GLOBAL: For more than four decades, Lighting Director and Designer Steve Baird has played a defining role in crafting the visual language of some of the world’s most respected touring artists, including Dream Theater, Steely Dan, Norah Jones, and Julio Iglesias. Across a career marked by constant technological evolution and increasingly complex production demands, one tool has remained a consistent cornerstone of his workflow: WYSIWYG from CAST Software.

“I’ve been using WYSIWYG since version 1.2 in 1995,” Baird says. “It’s been with me my entire career. It’s my sidekick.” Baird’s association with Dream Theater dates back to 1995, when he joined mid-tour—an engagement that has since evolved into a creative partnership spanning more than three decades. Most recently, he has been designing and directing lighting for the band’s 40th Anniversary Tour, built around their latest album, Parasomnia, a global run that has already surpassed 100 shows across North America, Europe, and South America, with Asia and further international dates underway.

Working with Dream Theater presents a uniquely demanding brief. The band’s music is defined by intricate structures, extended compositions, and constant dynamic shifts—requiring a lighting approach that is both highly precise and continuously evolving. “Their music is incredibly detailed and dynamic,” Baird explains. “You’re not just lighting songs – you’re supporting movements within songs. The lighting has to evolve constantly.”

The production spans venues ranging from intimate theatres to 14,000-seat arenas, requiring seamless scalability without compromising creative intent. In this environment, variability becomes one of the greatest challenges, with fixture types, rigging configurations, and system availability often shifting from one venue to the next—particularly across international touring circuits.

It is here that WYSIWYG plays a critical role within Baird’s workflow. Operating from his home-based “WYSIWYG suite,” he pre-visualises entire lighting rigs, programs cues, and adapts designs well in advance of load-in, using a multi-monitor setup integrated with his lighting console. “I can patch fixtures, program looks, render scenes, and see exactly how everything will work,” he says. “By the time I arrive at the venue, most of the creative work is already done.”

This level of preparation not only reduces onsite programming time but also ensures consistency across a global tour. When fixture inventories change—an increasingly common scenario—Baird is able to rebuild and adapt his show rapidly within the software environment. “I need to see the lights working before I walk into the venue,” he explains. “Visualization gives me that confidence.”

Festival environments introduce an additional layer of complexity, often limiting access to programming time and requiring designers to work within shared systems. By connecting WYSIWYG directly to his lighting console, Baird maintains full creative independence, regardless of location. “I can sit down anywhere – backstage, in a corner, even in a hotel room – and continue working,” he says. “It gives me complete freedom.”

A defining strength of the platform, according to Baird, lies in its visual fidelity. “The beam visualization is incredibly realistic,” he says. “The way the beams look, the depth, the richness – it allows me to trust what I’m seeing.” This realism enables faster creative decision-making while also improving communication with artists and production teams.

Equally significant is the platform’s unified workflow. “Everything is in one place. I can design, patch, program, and render without switching between different programs. That’s huge.”

Despite the varied creative demands across artists—from the precision and dramatic intensity required for Dream Theater, to the nuanced, ensemble-focused approach of Steely Dan, and the atmospheric sensitivity of Norah Jones—WYSIWYG remains central to Baird’s design process. “It doesn’t matter the artist or the scale,” he says. “WYSIWYG gives me the tools to design with confidence.”

After more than 40 years in the industry, Baird continues to operate at the highest level of global touring, driven by a sustained passion for his craft. “This career has allowed me to travel the world, work with incredible artists, and support my family doing something I love,” he says.

Through decades of change and innovation, WYSIWYG has remained a constant presence—supporting creativity, adaptability, and precision across every stage of production. “It’s been with me since the beginning,” Baird says. “And I still rely on it every single day.”