Hybrid MAC III AirFX™ Passes Test on Jason Mraz

“It’s worked really, really well on Jason Mraz,” he says. “It’s bright and has a good range of gobos for a wash light!”

Gobos in a wash light? The MAC III AirFX is a new concept that combines hard-edge, mid-air effects and a wash field in one luminaire.  An aerial effects wheel houses a set of four exceptional gobo designs and its unique optical system allows it to adjust from a tight beam to a radiant wash instantly.

“The MAC III AirFX gives you all the advantages of a highly capable hybrid fixture,” Paul states, “which means you can place one light where you used to have two!”

Super bright at nearly 60,000 lumens, the MAC III AirFX has enough power to cut through light from powerful LED screens, an element that played a major part in Paul’s design for Jason Mraz.

“The MAC III AirFX is a great aerial light that can really add some dimension to a lighting rig. Their brightness allows them to cut through nicely while in a gobo and helps texture an otherwise static look,” commented tour lighting director Joel Reiff, a talented operator who often busks parts of the show.

Predominately a Martin rig, the Jason Mraz European tour played everything from small venues to large arenas this fall, the AirFX showing its versatility to adapt to each with just four of the fixtures filling the stage from an upstage position. Working together with Martin MAC Viper Profiles and pods of MAC 101s in a musically eclectic show, the AirFX’s verstility came shining through its 9” PC lens in the form of washes, aeriel effects and big beam looks.

Spread across upstage, mid- and downstage trusses, 19 MAC Viper Profiles also played multiple roles as spots, occasional gobo projection onto large illuminated columns and as front light onto performers. Working side by side the 101 pods, no Vipers were reportedly swapped out on the tour.

The MAC 101s, four fixtures per pod, provided powerful blasts of color wash onto the stage and audience while 12 additional 101s worked from a floor position (MAC Auras were used in place of the 101s on the U.S. leg.).  Behind a backdrop LED screen (not used in the Columbiahalle show pictured), more Vipers and 101s cut through from a pair of upstage trusses.

Since June, Jason Mraz and his new band have toured Asia, North America, and Europe. Lighting vendor on the European leg was Lite Alternative with Upstaging supplying in the U.S.

Lighting Designer: Paul Normandale
Lighting Director: Joel Reiff
Lighting Crew Chief: Steve Schumi

Martin Equipment:
56 x MAC 101™
19 x MAC Viper Profile™
4 x MAC III AirFX™

Martin Professional
Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Aarhus, Denmark, Martin Professional is a world leader in the creation of dynamic lighting solutions for the entertainment, architectural, and commercial sectors. Martin also offers a range of advanced lighting controllers and media servers, as well as a complete line of smoke machines as a complement to intelligent lighting. The company operates the industry’s most complete and capable distributor network with local partners in nearly 100 countries.