Lighting designer Chris Lisle took advantage of the Nexus Aw 7x7 LED panels versatility on Miranda Lambert's Platinum Tour, which just announced its 2015 plans following a successful 2014 leg. The panels project narrow beams of light, provides warm washes, makes instant audience blinders, and displays impactful text and vivid animated graphics.
Lisle built the Nexus panels into an 'M' shaped truss downstage. The panels were driven via the lighting console to create a variety of visual effects that flowed with the far-ranging mix of songs in the concert set. "My idea was that the Nexus panels would be nice eye candy for everyone above floor level," said the LD. "I wanted to give them a little something more that the people on the floor wouldn't see. Our programmer, Scott Chmielewski, worked hard to create some great mapping moments in the GrandMA2 for the Nexus panels."
In addition to adding new gear for Miranda's tour, Bandit also added the Rogue R2 Beam fixtures to Garth Brooks' world tour. Lighting designer Dave Butzler was able to utilize the fixtures' beam, giving punchy looks with versatility, as its fully scrollable, variable speed colour wheel provides 14 fixed colours plus white. Bandit project manager Don Lockridge added they provide one of the biggest looks in the show.
Dave also uses a large number of Nexus 4x4 for audience light, as he finds the smooth colour texturing vital to the audience looks he desires to achieve. It affords him so much more versatility than simply a white audience all evening.
"We are absolutely thrilled and honored by David's decision," said Albert Chauvet, president and CEO of Chauvet Lighting. "Everyone knows the reputation that Bandit Lites has established over the years for its dedication to excellence in every facet of this business. To have a relatively new series like Rogue selected by a company like Bandit for something as prestigious as the Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood tour is a validation of the vision our team had when we were spending all those long days, nights, weeks and months developing the Rogue Series."
Bandit chair Michael T. Strickland stated, "Albert and the people at Chauvet were brilliant to work with and a great partner. They continue to come up with innovation solutions with their products. The products are reasonably priced and of the highest quality; our hat is off to them for being such an innovator and for assisting us on so many projects."
(Jim Evans)