Los Angeles – January 17, 2007
As the alternative rock band Tool continues its multi-continent tour it has added two grandMAs, one for lighting control and one for video control, to its US and European venues and to gigs in Australia this month. The equipment complement is expected to remain the same when Tool returns to US arenas in March. The exclusive North American distributor of the grandMA is A.C.T Lighting.
“Video is a very dominant thing with Tool,” notes designer/director Mark Jacobson who has been working with the band since 1996. “All the video is pretaped; there’s no live camera. Lighting can’t step on the video -- it has to play a supporting role -- so we don’t use spots, just the fixtures we have on the rig for a more mysterious look.
“I’ve used the grandMA almost exclusively since 2002,” he continues. “I don’t like to use anything else anymore. The grandMA gives me the flexibility to move things around the way I like it to work. I’m not forced to run the show the way whoever designed the board wants me to; instead, the grandMA is very open to the user. I also love its wireless remote which nobody else seems to have.”
The lighting complement controlled by the grandMA includes 24 Martin Mac 2000 profiles, 10 Mac 2000 washes, 16 HES StudioBeams, eight HES x.Spots, four HES StudioCommand 1200s, six PixelLine 110ec LED battens, 22 PixelPARs, 13 Martin Atomic 3K Strobes and five Eight Lights with Wybron Scrollers. Lighting gear in the US is provided by Delicate Productions; European lighting was supplied by Neg Earth Lights and Australian gear by Bytecraft,
Video equipment worldwide is provided by Delicate Productions and Diagonal Research, which furnished a grandMA and an NSP. Video playback is controlled by multiple Diagonal Research NEV 8 systems with projection routing done by multiple Pandora’s Box systems.
"We are delighted to work with Mark. He has used the grandMA for quite a long time. His style of control depends on the Multi-User capabilities of the grandMA," commented A.C.T Lighting's President and CEO, Bob Gordon.
About A.C.T Lighting
A leading importer and distributor of lighting products, A.C.T Lighting, Inc. strives to identify future trends and cutting-edge products, and stock, sell and support their inventory. The company provides superior customer service and value for money to all of its clients. For more information call 818-707-0884 or visit www.actlighting.com.
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