Erick Baker woos Valentines crowd with Bandit Lites
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Baker is known to his fans for baring his soul in performances, and to mirror that intimacy and tenderness in the lighting, the team at Bandit Lites crafted a design that would set the right mood.
“We provided seven of our new crystal chandeliers to help set the mood,” said Bandit Lites general manager, Giff Swart. “With the warm glow of tungsten and the refractive properties of the crystal, it is a huge effect. We also provided Freedom Pars to light the cyc backdrop. Lastly, we provided eight Martin Mac 2000 Performances with custom heart gobos, which when used in conjunction with the effects-wheel, looked stunning.”
Lighting director Alex Becker utilised and re-focused all the Bijou’s existing LED stage wash fixtures and Leko ellipsoidal front wash, in addition to tying in Bandit’s fixtures with their DMX control console. Bandit Lites DF-50 provided haze, giving the stage additional dimension and mood looks for the intimate performance. While balancing colour-combination, beam-looks, and basic front light to compliment any song is a normal challenge in lighting direction, the added dimension of the evening’s romantic nature added another component to balance.
“The crowd usually wants to be able to see the performers, but ultimately it is a visceral experience the audience really craves,” noted Swart. “The Bijou itself is a smaller venue, and this definitely helps to maintain an intimacy lacking in larger spaces.”
“Being able to work with Erick is such a joy and these shows are incredibly special,” said Allison Burchett, Bandit Lites production manager. “To hear his music unfold and connect with the audience is an amazing experience. This is a man who truly loves what he does and it is an honour for Bandit to be involved in help sharing his gift.”
(Jim Evans)
