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The young American Hip-Hop phenomenon appeared at the Paris Zenith for a one night only performance to kick-off the European leg of his «Under the Influence of Music» world tour.
Jason Bullock, the tour’s Lighting Designer, has done a spectacular job with luminaires that virtually set the Paris stage on fire.
Upstage left and right of the wonderful Wiz, hang beautiful, brand-new Ayrton MagicPanel™ fixtures, Jason’s new favorites.
It seems as if they were custom made for this Rapper – both doing bump cues as they illuminate the performer and as powerful audience blinders.
Installed in a 4 x 4 matrix, MagicPanel dominates the lighting rig, which is loaded with an impressive number of moving lights – both spots and washes, and proving, once again, that the future belongs to LED technology. We take you behind-the-scenes of this incredibly effective show.
We met Jason Bullock and his road crew backstage at the Paris Zenith. Then we had the chance to catch this high-energy concert and bring you some remarkable images of the design: Under the Influence of both Jason Bullock AND Ayrton.
Jason has mostly been a rock & roll designer (working with a variety of musicians from the heavy metal and electro scene). Lighting a genius of American Rap has whetted his appetite for even more.
His choice of lighting gear says everything. Big movers, mostly hung from three high trusses that loom over the stage like fingers. Ground units on the floor upstage include an impressive fixture selection – 24 strobes (SGM X5 LEDs replaced the Martin Atomic 3000s that were used on the US tour), and lots and lots of smoke.
Because the tight stage has to accommodate the rambunctious rapper and all his musicians, set decoration was minimal. The lighting has to do it all… and it did – seemingly effortlessly.
High up, we could see an arsenal of Martin spots and wash lights, MAC III Profiles and MAC 2000 Wash XBs, plus powerful MAC Vipers installed below.
For alternate effects/beams from the trusses, Martin Washes and Clay Paky Beam (replacing the Vari*Lite VLX units on the European tour) were used for overall beam sweeps and color washes.
Custom ”Pods” were built to house the Ayrton MagicPanel™ arrays. Two 4×4 arrays flank the stage and totally dominate the dynamic lighting design.
Jason told us how Ayrton’s latest “square creations” inspired his design concepts.
MagicPanel, the master of ceremonies of the lighting rig.
