Lighting designer Mick Thornton utilized a rig featuring Robe Pointes, Bandit's exclusive GRNLite Moving Washes and Pars, as well as 80 Clay Paky Mirage Panels controlled with a GrandMA1 console.
"I tend to design a show that is very video content orientated and work the colours with the lights and video to create a very Moody Blues feel," said Thornton. "I strongly believe in big focus positions and great timing."
Having worked with The Moody Blues for 14 years, Thornton is afforded creative licence over the look of the lighting, saying, "The set list very rarely changes. I try and re-create the show with each new tour we do."
With 2017 being the 50th anniversary of Days of the Future Passed, Bandit client representative Dizzy Gosnell noted The Moody Blues illustrious career saying, "This band has an extensive history going back to the mid 60's, mingling with all the greats of the day on level terms; they even supported the Beatles in 1965 on the Beatles last ever UK tour.
"Being involved with such a legendary (in the truest sense of the word) group is really an honuor. Mick lights the band and designs and controls the video always to compliment what the band is playing and never to conflict. The change from VL2500's to Robe Pointes worked very well from all angles: performance, price and compact size to fit inside the Thomas Tech Truss, which is key for the truckpack."
Thornton shared he was "very happy" with the system Bandit provided, noting, "It was a very good decision to swap the VL2500's for the Robe Pointes."
"Mark Hogue the production manager has really fine-tuned the touring show to enable sound, lights and video to travel in two trucks, with shows in theatres and performing arts centres and still make money," finished Gosnell. "He and I often talk of options and the package they have out right now hits the sweet spot on artistic, production and budgetary grounds."
(Jim Evans)
