Bandit lights Nashville New Year party
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“Bandit Lites has been involved with the Nashville New Year’s Eve project for well over a dozen years,” says Bandit Lites vice president Mike Golden. “Each year I stand amazed with Erik Parker, Chris Lisle and Mark Anderson for their complete focus on making this event more spectacular each and every year. This year was especially impressive due to the volume of gear and technicians; without a question it was the most calibrated production to date.”
Returning lighting designer Erik Parker of Chris Lisle Lighting Design tackled the massive event with a two-fold focus: the stage and the site, looking to craft something that would energize the crowds as well as look fantastic on camera for NBC’s live broadcast.
“For the stage, my goal was to create a big look for the people hanging in the front as well as those hundreds of yards back,” says Parker. “For the site we wanted to make it safe, but also add energy and create that New Year vibe across the whole site.”
Bandit Lites supplied more than 1300 fixtures for the concert, site lighting and famous Music Note drop (what Parker calls “the real focal point of the entire event”) including Elation Paladin, Chauvet Rogue RH1 Hybrid, GRNLite Par 64, VL 3500 Washes, VL 6000 Beams, Chauvet Illuminarc Panel 80 LED wash, Showline Nitro 510C, VL 3000 Washes, Robe BMFL Wash Beam.
While last year’s concert goers faced freezing temperatures, the production team battled flash flood warnings, tornado watches and a severe thunderstorm.
“Mother Nature has an amazing way of reminding us her power every year,” adds Parker. “The biggest translation into the design is the use of mostly IP-rated fixtures for the areas that will be sitting out in the elements. This was a BIG lesson I learned the first year I took over as designer and it’s saved our butts many times over.”
Audience lighting consisted of Elation Paladin, Elation SixPar 100 IP65, Chauvet Illuminarc Panel 80 LED wash and ETC Source Four Pars while delay lighting was provided by additional Elation Paladins.
Brett Young, Chris Janson, Judah and the Lion and CMA Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban took to the Jack Daniel Stage which featured ETC Source Four 26 degrees, Lycian M2 Spots, GLP X4, Elation CuePix WW4, Claypaky Mythos, Claypaky B-EYE K20, Claypaky Sharpys, Robe BMFLs, Elation Colour Chorus 12 and Nitro 510C fixtures.
Bandit Lites crew consisted of 21 on site techs, including Patrick Cowden, Nikki Dotson, Terese Fensler, Jon Houle, John Lucksinger, Craig Richter, Mark Scherer, Steve Strickland, Ty Veneziano, Ryan Waldron Elizabeth Weller, Scott Wesson, Justin Wilk, Chaz Martin, Joey DiLeo, Andrew Ellis, Savannah Harden, Jessie Hochinyavong, Clayton Peavey, Bryan Place and Brenna Rae. Additional support came from Bandit project manager Matt King.
(Jim Evans)
