More details from Bandit Lites (www.banditlites.com): The Red Rocker is on the road again with Bandit Lites, as Sammy Hagar brings more than 40 years of hits to audiences around the country. The tour features performances from past and present band mates of Hagar, including Michael Anthony of Chickenfoot and Van Halen and Denny Carmassi and Bill Church of Montrose.
Rather than using any trusses to the left and right on the stage, lighting designer Jim Greenawalt designed six up and down stage trusses. In the air are 30 GRNLite Moving Wash 3-120’s and 30 VL 2500 spots. On the floor there are 8 VL 2500 spots, 6 ACL Beacons and three 10 by 10 feet LED Mirage screens.
“This is the first time I designed a show with no downstage truss,” said Greenawalt. “I place the two outside trusses so they stick about 4 feet past the downstage edge, which gives me the front light I need. The one thing I noticed is with the trusses placed the way they are, you can get some great side I Mag shots with lighting behind them.”
Greenawalt runs the entire show along with the video on a GrandMA Full console. Bandit crew included Andy French and Wayne Lotoza as crew chief.
“As always, Bandit has come out above and beyond with the excellent shop prep,” enthused Greenawalt. “The great advance work from Dizzy, sending out an excellent crew, and all the special detail was noticed, even by the band and Sammy himself, as he walked by the custom motor controller he signed it saying ‘This is cool!’”
Production manager Paul Binder and Greenawalt worked hard to make the show look big. “In typical Sammy style, this show punches well above its weight,” added Dizzy Gosnell, Bandits’ production designer. “It looks like a huge 80’s rock show, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Big fat wads of color in the air, massive looks and intimate moments. You know every song he plays, even if you don’t know the title. All of this in 2 x trucks! It can be done people, it can be done.”
