AMPD Lighting adds Ayrton Diablo and grandMA3
- Details
The company’s investment in the Diablo fixtures and grandMA3 light has been paying dividends since the products arrived. ACT Entertainment exclusively distributes both brands in the US.
“We saw the Diablos at a trade show and had our eyes on them for a while,” says Justin Haas, owner of AMPD Lighting and Audio Visual. “They checked a lot of boxes for us: a compact and lightweight form factor that can fit in cars; an easy-to-navigate menu; great output; a full feature set, including framing shutters. Plus, they have a low cost of ownership and give us the ability to offer them at an affordable rental price.”
The Diablo fixtures mark the first Ayrton acquisition for AMPD Lighting and Audio Visual. Soon after their arrival, six of the fixtures quickly became part of the house lighting package furnished for the Riverfront Park Summer Concert Series in Spokane. “We mounted them on the upstage truss to provide backlight and effects lighting for the artists,” Haas explains. “Some concert participants commented that they had seen a lot of Diablos on their tours and were happy to find them in Spokane.”
The Diablo units have since been rented for other concerts, including a Billy Idol gig at an area casino. They also proved a popular rental choice for churches staging big holiday services.
The grandMA3 light is AMPD Lighting and Audio Visual’s first MA Lighting console. “Both of our lighting guys use grandMA consoles when they do tours, and everyone in the industry knows grandMA so we really needed one in our inventory,” says Haas. “There’s only one grandMA2 for rent in town, so now we offer another choice and can support grandMA users who have their own systems.”
The new grandMA3 light also saw duty at the Riverfront Park Summer Concert Series, and Haas expects to see demand for it grow as tours and concerts return this summer.
“Last year was the biggest year we’ve ever had for rentals and production,” he notes. “This year we’re hoping for the same result.
“We expect the Diablos to be our number one moving light rental, and we’re hoping to add more Ayrton products to our inventory. We’re looking at the Perseo next. “Since we have four seasons in Spokane, we’d like to have some IP-rated fixtures that deliver a lot of power. We’re also looking forward to working with ACT again. They’ve been great - so helpful getting product to us and supporting brands new to our inventory.”
