NASHVILLE – The Moody Blues wrapped another successful run with a lighting package provided by Bandit Lites. Lighting designer Mick Thornton utilized a rig featuring Robe Pointes, Bandit’s exclusive GRNLite Moving Washes and Pars, as well as 80 Claypaky Mirage Panels controlled with a grandMA1 console.
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“I tend to design a show that is very video content orientated and work the colors with the lights and video to create a very Moody Blues feel,” said Thornton. “I strongly believe in big focus positions and great timing.”
Having worked with The Moody Blues for fourteen years, Thornton is afforded creative license over the look of the lighting, saying “The set list very rarely changes. I try and re-create the show with each new tour we do.”
The British rock band boasts 18 platinum and gold albums with retail sales of more than 70 million units, proving that the Moody Blues are one of the longest lasting artists of the famed ‘British Invasion.’Credited with creating the first ‘art rock’ album with the conceptual “Days of Future Passed”, The Moody Blues bring their hits to sell out audiences across the country.
With 2017 being the 50th anniversary of Days of the Future Passed, Bandit Client Representative Dizzy Gosnell noted The Moody Blues illustrious career saying, “This band has an extensive history going back to the mid 60’s, mingling with all the greats of the day on level terms; they even supported the Beatles in 1965 on the Beatles last ever UK tour. Being involved with such a legendary (in the truest sense of the word) group is really an honor. Mick lights the band and designs and controls the video always to compliment what the band is playing and never to conflict. The change from VL2500’s to Robe Pointes worked very well from all angles: performance, price and compact size to fit inside the Thomas Tech Truss, which is key for the truck pack.”
Thornton shared he was ‘very happy’ with the system Bandit provided, noting, “It was a very good decision to swap the VL2500’s for the Robe Pointes.”
“Mark Hogue the Production Manager has really fine-tuned the touring show to enable sound, lights and video to travel in two trucks, with shows in theaters and performing arts centers and still make money,” finished Gosnell. “He and I often talk of options and the package they have out right now hits the sweet spot on artistic, production and budgetary grounds.”
