|
PRODUCTS USED:
Coemar Infinity Wash XL lights
DESCRIPTION:
Bandit Lites is currently on tour with country music superstar, Martina McBride. Just prior to the tour's kickoff, McBride released her ninth album, Waking Up Laughing. The tour opened April 12 in Kansas City, Missouri, and will wrap up on August 17 in Springfield, Illinois. It also features country music newcomers, Rodney Atkins and Little Big Town.
The lighting designer, Abigail Rosen Holmes, worked with Tom McPhillips of Atomic Design, Inc., the production designer. "Tom McPhillips' fabulous set design was the great starting point," Holmes explained. "Martina is also very involved in the creative process. She has a very good eye and a real knowledge of what works for her, which makes it a huge pleasure to work with her." Holmes suggested that a key component to the lighting design was working with McPhillips to create a set that coordinated with the lighting scheme. McPhillips chose Barco MiTRIX panels because they are reasonably see through, so lighting can work behind and through them. He explained that the recent advances in LED, like video scrims, strips and pixel blocks, that can be used as integral set elements and not just as a screen plus set pieces, has renewed his enthusiasm for video.
Holmes incorporated Lycian 1271 Starklites, Lycian M2 spots, Martin MAC 2000 Washes, Vari*Lite VL3000 Spots, Martin Atomic 3000 Strobes, Vari*Lite VL500Ds, Coemar Infinity Wash units, and Star Strobes to the overall design. Lighting is being controlled by two grandmas and NSPs.
"Thanks to SetCo in Nashville who built the stage, MooTV, the video vendor, and Bandit's ability to integrate the lighting into the set, the build and set up process was a breeze," says McPhillips. "With Abbey Holmes doing her thing with lights and video quite stunningly, it became one of my most enjoyable set design experiences ever."
The Bandit t crew for this tour includes lighting director Trevor Ahlstrand, crew chief Chris Hallman and technicians Aaron Swetland and Kenneth "Bubba" Moore. You can read more about the Martina McBride tour in the August issue of Lighting&Sound America.
|
|
|