American pop rock band LANY recently wrapped their 34-city Summer Forever tour with a lighting system supplied by Bandit Lites. The band, named as an acronym for Los Angeles and New York, is comprised of the duo Paul Jason Klein and Jake Clifford Goss. LANY boasts four studio albums, several EPs, more than 3.5 billion song streams, and over 750 million video views.
Lighting Designer Ben Gilbert and Production Manager Alex Rousso based the design around a cube, with the center section of the design evoking three sides. The rest of the design flows from the top to the back, to the floor, all while remaining perfectly symmetrical. “The artist took inspiration from Kanye West’s set at Glastonbury in 2015 with the grid of PAR cans,” explained Gilbert. “When considering the space and budget, we wanted to look for a light with more flexibility with more than just a dimmer.”
Bandit Lites supplied the Elation Z350 FUZE WASH, which offered great functionality while providing a wide focal lens that delivered the desired look. The fixture has great speed, zoom and color which made it the best tool for the job. In addition to the Z350 FUZE WASH, Gilbert utilized Bandit’s GLP JDC1 strobes to push color across the stage while accentuating hits within the music and Chauvet MK3 Spots to offer side light and fill the space with color. The LED spot also aids in keeping heat down on the outdoor amphitheater tour.
“With the premise of the square, we wanted the risers to follow suit but also be practical and visually interesting,” said Gilbert, who ended up using a “n” shape. “To make this even more interesting, we wanted to create a straight down look with a camera that we could put on the screen which would create a mirror/open book effect.
The team needed to expound on that look with the lighting but also keep the stage look clean. The solution? Clear rises with Elation CHORUS LINES underneath. Coupled with two base hazers under the decks is the appearance of one of floating on a cloud.
“The CHORUS LINES are very versatile with their great color, pixel control, tilt and zoom functions,” said Gilbert. “They allow us to create a lot of different looks that really add a whole new dimension to the stage.”
During rehearsals, Gilbert noted lighting LANY from the side was inadequate. To amp up the side lighting, Gilbert requested a strong LED spot that had shapers to he could do a hard cut across the front stage, keeping everything neat and creating a good profile shot of the stage. “The Aytron Khamsin was the fixture of choice,” he revealed. “It fits the bill perfectly with great colors and brightness; it is the all stop shop for our front lighting needs.”
To complete the design, Bandit supplied CUEPIX Blinder WW4s. Gilbert shared LANY love the look of the 2×2 blinder and he incorporated them within the space to evoke stadium lights to the audience.
While Bandit is thrilled to provide the lighting for LANY, it is the people that Bandit prides itself on, with Scot Sepe and Steven Wilcox serving as lighting technicians. “The service from Bandit has been impeccable,” said Gilbert adding, “Some really top quality southern hospitality all the way from our account manager down to the techs and shop crew. Mike has been great and on hand for everything and anything we need. (Project Manager) Jimmy Hatten went above and beyond with helping us and making sure we had the best looking, cleanest tour going out the door. The two touring techs have been great dealing with the difficulties of the varying venues and the day to day struggles. They get everything done in a timely manner which is great for everyone considering the conditions of doing outdoor shows in the summer.”
“It’s been a pleasure working with Alex Rousso, Ben and the entire LANY team,” said Bandit Lites Client Representative Mike Stanley. “We take immense pride in adding LANY to our client roster and I look forward to the opportunity to continue the relationship. I have no doubts that their outlook is bright, and I’m excited to see what the future has in store.”
