Claypaky dominates record-breaking Maná tour
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Maná was founded in Mexico in 1986 and has become one of the most successful rock bands in Latin music history. They have sold more than 40m albums worldwide and won four Grammys and eight Latin Grammys. The Rayando el Sol Tour kicked in Corpus Christi, Texas and wrapped in Los Angeles in December playing more than 30 dates. Their seven-show LA appearance at The Forum broke the six-night record of Kanye West and The Eagles.
Menga Cruz, lighting designer and lighting and video programmer for Maná, chose 122 Claypaky Mythos2, 24 Sharpy Wash and 22 Scenius Unico fixtures for the show’s rig, which he obtained from 4Wall.
“I have been working with Mythos since 2015; I think I was the first person to take Mythos on tour,” says Cruz. “I know Mythos so well now, I know all of its capabilities even ultra-fast movement. Mythos is part of my creative process – when I am drawing and imagining the cues for each song I know exactly which gobo I want to use and which effect I want to apply.”
Cruz used the Sharpy Washes on Stage C, a small stage behind FOH, which provided the more intimate moments of the show. “We needed a small moving light with a good wash, CMY and good color saturation,” he says. “With all those requirements there was no other option on the market but the Sharpy Wash.”
Cruz is particularly enthusiastic about the Scenius Unico and recalls his introduction to the fixture. “It was like love at first sight,” he reports. “I saw them at the factory in 2016 and, if it had been possible, I would have taken 24 back home in my suitcase! Scenius Unico is a moving light that is complete and perfect.”
Wady Rodriguez shared the lighting designer credit with Cruz. Lighting technicians included Matthew Bloom, Peter Martin, Daniel Teeter, Eduardo Orta and Jorge Caraballo.
(Jim Evans)
