Some decisions in life are hard, requiring long hours, days, months or even years of deliberation. Others are quite the opposite, with the right option becoming obvious almost as soon as its presented. For Patrick Sollitt, choosing to become the lighting designer for the legendary Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott clearly fell into the latter category. The Leeds-based LD recalls that as soon as the duo’s tour manager and production manager talked to him about the possibility of filling this position he “snapped at the opportunity.”

It’s easy to understand why. Hailed by The Guardian as “one of our finest songwriters” the award-winning Heaton is a genuine (not using the term loosely) living legend in the UK, beginning with his time as the front man for the chart-topping band The Housemartins. He followed this up with more hits as a member of The Beautiful South, a group that also included Abbot.

In 2014, seven years after the breakup of The Beautiful South, the two released their first album. A year latter, Sollitt became their LD. None of them have looked back since. A succession of Number 1 hits for Heaton and Abbot followed, including two last year. Heaton’s songwriting also earned him a 2022 Ivor Novello Award. So too has a busy touring schedule, which has included shows at Glastonbury, OVO Wembley, Royal Albert Hall, Paradiso Amsterdam, and other venues from Nottingham to Nurenberg.

Lighting the iconic duo calls for a great deal of versatility, as Sollitt notes in this interview, since their shows are performed at a range of sites, from large venues and festivals, to acoustic houses. As for the music itself, given the depth of their songs, it demands a lightshow that can move effortlessly through myriad complex emotions. Sollitt tells us why he relishes this challenge.

Paul Heaton is a national icon with a long history of hits, as is Jacqui Abbott. Do you reflect this in your lighting with any kind of retro looks?
“I try and keep the looks that I use in the show as big, bold and memorable as possible for the audience. Back in the day of the Housemartins and Beautiful South, lighting was less technologically advanced than it is today, but previous generations got the best out of the equipment that was available to them at the time. I still try to build on those standards today with our new technology.”

Paul and Jacqui have enjoyed continuing popularity with “Manchester Calling” and “N.K-Pop” reaching number one in the UK. Has this changed anything about their shows?
“With the back to back number one albums there is no doubt that Paul and Jacqui are as popular as ever. You should remember too that previous PHJA albums also charted just off the top spot in the UK charts. I have heard the statistic that one-in-four households in the UK have a Beautiful South album, so millions of people know and love Paul and Jacqui’s music. Given this, we’re very motivated to maintain the highest standards in lighting them.”

Do Paul and Jackie get involved in lighting design issues at all?
“Neither gets very involved in lighting, really. I am allowed to visualize and design the light show, which is great thing, and an honor that they trust me to this extent.”

What’s the most important thing to remember when you light a Paul Heaton – Jacqui Abbott show?
“Since many of theirs shows are big productions, I have to remember at times that ‘less is indeed more.’ So, it’s important sometimes to hold back a bit, and then build up to a crescendo, so the crowd leaves the show remembering.”

Paul and Jacqui are big hits a festivals like Glastonbury. Is it different for you and other members of their crew when they appear at festivals?
“If it’s a festival or headline show, it doesn’t matter all that much to our team. All of us approach every show in the same way, However, certain festivals can be challenging regarding logistics. But when it comes down to the lighting, we treat every show in the same, which I hope is calmly and professionally.”

Do you busk your shows for them?,
“No, each song stack is individually programmed, blinders and strobe hits are played back manually, no click track is used here. Recently, I have started to use cue points to assist me in my workflow. This is a very helpful tool!”

What’s the best thing about working for Paul and Jacqui?
“The feeling of being very honored to light some of the most iconic pop songs of all time.”

What’s the most challenging thing?
“Getting the same feeling of achievement whether it’s an acoustic show or a massive football stadium.”

How has working for them influenced your development as a lighting designer?
“It has influenced me greatly, because it’s given me the chance to learn so much from so many people over the years. The late Bryan Leitch taught me so many important lessons regarding lighting design, like ‘it’s not what you light in a show, it’s what you don’t light that matters.’”