Bandit Lites Projects

Wrestlemania XIX


Last week, 53 tractors left various points around the country and headed to Seattle for Wrestlemania XIX. Production and lighting designer Jason Robinson was appointed the task of giving the appropriate production values to the largest Pay-Per-View event in WWE history. Spanning 275' and standing over 115' high, the lighting rig dominated the facility and created awe and amazement when the audience entered the building. This is the first time an event of this magnitude took place at SAFECO Field; show rigging installed from the retractable roof and field-level seating were other firsts for the venue. Also in performance at the event were the band Limp Bizkit and R&B singer Ashanti.

Other personnel involved were production manager Steve Taylor, project managers Steve Powell and Don Lockridge, gaffer Chuck Hastings, stage manager James McKinney, lighting production coordinator Jason Shaw, board ops Chuck Hastings, Ben Hay, Troy Eckerman, techs Dave Butzler, Tom Fulscher, Dale Jewett, Jim Schroeder, Chip Perry, Chris Lisle, Chris Schultz, Jason Workman, Brad Hylton, Joe Paradise, Mark Lepetich, Tyler Greene, and set carpenters Clifford Sharpling and Joshua Vigil.

Gear for Wrestlemania XIX included 192 Martin Professional MAC 600s, four MAC 2000s, 54 Martin MAC 250s, 124 Martin Atomic strobes, 34 Syncrolite SX7Ks, 16 Syncrolite SX3Ks, 60 6-lamp bars, six Strong Gladiator 3kW followpots, three Robert Juliat Heloise 2.5kW followpots, 3700' of Thomas 20.5" truss, a 41' circle of Tomcat 20.5" truss, 124 Columbus McKinnon motors, three Flying Pig Systems Wholehog II consoles with expansion wings, two ETC Expression 3 consoles, five ETC 72-way dimmers, 16 ProPrower distribution racks, 21 Doug Fleenor DMX data distributors, 6000' of Rose Brand muslin, 4000' of Rose Brand digitally printed Textilene, five Barco 12kW projectors, 128 Sony 15mm LED panels, one NEP TV truck fully equipped for live broadcast, 10 Sony BVP950 cameras, and pyro.

Syncrolite equipment was supplied by Arc Light Efx; crew: Eric Braudaway, Jorge Del Angel, Brian Keys, and McLain Moss. Additional companies involved were Stageco Staging, BCC Video, MD Clair, Janco Trucking, Zenith Pyro, and Cat Power.

St. Jude's Children's Hospital 40th Anniversary
Bandit Lites is helping St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital celebrate its 40th anniversary. The celebration, billed as "Shower of Stars," will be held at the Pyramid in Memphis, TN, hosted by Marlo Thomas, and featuring entertainers such as Al Green, Josh Groban, Marc Anthony, and Robin Williams. "Anytime we can be involved in an event for something as worthy as St. Jude’s, it’s an honor," said Michael Strickland, Bandit Lites CEO. "After all, children and family are what it’s all about."

Bandit Lites will supply a number of Martin MAC 2000s, 500s, 600s, ETC dimmers and Source Four ellipsoidals, Thomas 6-lamp bars and 20.5" truss, one Flying Pig Systems Wholehog II console, and one Martin Case Pro II console. Crew for the event includes production designer Robert Achlimbari, lighting director Mark Pranzini, project manager Steve Powell, crew chiefs Tom Fulscher and Andy Knighton, board op Tyler Greene, and technicians Brad Hylton and Shawn Beaulieau.