Bandit and Billy Currington Celebrate Summer Forever

Country music artist Billy Currington is out on tour with Tim McGraw for the Shotgun Rider Tour with a lighting package provided by Bandit Lites. Currington is promoting his fifth studio album Summer Forever, and just celebrated his tenth number one single, "Don't." Having worked with Currington since 2009, lighting designer Chris Lisle approached the lighting from an efficiency standpoint, as the gear would need to be able move on and off the stage quickly while still being able to clear doors and fit within the allotted truck space.

"We based the design off utilizing the existing backline carts that Billy was already using, and incorporating lighting on them," explained Lisle.

The majority of the fixtures are based on the carts placed upstage over the band's heads. Nexus 4x4s are used for general eye candy and effects, while the Clay Paky B-EYEs provide wash lights for the band, aerials, and other special effects. X4S fixtures are mounted to the front of the band risers to fill in the gaps between what is on the carts and what is placed in the air.

"We wanted to make everything easy, so figuring out how to mount everything (and cable it) in a way that it would be able to come off stage quickly was a big key," Lisle says. "As a support act on a major tour, we want to be as accommodating as we can and make sure that the headliners staff/crew are happy with how quickly and efficiently everything moves."

To help with that effort, Bandit Lites worked to make sure that everything on the lighting end of things was clear, concise, and well-organized, the company says, from prep, to labels, and providing fixture changes well into programming.

"This design is a great example of keeping logistics and practicality in mind while accomplishing a dynamic lighting rig," says Bandit's business development officer Brent Barrett. "The choice of fixtures truly complement each other in this design. It is always a true pleasure to work with Chris Lisle and Chris Diener (PM), and great to be again working with Ian Saunders (Board Op)."

"The entire BC organization is fantastic to work with," says Lisle. "From Billy to management, to tour and production managers, to the lighting director; they all are a tight knit family and have a great time on the road, all the while pulling off fantastic performance each night."