Chris Young
USA - Country music superstar Chris Young had an incredibly busy 2016, including #1 hits I'm Comin' Over and Think of You, a Christmas album and a massive headlining tour with an all new production look. His I'm Comin Over Tour, which is continuing in the New Year, features a lighting packaged provided by Bandit Lites.

With the show heavily featuring video, lighting designer Chris Lisle created a scalable lighting design featuring video while still allowing for punches of lighting around the content.

"Chris is one of those artists who allows his team to be creative and do their jobs - which we love!" said Lisle of the design process. "We had a couple of meetings with both him and management, and made some slight tweaks to the design, but overall were allowed creative freedom."

One fixture Chris Young liked specifically was Ayrton MagicPanels, so Lisle and lighting director/programmer Mike Stanley sought to utilize them in the design, flanking the main video screen and rolling content through them to keep the visuals strong.

"The MagicPanels extend the video wall out, often running content that's being displayed on the main wall," explained Stanley. "That being said, they're also driven by effects out of the console and put into some big chunky beam looks."

Bandit Lites supplied Tyler Truss, Elation CUEPIX Blinder WW2, Robe Pointes, Ayrton MagicPanel 602 and Martin Atomic 3000 Strobe.

"We both are huge fans of the Robe Pointe as well and knew it would be able to give punch around the brightness of the video wall," added Lisle. "Robe Pointes are still one of my favourite fixtures out there," said Stanley. "With big beamy stage scenes to explosive audience prism looks, it's a tough fixture to beat."

In addition to the video aspects of the design, the team also looked at insuring the design would be versatile enough for different concert locations.

"We had to have a design that was scalable to accommodate any venues in which we might have low trim or weight limits on the roof," said Lisle. "We're able to cut the torms in half, hanging either the Magic Panel sections or the Pointe sections for challenging rooms," Stanley said.

"In addition to Bandit gear, we have two MA2 Lights, two NPU's, a Catalyst, and six Chauvet Tour Battens. The set also has LED tape built in; that really makes it pop."

"Chris and Mike make a very creative design team and, equally important, they are both true professionals," said Bandit's Brent Barrett. "I always look forward to working with them."

(Jim Evans)


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