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Bandit Gets The Party Started with Pink
Bandit Lites UK is supplying full lighting production and crew for Pink’s ‘I’m Not Dead’ tour, that’s just kicked off with a vengeance. The tour has started with a lengthy European section featuring a hugely energetic, entertaining and physically demanding performance by the singer that culminates in a series of breathtaking aerobatic stunts performed on silks hoisted high above the stage.
The innovative production and lighting design has been created by Mark Fisher and Baz Halpin. With considerable input from Pink, and her intense live performance as the epicentre of the show, they’ve woven lighting, video (see separate news story) and scenic elements into a stimulating and provocative visual collage.
Bandit UK’s chief executive Lester Cobrin comments: “It’s an honour and a privilege to be working once again with designers of Mark Fisher and Baz Halpin’s calibre, and an artist like Pink, who requires total perfection from every department to match her own dedication to the live show. Pink’s stage presence is fantastic and this show rocks to high heaven.”
There are 110 moving lights on the tour – a combination of Martin Professional MAC 2k Spot and Wash fixtures. These are scattered all over the rig – on the overhead trusses, on the upper and lower ‘dog leg’ side trusses; on the vertical upstage trusses that are revealed for the final section of the set; at strategic points on the bold sweeping staircase set and all over the floor.
These are joined by a selection of generics including 4-way ACL bars mounted on Robe media spinners, red police beacons, Martin Atomic strobes, MR16 battens for audience lighting and as up lighters along the thrust stage, four-lite Moles and DF50 smokers.
The lighting rig is controlled via a WholeHog II operated by Trent O’ Connor. Bandit is also supplying a second Hog II to the tour which is running a Catalyst digital media server and video playback content, controlled by Craig Allnutt who is also calling the six followspots. These are also supplied by Bandit – an M2 Lycian on the back truss and five 2k Lycians at FOH – plus all the associated lighting rigging, motors and points.
It’s a relatively modest amount of lights for a show of this complexity and with such a huge dynamic range, requires each fixture to be maximised and used with precision and care.
The show is divided into four distinct sections. It opens with Pink and the band in a classic rock band set up, backed by a funky 70 x 30 ft embossed ‘pillow’ drape, and accompanied by big, bold and bright lighting looks. This morphs into a highly choreographed dance section which sees the introduction of more video elements and ravey style lighting, including gobo looks and lots of chases.
The third section is acoustic, and performed on the B stage at the front of the thrust with stark, pulled back lighting. The show closes in dramatic style, with the pillow drape dropping away to reveal six 24ft vertical sections of trussing, loaded with MAC 2ks, which totally change the look feel, dimensions and depth of the stage. Pink makes her entrance with great style and attitude wrapped around a Harley Davidson.
The encore consists of two flying gags, the final showstopper being the silk aerial performance to the pulsating and infectious pounding of ‘Get The Party Started’.
Lighting has been thoughtfully programmed to keep up the blistering pace of the set and change with the mood and feel of it’s individual different segments. Not once is anything repeated as two hours of performance zip by.
Bandit is also supplying three top crew members. Crew chief John Wynne is joined by James Such, Roy Hunt and Jonathan Dawson-Butterworth, with O’Connor and Allnutt also both working members of the lighting team.
Baz Halpin comments, “I’ve worked with Bandit on numerous projects, and you’re always guaranteed the very best equipment, crew and service.”
13th October 2006
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