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Bandit Lites with Brooks & Dunn and ZZ Top on Co-Headlining Tour

Bandit Lites recently wrapped up with a co-headlining tour with legendary American blues-rock band, ZZ Top and country superstars, Brooks & Dunn. In the midst of their own separate tours, the two bands came together earlier this year for a 17-date run across the US and into Canada. The co-bill outing took place within ZZ Top's ‘In Your Face' tour and Brooks & Dunn's ongoing ‘Cowboy Town' tour, which stretches through the end of the year.

Lighting Designers, Chris Stuba (ZZ Top) and Larry Boster (Brooks & Dunn) decided to use Vari*Lite 3500 Washes, 3000 Spots and 2500 Spots. They added Martin Atomic 3000 Strobes and Color Kinetics Color Blasts to the equipment list. Lighting was controlled by two grandMAs, one gandMA Lite and three gandMA NSPs.

"We started this year's tour in April, went to Europe in July and then hooked up with Brooks and Dunn in August. Brooks and Dunn had been out for most of the year with their own lighting rig designed by Larry Boster," Chris Stuba explained. "We supplemented their existing rig with 24 VL 3500s and 7 DL2s and 4 VL 3000s, some Atomic Strobes and Audience Blinders. We also added our Catalyst system and grandMA consoles. We had two days to incorporate lighting cues and video content during rehearsals in Albuquerque. I believe we have ended up with really different looks between us."

Larry Boster also commented on the design collaboration. "Despite having the same lighting system, Chris and I designed very different shows. I knew we'd be doing a lot of amphitheaters so for my design, I tried to use as little smoke as possible. My design is more theatrical, based around the scenic elements where as Chris designed more of a hard edge rock & roll design with a lot of smoke and beams."

In the end, both organizations were very happy with the design and their touring counterparts. "The Brooks and Dunn crew is really fantastic," Stuba commented. "They really have made us feel welcome and the bands really enjoyed each other's company. Baja (Randy Fletcher) was with ZZ Top during the 70's before joining B&D. He really hit the mark on getting us all together. Larry and I have had a great time being FOH buddies."

"I've known Chris Stuba for a long time and he's an excellent individual to work with," Boster added. "Both camps really enjoyed working together. It was a great tour."

Bandit Vice President, Mike Golden, commented: "The outstanding teamwork from both organizations is essential to the success of a collaboration of this magnitude. ZZ Top's management team (managers - Carl Stubner and Rick Canny, tour manager- Pablo Gamboa and production manager - Donny Stuart) as well as Brooks and Dunn's management team (manager - Clarence Spalding, tour manager - Scott Edwards, and production manager - Randy "Baja" Fletcher) are some of the best in the business."

Golden added, "It is a highlight and honor of any given year to work with such talented and veteran acts as ZZ Top and Brooks & Dunn. It has been a real treat to be part of the historic collaboration between these accomplished acts this year."

www.banditlites.com

17th November 2008

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