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Los Angeles, October 9,
2006
The grandMA has hit the road with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
as
the band celebrates its 30th anniversary with the national Highway
Companion Tour. A pair of grandMA consoles, supplied by Ed &
Ted,
are currently in use on the third leg of the tour, which runs through
the end of October. A.C.T. Lighting is the exclusive North American
distributor for grandMA.
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers are selling out concerts and
breaking
house records across the country. The band has sold more than 50
million records since its formation, received 16 Grammy nominations and
was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the first year of its
eligibility.
The tour’s Production Designer, Jim Lenahan's approach to
lighting and video is “very much a combination of super new,
and
old school,” reports noted programmer Stan Green.
“There’s no video director: Everything is
programmed into
the lighting cues and controlled by the grandMA. The
grandMA’s
versatility and networking capabilities have just changed our lives. We
love the console.”
"During programming I can write something at one console, and Jim can
play it back without us changing seats. During the show, I can edit,
update, and monitor anything, and everything, without interrupting
Jim's flow.”
Serving as a backdrop for the band are several curved trusses that all
move during the show; two large curved video walls just behind the band
also move independently. The curved trusses are mounted with Element
Laboratories’ VersaTiles. Each square features two Element
Labs’ VersaTubes hanging below the group of tiles and
four-foot
VersaTubes suspended below the truss, icicle-style. These act like
masking on the fronts of all the moving trusses. “They
produce
beautiful textures and interesting movement, which blend in and combine
with the content on the video walls,” continues Green.
“We’re controlling the video in a completely modern
way: in
the lighting cues via the grandMA. The grandMA controls the all camera
switching and 4 robotic cameras. In addition, there are two V4
Catalysts. Through the console we can control which camera goes to
which layer of video on which screen, move them around, fade them etc.
We can put any camera in front of interesting backgrounds with
Catalyst. Many times the same content will be used on the screens, the
Versa tubes, and tiles to really bring it all together. We can also
apply effects, not only with Catalyst, but through the software
supplied by ‘Control Freak.’ And we can control
where the
robotic cameras are pointed. It’s all very cool, very
flexible.”
Green notes that 90 percent of the grandMA’s programming was
accomplished during rehearsals and without imposing on the
band’s
time. “When you’re programming the camera and video
switching, you need the band there, but Jim Lenahan (of Jim Lenahan
Production Design) created actual-size cardboard standups of the band
and that worked really well. It looked like they were there from the
front of house.”
The tour’s lighting, controlled by the grandMA, took a more
conventional turn. “It’s pretty traditional, with
lots of
hard-edged moving lights and wash lights,” says Green.
“The
band's key light is accomplished with Source 4 Lekos, and there are
8-light Moles for the audience. Atomic Strobes, Star Strobes, and Color
Block are also used in the show.
On the tour Lenahan runs the show on one grandMA console while Green
edits and programs the second grandMA; both systems are networked
together. “If we need a change during the show, I make the
change
on my console and Jim picks it up,” Green explains.
“I can
catch a problem like needing to reset a fixture or redirect a camera,
fix it and Jim doesn’t even know there’s been a
problem.”
“It is an honor to have the grandMA on tour with Jim and
Stan.
Stan is a consummate programmer and a designer in his own right. Jim
Lenahan is one of the more artistic designers anywhere. I have seen his
work for more years than either of us would want to admit. He has been
at the forefront of projection in concert lighting. Knowing that the
grandMA enables Jim and Stan to do things that no other console will do
makes me very proud,” comments Bob Gordon, President and CEO
of
A.C.T Lighting.
“The grandMA has been great -- it’s so versatile
and powerful,” Green concludes.
The lighting equipment is supplied by Ed and Teds Excellent Lighting.
The Catalysts, VersaTiles and VersaTubes for the tour were supplied by
CWP. XL Video provided the Barco LED walls and video crews.
MA Lighting is
exclusively distributed by 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.
Copyright © ACT Lighting 2009. All rights reserved.
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