Bandit Lites Gears Up for 2013 with Clay Paky Sharpys and GrandMA 2

	2012 Uproar Festival. Photo: Lizzie Davis.

Bandit Lites has added more gear to its rental equipment inventory, with hundreds of additional Clay Paky Sharpys and several MA Lighting grandMa 2s set to hit the road on 2013 tours and shows.

One upcoming use of the new fixtures will be Warren Haynes' Christmas Jam, which takes place December 15, 2012 in Asheville, North Carolina. Lighting designer Preston Hoffman will light the stage for the featured artists, including Sheryl Crow, String Cheese Incident, and The Warren Haynes Band.

Dizzy Gosnell, Bandit Lites' general manager said, "We at Bandit are so proud to be involved in this show each year as the net proceeds goes to Habitat for Humanity for the Asheville area. It is a very worthy cause indeed, made even more prominent this year by being shown live on AXS TV for the first time to increase the reach of the fundraising. Working with Preston and his brother Paul is really enjoyable," Gosnell added. "They like to push the boundaries of what the equipment can do, and their shows prove that."

Widespread Panic's traditional New Year's Eve concert, with the lighting and video designed by Paul Hoffman, will also feature Clay Paky Sharpys as well as some new GLP X4 LED wash units on the rig. This food drive event will take place on December 31, 2012 at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Dozens of Sharpys have already been out on the road with Carrie Underwood's heart-stopping Blown Away tour. The recently voted American Country Award Female Artist of the Year has been captivating audiences all year long with her technologically savvy, multi-media tour that has taken her out internationally as well as all over America. Lit by acclaimed lighting designer Peter Morse, the arena tour also features two recently purchased grandMa 2's.

"Anyone who has ever seen Peter Morse's work knows his product will be of the highest quality and energy and I think his work with Carrie will exceed those expectations," said Bandit Lites' vice-president Michael Golden. "Working for Peter on this tour was certainly a highlight of 2012 and I walked away from rehearsal with a true appreciation for his professionalism and attitude."

Jason Aldean's upcoming Night Train tour will also feature Clay Paky Sharpys. With over seven million records sold and 10 number one hits, the country super star will kick of the first leg of his tour in Bossier City, Louisiana on February 21 and continue to 23 cities through May. Lighting design will be provided by CMA SRO award-winner Aaron Swetland, who won Lighting Designer of the Year for his work with Aldean's 2012 tour.

Bandit also utilized Clay Paky Sharpies on the 2012 Uproar Festival, featuring hard rock band Shinedown. Their latest album Amaryllis will be featured in their upcoming 2013 tour with Canadian rock band Three Days Grace and will include lighting design by Carter Fulghum and Mike Filsinger. The first concert will held on February 1 in Moline, Illinois and continue through April.

Additional 2013 tours featuring the equipment include Little Big Town's Tornado tour, with lighting design by Chris Shrom, and The Band Perry, with lighting design by Travis Walker.

Bandit worked with Brian Dowd and Bob Gordon of A.C.T Lighting to acquire the equipment.

"A.C.T. has applied the same attention to quality to the Clay Paky moving fixtures that they have always had with their consoles," said Pete Heffernan, president of Bandit Lites. "Clay Paky went many years with very little support for their product, but A.C.T incorporates the same outstanding customer service that has made them so successful with GrandMa and WholeHog consoles. The addition of George Masek to the A.C.T. staff only reinforces their first rate commitment to remarkable service for Clay Paky products."

See A.C.T Lighting at PLASA Focus: Orlando, May 15-16.