Swedish Band Avatar Taps zactrack SMART and grandMA3 for World Tour

Illumity AB leverages real-time tracking and lighting control for theatrical heavy metal show.

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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Swedish heavy metal band Avatar has enlisted the help of zactrack SMART, an Ultra-Wide-Band (UWB) real-time automated tracking system, and grandMA3 lighting control for their latest world tour supporting the release of their tenth studio album "Don't Go in the Forest". Illumity AB, led by production manager Jimmy Olausson, has been working with Avatar for over a decade and is utilizing the tracking and lighting technologies to bring the band's theatrical live show to life.

Why it matters

The use of zactrack and grandMA3 on Avatar's world tour highlights the increasing adoption of advanced technologies in live music production to enhance the audience experience. By automating lighting and tracking the band members, the production team is able to eliminate human error and ensure the lights are always focused on the right spot, creating a more polished and immersive performance.

The details

Olausson, who has handled production management, lighting, stage design, and creative direction for Avatar for nearly 13 years, is using zactrack to track the band members and keep the lights focused on them, effectively replacing the need for traditional followspot operators. The zactrack system is integrated with the grandMA3 lighting console to ensure the moving lights stay in the correct position as the band members move around the stage. Additionally, the automated carts with lighting fixtures are also tracked by zactrack to prevent the grandMA3 presets from becoming out of sync. Legacy Production Group in Minneapolis is providing backend infrastructure and support for the tour, including grandMA3 consoles and networking the zactrack system.

  • The tour kicked off in October 2025 in Phoenix.
  • Illumity AB in Gothenburg, Sweden is supporting the tour.

The players

Avatar

A Swedish heavy metal band that recently released their tenth studio album "Don't Go in the Forest" and is currently on a world tour.

Illumity AB

A Swedish production company led by Jimmy Olausson, who has been working with Avatar for nearly 13 years handling production management, lighting, stage design, and creative direction.

zactrack

An Ultra-Wide-Band (UWB) real-time automated tracking system used to track the band members and moving lighting fixtures on the Avatar world tour.

grandMA3

The lighting control console used to integrate with the zactrack system and control the lighting for the Avatar world tour.

Legacy Production Group

A Minneapolis-based company providing backend infrastructure, including rehearsal space, pre-vis, and grandMA3 consoles, for the Avatar world tour.

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What they’re saying

“One of the problems with having lights on automated carts is that the moving lights keep changing position and my grandMA3 position presets would be all messed up. zactrack was the solution that fixed this problem.”

— Jimmy Olausson, Owner, Illumity AB

“zactrack was a necessity for our design to work as intended. The band has always been a fan of followspots, but I haven't because there is always so much human error in terms of turning on and off lights. But with zactrack, the guys can be tracked and I can still be in control over the dimmers, which means we get rid of all human error!”

— Jimmy Olausson, Owner, Illumity AB

“For the tour grandMA3 controls lighting and automation and is interfaced with zactrack and special effects. Everything has performed very solidly with no issues.”

— Tony Mahmood, General Manager, Legacy Production Group

What’s next

As the Avatar world tour continues, the production team plans to further explore the capabilities of the zactrack system and integrate it even more deeply into the lighting and automation of the show.

The takeaway

The successful integration of zactrack and grandMA3 on the Avatar world tour demonstrates how advanced tracking and lighting technologies can elevate the theatrical and immersive experience of live heavy metal performances, creating a new standard for concert production.