Guitar hero

Published Tuesday 29 April 2008 at 12:50

Bandit Lites is supplying lighting equipment and crew for the UK, European and US sections of Mark Knopfler’s 2008 world tour, which started in Amsterdam at the end of March.

Lighting design is by Simon Tutchener and based on a simple format incorporating an 8m A-type circular truss sitting centre stage as the main focal point, which is flanked by a 24ft and 16ft A-type truss each side, plus a 56ft A-type rear truss.

The show’s centerpiece features an image of the vintage National Style 0 Resonator guitar on which he starts the song, Romeo and Juliet. Using a high resolution photo of the centre of the guitar, drapes specialist company Blackout made a circular printed BP screen with the guitar image which is stretched across the downstage edge of the circle. There are 12 Vari*Lite VL3000s hung off the underside of the circle and eight Martin Professional MAC 2K washes rigged on top, which come into action when the circle moves into the vertical position. Tutchener beams them onto the screen, producing a variety of coloured and textured patterns.

The circle’s movement is controlled by tour rigger Johnny Ashton using one of Bandit’s customized touring motor controllers. There are another 16 VL 3000 Spots on the rig, all loaded with custom gobos - six on the floor and ten on the trusses, plus another 20 MAC 2K Washes, also on the trusses.

Bandit’s crew includes crew chief Mike Humeniuk, dimmer technician Ewan Cameron and lighting technician Tom Crosbie. The tour’s production manager is Pete Hillier and tour manager is Tim Hook.