Bandit Lites is working with this year’s Country Music Awards Horizon winner and Female Vocalist of the Year, Carrie Underwood. Lighting designer, Seth Jackson, and Bandit’s lighting director, Drew Gnagey, collaborated with David “Fuji” Convertino to program and direct the show.
Underwood is out on her first tour, supporting her multi-platinum album, Some Hearts. The tour includes headline dates as well as special guest slots on tours such as Kenny Chesney and Brad Paisley. Seth Jackson and crew put together a simple system that is able to merge into whatever house or headline artist’s system that they might encounter.
The show carries a riser package and a swaged velour backdrop. Upstage, on the floor, are Martin MAC 2000s. Built into the set are six towers that each have a Vari*Lite VL3000 Spot mounted to the top.
“The 2ks upstage give us the perfect floor light for one song, and then they can open up their zoom and fill the drape with color for another,” explains Jackson. “The VL3ks are also a perfect fit. With the zoom abilities of the light, those six lights, only ten feet off the ground, are able to cover the entire performance area.”
The show was built with a grandMA console, and Gnagey, is traveling with a Grand MA Lite. Jackson and team programmed the show so that it not only included the lights they are traveling with, but also an overhead rig that matches their touring rider.
“No matter what types of lights we run into, Drew is able to adjust the console to respond to the cues the same, giving the show a great deal of consistency in look, even though the physical hardware may be quite different from day to day,” explains Jackson.
Bandit vice president, Michael Golden adds, “Carrie Underwood is an incredible talent and with the production support of production manager, Chris Coffie and tour manager, Keith Dean, I believe she will be a touring force for many years to come.”
Bandit Lites Lighting Carrie underwood concert Tour Mac Martin