LONDON — Paul Normandale of Lite Alternative, the U.K. based lighting production company that is supplying James Blunt’s All the Lost Souls tour, is putting seven of Martin Professional’s new MAC III Profiles through their paces. “I’m impressed,” Normandale said, of the 1500-watt profile spots. “The fixtures offer a significantly brighter tier of lighting, a great wide aperture source, a dramatic zoom, real strobing — and finally a real red.”
The James Blunt tour, which is also supported by Upstaging in Canada, is one of a handful of field test outings for the profile spot. The new gear was added for the recent European leg of the tour, which moves to Canada in mid-November. Martin LC Series panels have also been added for the tour’s larger venues.
Normandale, who is serving as creative director and lighting, set and video designer, said he chose the MAC III because he was looking for a bright hard edge fixture for venues with trim heights of up to 48 feet, and he needed a powerful spot to go with the Martin LC Series LED panels.
“Even at extreme zoom it has light to spare from a trim of nearly 50 feet across a video wall,” Normandale said, of the MAC III’s ability to punch out more than 33,000 lumens.
Located high in a circle truss arch, the MAC III’s broad front lens provides fat beam looks in mid-air, Normandale said. “The high output is a nice feature and when you combine it with the broad beam it gives a much welcome, very different look.”
The MAC III Profile is the first luminaire in Martin’s third generation of MAC moving heads. Its list of new features includes a new design, inside and out, new 1500-watt lamp technology and advances in control, handling and service.
“So far there have been no failures in the rig, which for a new light is fantastic,” said Glen Johnson, who handles lighting direction and runs the lighting and video on the tour.
Along with the MAC III Profiles, a checkered wall of LC Series LED panels provides a backdrop to the set. Normandale chose 22 LC 2140 panels, partly because of their two-meter-by-one-meter configuration.
“Moving trusses with the panels mounted on them reconfigure through the show, forming a true screen only once for one song,” Normandale said. The interlock of the screens was critical and the modular speed of the LC made this possible.”
The LC panels use standard Prolyte CCS6 conical truss connectors, and they do not need external power supplies or drivers, which keeps logistical costs and set-up time in check.
The touring rig also includes MAC 700 Profiles, MAC 250 Washes (which changes to MAC 700 Washes in Canada), MAC TW1s, Stagebar 54L LED bars and Atomic 3000 strobes with Atomic Colors scrollers.
“Support has been great, as usual,” said Glen Johnson, “with thanks to Mark Ravenhill, Matt Cowles and Simon Allan from Martin for allowing us to abuse their new light.”
Blunt’s All the Lost Souls tour has played in the U.K., U.S., Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
CREW
Tour Manager: Robert Hayden
Stage Manager: Jonny Gallagher
Lighting Designer: Paul Normandale
Lighting Director: Glen Johnson
Crew Chief: Mick Stowe
GEAR
7 Martin MAC III Profiles
22 Martin MAC 700 Profiles
19 Martin MAC 250 Washes
(These change to MAC 700 Washes in Canada)
7 Martin MAC TW1s
22 Martin LC Series panels (LC 2140)
6 Martin Stagebar 54Ls
4 Martin Atomic 3000s
4 Martin Atomic Colors
For more information, please visit www.martin.com
