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grandMA on Metallica's Death Magnetic Tour
MA Lighting's grandMA full-size console is accompanying heavy metal great Metallica's 2008-2009 coffin-clad concerts. The show theme, echoing the coffin motif of the 25-year-career heavy metal wizards' latest release, Death Magnetic, boasts 82-ton lighting structures, courtesy of lighting designer John Broderick. Programmer Troy Eckerman reflects that on the current tour, everything is "zero time cue - fast and furious. It's all about horsepower and intensity, full-on and in-your-face."
With full-size tracking backup in line for every show, the original lighting design had entailed a hard-edge, all wash-light array, to be controlled by grandMA. "We'd needed lots of power to make a big statement," says Eckerman. "And it takes lots of lights, almost all on all of the time." The lighting rig comprises 56 Vari*Lite VL3500 washes as well as several Coemar and Martin moving lights and conventionals.
Eckerman acknowledges that at these majestic Metallica mortuaries, things get very loud and very bright. He adds that, given the circumstances, the grandMA console has been holding up "as stable as ever. It's never been a problem."
Eckerman pays his respects to grandMA: "Console operator Rob Koenig knows Metallica like the back of his hand, and is very good at what he does. But then, grandMA takes what we do and makes it great!"
Premiere Global Productions delivered the lighting equipment.
photo: Steve Jennings
19th February 2009
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