Bandit on top for fashion show

Bandit Lites has once again demonstrated the dynamics and scope of its operation when supplying lighting production and crew for LD Jonny Gaskell’s spectacular visual design at the Top Shop Fashion Show and Awards.
The two day event was staged at charismatic Syon House in West London, and each day saw 1500 of the popular retailer’s design teams and store managers as guests.
The project was managed for Bandit by Lester Cobrin who has worked with Gaskell several times in the past. Gaskell and his partner Nick Gray of Renegade Lighting were asked onboard by event producers 9PR, who are regular clients. Gaskell is a well known rock ‘n’ roll LD, renowned for his work with dance gurus Fatboy Slim and Orbital among many others. 9PR wanted plenty of drama and theatrical moments in the show, and the lighting was integral to achieving this.
Gaskell had to light the show and catwalk area in a 150ft long marquee, featuring a central stage area with four runways coming off it at right angles and an imposing scenic entrance at one end. Outside this room, the magnificent Syon House conservatory area was transformed into a nightclub space in which guests could chill out, and Gaskell’s brief also included the decorative illumination of the gardens.
The set and stage was designed by Andy Cobb, as was the spectacular Bedouin tent bar and eating area outside.
Gaskell lit the runways with 130 Source Four profiles, hung from overhead trusses. The stage had two concentric trusses above it, complete with a 4ft diameter mirrorball hung in the centre. The Source Fours were used to give smooth and even lighting on the models and to emphasise the natural tones of their skin and the clothes.
The Top Shop show was split into men and women’s sections, each of which was then subdivided into different clothing genres and moods. Gaskell was given a synopsis beforehand revealing the format of the themes and clothes.
The moving lights were 24 Martin MAC 2000 Profiles and 20 MAC 2K washes plus 20 High End PC beams – all spread out over centre stage and along the catwalk trusses. These were used to match and contrast the themes of each show, adding colour, drama and layering at the appropriate moments.
A 24ft high tower was revealed behind the catwalk doorway, lit with two Coemar Supercycs, loaded with a vertical ‘line’ of 8 Strobeflowers plus a laser in the middle. This bombarded the catwalk with beams, silhouetting the models for the Top Man show.
For the Women’s show, the towers was again used, this time with eight mirror balls blasted with side light from Source Fours, creating a totally different ‘silhouette’ look. Gaskell operated the entire system using a WholeHog II and a Wing.
The catwalk show was followed by the Awards, and then guests exited to the conservatory area where themed Bedouin tents were decked out with food and refreshments. This left a two hour window for the main tent to be re-set for the evening’s entertainment. The back wall was moved to the rear of the stage which was transformed into a band performance space after some manic activity.
The two over-stage trusses were dropped in low to make it look asymmetric. Bandit supplied 14 PixelLine LED battens, half of which were rigged on floor stands and half hung off the lower truss, giving a top-to-bottom wall effect for the two bands – Goldfrapp and Soul Wax.
The gardens were illuminated with approximately 25 MBI floods plus numerous Source Fours and other lanterns, and the bars and the Bedouin tent area were highlighted with Source Fours.
(CD)