How I think about fog, haze, and dry ice at shows

I usually think of fog as a short cue effect. It looks strong, but it clears faster than haze and can take over the stage pretty quickly if someone runs too much of it.

Haze is different. It is much lighter and is mostly there to make beams, lasers, and moving lights show up in the air. Some haze is water based, and some uses refined mineral oil. Oil based haze tends to hang longer, but if it runs all night, you may notice a light film on nearby gear or surfaces.

Dry ice fog is another category. Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide, and when it is put into hot water, it creates that low fog that stays close to the floor. I’ve seen it work really well for stage reveals and entrances, but it is brief and needs careful handling, storage, and ventilation.

"Concert smoke" is not one thing. Fog is for a quick visible hit. Haze is for lighting. Dry ice is for low floor effects. The choice depends on the look, the room, and what the crew is prepared to manage afterward.