Alice Cooper is a Life Long Bandit Favorite

alicecooper_zombie_2010-1.jpg strickland-cooper-golden.jpgSince 1967, Alice Cooper has been the personal favorite of the top echelon at Bandit Lites. Founder and Chair Michael T. Strickland, Vice President Michael Golden and San Francisco General Manager Dizzy Gosnell all grew up with much in common, not the least of which was an appreciation for all things Alice Cooper. Manager Shep Gordon and Tour Manger Toby Mamis have worked with Bandit for the last two decades and look forward to many more. Production manager Cesare Sabatini and lighting designer Chad “Chopper” Lewis round out the structure on the road that Bandit deal with globally on a daily basis.

As 2010 evolved Alice engaged in two different tours, The Theater of Death Tour that celebrated the many macabre ways in which Alice has met his end over the years, and the enormously popular Gruesome Twosome Tour with his protégé and friend Rob Zombie. Like the Bandit staff, Rob was also a fan of Coopers work and the tour was a natural fit. The lighting system was a central part of the shock delivery that Cooper and Zombie engaged in every night. Lewis, along with Zombie designer Damian Rogers put together a system that included MAC 2000 Spots, Performances, Washes and Color Blasts, as well as a plethora of truss, motors and PAR cans suitable for a show of this size. The show had two different looks for each artist with Zombie using video elements while Alice stayed straight down the old school path with music and lights, and a lot of shock thrown in. The console of choice for everyone was the Grand MA. Both designers have worked several tours with their respective artists and thus had the cues down perfectly night after night.

Alice bounced back and forth between the US and Europe during the year, but the Gruesome Twosome dates all occurred in America. Just as Alice is timeless and draws audiences from 12 to 80, and never ceases to sell out, so the younger Zombie has created a similar following and they draw from the same well of fans. This pairing looks like it will reappear in 2011 as everyone involved enjoyed it and the fans are demanding more.

Bandit staff is proud to work with these fine artists and enjoy delivering the world with the extraordinary visuals each night. Alice, Mike and Michael golf together a few times each year and the conversation goes from inane to comical as the three industry veterans relive story after story each time they gather. The quality of the golf cannot match the stories at all. Golden says, “Alice, band, management and staff are the best in the industry. It is a pleasure and an honor to work with such a talented and legendary group. We look forward to the next great adventure with them”.

About Bandit Lites

Bandit Lites is a global leader in the entertainment lighting marketplace. From touring productions to fixed installations, Bandit Lites has a full staff of highly trained professionals to deal with all types of lighting needs. With offices in Knoxville, Nashville, San Francisco, London, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Bandit's global presence will insure seamless transitions no matter where your next show takes you.