World - Lighting designer Steven Douglas is using grandMA lighting control for the first time on the current Killers Day & Age world tour, which has just completed its first US, UK and European legs. He had two grandMA full-size consoles - one in tracking backup - and four MA NSPs running over Ethernet, controlling nine real DMX universes and 111 virtual universes for all the video content, stored on three Vixen media servers run via Arkaos, also triggered from the grandMA.
Design wise, Douglas went for a complete departure from the last Killers tour, which had been classically theatrical in style. This time the stage and lighting have a contemporary look, a juxtaposition of circles and rectangular shapes and a massive 268 panel ColorWeb screen which spectacularly defines the space.
It's the first full tour on which he's specified a grandMA, although he's used it on numerous festivals, which gave him a good idea of the power and flexibility. "I was always impressed by its customisability, and for this, I needed a dynamic, reliable desk and it seemed absolutely the right time to start using the grandMA."
The console is controlling 57 moving lights - a mix of Vari*Lites and Martins, 18 Atomic Colours, 11 8-lite Moles, 27 i-Pix BB4s and BB7s and 63 Jarags. There's a selection of set practicals including coloured neon tubing fronting the risers and festoon draped across the backline, that are also run through the desk, plus other 'miscellaneous' items of hardware like 11 bubble machines.
In the UK and Europe, all lighting equipment was supplied by Siyan, with Toronto-based Christie Lites doing the same for the North American leg.
