
"Uniqueness in a product is one thing. But who brings it to you, and who stands behind it, that's something else entirely. I know both Adam Camp and Filippo Frigeri at ICD, and I trust that they would not put something in front of me they weren't fully committed to. That relationship matters as much as the fixture."
— Stacey LaBarbera, Lighting Director, George Strait Tour
About ON SERVICES | ON Tour
Founded in 1982 in Phoenix Arizona, Video West now ON Services is a full-service live event and concert touring production company with several depots across the US. Specializing in audio, video, lighting, and staging solutions. With decades of experience supporting national touring artists, stadium tours, and large-scale live events, ON Services delivers seamless, high-impact production experiences from concept through execution. www.onservices.com
About Portman Lights
Founded in 2016 and manufactured in Poland, Portman Lights is a professional stage lighting company known for original, eye-catching luminaires available in more than 60 countries worldwide. Portman fixtures are designed to stand apart, combining creative form with professional-grade performance for touring, theatrical, and live event applications. www.portmanlights.com
About Inner Circle Distribution (ICD)
Inner Circle Distribution (ICD) is the exclusive North American distributor of Portman Lights, Astera, and additional professional entertainment lighting brands. With a focus on hands-on support and genuine industry partnerships, ICD connects world-class products with the productions and rental companies that depend on them. www.icd-usa.com