This year marked the fifth year of Pulse Lighting's involvement with the event, with lighting designer Preston Hoffman working each year to create an even more sophisticated design, a feat enabled with Bandit Lites.
"The Xmas Jam is a very special show for me each year," said Hoffman. "The Christmas spirit is always in the air, and it is a time for me to help give back to families less fortunate than I am. Bandit Lites lends a hand each year by providing the lighting equipment at cost as a way of helping us achieve this goal."
Hoffman is able to utilize Bandit's entire inventory, an opportunity that allows him the freedom to try new and innovative designs. This year's rig consisted of 56 X4s, 14 Mac Vipers, six Robe BMFL, 12 Sharpies, 17 QPIX 2 cell LED blinders, 12 GRN Par and 30 Cuepix Panels run on two grandMA2 consoles.
"The design started off with the X4s, since last year I discovered how great these fixtures are used in large numbers. They really give a big foundation to each look in that they fill a lot of space with full wash or big arrays of tight beams. I then put the Vipers in strategic locations so they can bring some nice textual beams to the design. Sharpys were placed on a low truss so that they have the most freedom to be focused up or down and be the centrepiece of the rig."
The newest additions to the rig included Robe BMFLs and Cuepix cubes. Hoffman previously worked with BMFLs to illuminate Boston's City Hall for the Boston Calling Festival, an experience that showcased the fixture's immense projection capacity. Robe loaned six for the event.
"We were throwing around several backdrop ideas and it dawned on me that these fixtures would be the answer," explained Hoffman. "I hung a polysilk backdrop and used these fixtures to project from the DS Truss. When they were not being used for projection, they could be out in the house providing sophisticated beams."
With Xmas Jam being a particularly festive event, Hoffman took the opportunity to use custom fixtures his company Pulse Lighting had fabricated over the summer consisting of six Cuepix panels mounted in a steel cubic frame.
"We happen to be housing these at Bandit's Nashville shop, and I thought they would be perfect for this show," said Hoffman. "They were hung along a centre truss spine over the audience giving everyone in the room an engaging piece of eye candy. I brought in LD Kenny Gribbon who had them out this summer to program them and he ultimately operated them for the show as we all had our hands full with the stage show. That looked great, looking at times like snowflakes and at times presents; they really enhanced the Christmas spirit!"
Jon Dindas produced the event and Kit Blanchard provided support as production manager. Hoffman also credits the event's success to Jefferson Waful (Billy and the Kids) and John Collegian (Gov't Mule).
"I have to mention how much of a pleasure it is to work with Bandit on this show each year," concluded Hoffman.
(Jim Evans)
