MEGA-LITE M-Sphere Shapes a New Visual Language for Umphrey's McGee

	One standout visual came during the closing section of "Concessions," when all beams converged on a single upstage-center M-Sphere set in mirror-ball mode. Photo: Nick Langois

For Umphrey's McGee's recent New Year's run, lighting designer Ben Factor brought MEGA-LITE's M-Sphere back into the spotlight, making it a defining visual element of the show. Featured across four performances at The Salt Shed in Chicago and The Tabernacle in Atlanta, 12 M-Sphere fixtures per show were used to create focused, architectural looks built around beams, reflections, and motion.

The M-Sphere's dual-mirror design played a key role in shaping the overall stage environment. On one side, the flat reflective mirror redirected beams with precision, creating sharp geometric patterns that appeared to fold and unfold across the stage. On the opposite side, the rotating half mirror sphere -- made up of large hex mirrors -- transformed incoming beams into controlled, disco-ball-style reflections. In the photos, this effect reads like a floating prism, breaking light into clean lines and subtle color shifts that extend far beyond the rig.

Integrated seamlessly into the existing lighting system, the M-Spheres were positioned across multiple layers of the rig: midstage trusses, upstage trusses with drop-down bars, and within the floor package. With sufficient trim height and width at both venues, beams were able to strike the fixtures from linear and non-linear angles, creating depth and movement without overwhelming the rest of the design.

One standout visual came during the closing section of "Concessions," when all beams converged on a single upstage-center M-Sphere set in mirror-ball mode. As the sphere rotated slowly, a gradual rainbow chase moved through the beams, refracting color outward in sync with the song's tempo. According to Factor, it became one of the most recorded moments from the crowd, with phones lighting up the venue as the reflections moved across the space.

From a programming standpoint, the M-Sphere offered both complexity and creative payoff. Each fixture required detailed positioning, with multiple beam focuses interacting with different mirror angles. In total, dozens of beam and M-Sphere positions were combined to build a cue stack that allowed for subtle shifts as well as dramatic changes. This level of control made it possible to treat the M-Sphere not just as an effect, but as a compositional tool within the lighting design.

Audience response to the look was immediate and consistent, reinforcing the decision to continue using the M-Sphere beyond these shows. The fixture has become a key part of the visual language for Umphrey's McGee's live performances.