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Bandit helps Celebrate 50 Years of the Fender Stratocaster
Bandit Lites UK supplied full stage and audience lighting equipment to the recent massive ‘Miller Strat Pack’ show at Wembley Arena.
This momentous event celebrated 50 years of the legendary Fender Stratocaster guitar – an instrument at the very essence of rock ‘n’ roll – and creator of many legends. Event proceeds were donated to the Nordoff Robbins music charity. The line up saw a role call of the great-and-the-good in the world of guitar heroes from past and present – starring Dave Gilmour, Gary Moore, Amy Winehouse, Phil Manzenera, Brian May, Joe Walsh and many, many more.
Bandit worked with producers, Field Services (production manager Pete Edmonds), and lighting designer Baz Halpin collaborated with set designer Mark Fisher to produce a unique look and aesthetic for this major, high profile one-off event.
Bandit’s Lester Cobrin and Baz Halpin collaborated on the design of a primary scenic truss overstage – in the shape of the reversed Fender ‘F’. This was constructed from A-type trussing sections plus and a selection of custom-built pieces, and measured approximately 24 ft long by 20 ft wide. It was incorporated into Fisher’s overall stage design, which also included several 10 x 4 ft wooden Stratocaster replicas, hung either side of a central LED video wall. The ‘F’ truss did not carry any lights, but it was attractively highlighted with MAC 300s.
The stage lighting rig consisted of over 120 Martin automated fixtures, as Halpin used almost every Martin model in Bandit’s vast inventory – including MAC 250s, 300s, 500s, 600s, 2k Profiles and Washes and 2k Performances. For those great, classic, Fender Rock ‘n roll moments, he also worked several strings of ACLs and Molefeys blinders into the design.
The show was recorded for DVD by Eagle Rock Entertainment. For audience lighting, Halpin worked closely with director of photography, Steve Tickner, and together they ensured the lighting was a good balance for the cameras and for the live audience. Cameras were directed by Blue Leach.
The audience lighting consumed 144 Pars, 42 Source Four profiles, 12 Martin MAC 2000 Performances and 18 strings of ACLs. A spot bridge was installed for four Lycian 2k Xenon FOH spots, which together with the four Lycian 1.2k HMI onstage truss spots, were also supplied by Bandit.
Control featured two WholeHog II consoles for the stage lighting, and an Avolites Sapphire 2000 for the audience, operated by Dave Lee. Dimming was all Avolites.
Bandit also supplied 60 Lodestar motors and all rigging for stage and audience lighting, plus a crew of four for the stage – Steve Rusling (crew chief), Craig MacDonald (dimmers), Andy Cooper and Paul Sadler (techs). The audience lighting team was crew chiefed by Dave Lee, and included Roger Grybowicz (dimmers) plus techs Rick Butler, Sam Viney and Charlie Denny.
“The biggest challenge,” explained Halpin, was the fact that the show “was a one off and there was limited programming time and a large line-up of artists” – most of whom he’d never seen perform before. He also had no advance idea about with their personal preferences might be – some liked ‘being lit’ more than others, some had specific cues and colour requirements, etc. He also had to make each individual’s section of the show look and feel different.
Added to that was the ongoing balance between cameras and audience, and the conundrums of having to create an exciting and atmospheric live show whilst ensuring both stage and auditorium was well lit and balanced correctly for the cameras.
Lester Cobrin said: “It was a great honour to be involved in a gig of this profile. Baz and the team all rose to the many demands involved, and produced a truly world class lighting design and show fitting to the event.”
Production video was supplied by XL Video and audio by Britannia Row Productions.
4th October 2004
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