Energizing the Experience with Jeremy Camp

Jeremy Camp is a busy man. Touring throughout 2007 in support of his latest best-selling CD “Beyond Measure,” Jeremy co-headlined the Winter Jam tour earlier this year, sold out House of Blues venues, headlined festivals through the summer, played a number of one offs, and is currently in the midst of a fall acoustic tour.

And with a host of No. 1 singles that span the musical spectrum from ballads to rock, the Christian vocalist and guitarist has proven to be a multi-format hit machine, selling out venues across the U.S.

Broad appeal – versatile lighting
Keeping pace with Jeremy’s unique spirit and helping to energize the experience is a host of Martin lighting fixtures under the direction of production manager and lighting designer Tony Fransen. “Jeremy appeals to a broad audience with a variety of tastes,” he states. “Some of his songs are real rocking, others are ballads, but he appeals to young and old alike. We needed a lighting rig that could cover the spectrum.”

Tony contacted Martin’s Market Manager for House of Worship, Daryl Sutton, to discuss the possibilities. “We talked with Martin about how to implement dynamic lighting into Jeremy’s performances,” Tony says. “Integrity Lighting (Tulsa, Oklahoma), who we’ve used for the past three years, had just purchased some Martin fixtures and we decided to incorporate them into the show.”

One good thing leads to another
Tony started with MAC 250 series lights, which he took out on an acoustic tour in the spring of 2006. “We just love those fixtures and felt like they offered the biggest bang for the buck,” he states.

That positive experience led Tony to use Martin fixtures on Jeremy Camp shows throughout 2007. “For the 2007 Winter Jam spring tour we had MAC 700 Profiles and Washes and loved them - they absolutely made the tour,” he says. “In fact, if we hadn’t had them it would have been brutal.”

MAC 700 Wash
Tony then took MAC 700 Washes out on a series of shows over the summer, and has them on the current acoustic tour as well (whose daily operation he has handed over to Joel Caron). “If I could pick one washlight out of the entire market I’d pick the 700 Washes,” he states. “They’re definitely our wash of choice. They’re powerful, a great size package and can be zoomed down so tight - everything about it is incredible.”

Tony was looking for a good all-round fixture that could hang with anything that was put with it and found it in Martin’s 700 W Fresnel color changer. “We did festivals and appearances all summer – and rigged the 700 Wash with 2Ks, 180K systems, Cyberlights, festival gear, you name it - and it punched through everything,” he states.

Tony continues, “Reliability has been incredible. We’ve had the 700 Washes out now about 6-7 months and we haven’t had one issue. We’ve had them out at festivals, with the dirt and dust, in the rain, heavy weather. We take precautions and cover them up but they have taken anything we’ve given them and festivals are the most brutal environment you can put a fixture through. I don’t think anybody could have put them through harder paces this summer. Combined with the summer heat, they just really proved themselves to me.”

The current acoustic tour plays predominately in churches around the country - venues of about 2500 seats. “It gives us the opportunity to show these venues the Martin lights in action,” he says. Tony has also toured with Martin’s Atomic strobes, which he calls “the best strobe on the market,” and has used the MAC 2000 series as well.

Relationships are everything
Reliable products are just half the equation, however. Prompt, effective service is just as important. “A key reason we use Martin is the support,” Tony says. “I’ve never had better support from a manufacturer as I have from Martin. We’ve developed a really good relationship. Steve Nance at Integrity is a major partner and has been incredible as well. They’ve now purchased some Martin LED so the first opportunity we get that’s a little more rockin’ we’re definitely going to use those.”