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Mathias Kuhn lights Creed shows with Robe
22/11/2024
Audio Music stattet Bühnen des Siegburger Stadtfestes mit Systemen von dBTechnologies aus
19/11/2024
Rico Münzer kreiert Bosse-Bühnenlook mit GLP
19/11/2024
Wetterfeste Scheinwerfer von Elation im Outdoor-Dauereinsatz auf Freilichtbühne Tecklenburg
18/11/2024
SeeSound calls on Wisycom for theater applications
Since 2004, SeeSound has offered professional solutions in the audiovisual market. The Barcelona-based provider often turns to a variety of RF solutions from Wisycom, including the MRK16 Ultra-wideband Wireless Receiver System, MCR54 Four-channel True Diversity Wireless Microphone Receivers, MPR50 Wideband IEM Receivers and MTP60 Multiband Bodypack Transmitters.
For the theatrical touring productions of “The Phantom of the Opera” and “The Producers”, SeeSound deployed the Wisycom solutions mentioned above, in combination with the brand’s SPL2208 Wideband Active Antenna Combiner/Splitter. Javier G. Isequilla, Sound Designer, SeeSound, deploys the system with DPA Microphones’ 6060 Subminiature Lavalier Microphones.
“Using the Wisycom gear, we are able to deliver all audio on a single data cable”, he says. “For ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ specifically, we deployed a total of sixteen receiver systems along with forty receivers. We chose Wisycom because we are able to deploy just one single rack unit for this large system.”
“The Phantom of the Opera” and “The Producers” had showings throughout Italy and Spain, in a variety of theaters averaging 1,200 spectators per show. “The Phantom of the Opera” was performed at Rossetti Theater in Triestre, Italy; Albeniz Theater in Madrid, Spain; Arcimboldi Theater in Milan, Italy; and Salle Garnier, a casino theater in Montecarlo, Monaco. Additionally, “The Producers” was shown at Tivoli Theater in Barcelona and Alcala Theater in Madrid.
“The system configuration does not change with Wisycom - you only have to do frequency calculations in each new place”, says Isequilla. “As the working band is 470 Mhz to 694 Mhz, which is quite wide, it is easy to integrate the number of frequencies required for each show.”
(Photos: SeeSound/Wisycom)
Allen & Heath bei „The Grand Jam“ in Frankfurt mit rund 1.000 Musikern und über 200 Kanälen als Mischzentrale im Einsatz
Beim Live-Projekt „The Grand Jam“ mit 232 Inputs von rund 1.000 Hobby- und semiprofessionellen Musikern verwenden die Tontechniker Mischpulte und Stageboxen von Allen & Heath. Insgesamt kommen vier Mischpulte zum Einsatz: drei dLive S5000 und ein dLive S7000, außerdem als Stageboxen drei MixRack DM48, ein MixRack DM64, fünf GX4816, zehn DX168 sowie ein DX012 Expander.
Alle dLive-Pulte und Stageboxen sind in ein Dante-Netzwerk eingebunden. Trotz der hohen Anzahl an Verbindungen und einem aufwendigen Routing verliefen die Events im Frankfurter Stadion Deutsche Bank Park sowie die Auftaktveranstaltung im Dresdener Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion laut Veranstalter reibungslos. Die gesamte Audio-Planung erstellte FOH-Techniker Richard Redl in Zusammenarbeit mit Jens Heuser, Inhaber von Music & Lights, dem technischen Generalausstatter der Veranstaltung. Um bei der Vielzahl an Mikrofonkanälen den Überblick zu behalten, teilen sich vier Tontechniker auf.
An einem dLive-S5000-Pult von Allen & Heath verwaltet FOH-Techniker Michael Tischler insgesamt 122 Instrumenten-Kanäle, darunter Schlagzeug, Bass, zwei Gitarrengruppen, Keyboards, Streicher und Bläser. Drei Drumsets werden für den Live-Mix komplett abgenommen. Ähnliches gilt für Bass, Gitarren und Keyboards, wobei vor jeder Instrumentengruppe vier bis sechs Kondensatormikrofone aufgebaut sind, über die die Instrumente zusätzlich als Chor abgenommen werden.
Diese Spuren spielen für das parallel laufende Recording eine essenzielle Rolle, um den charakteristischen Gesamtsound von hunderten Musikern einzufangen. Für den Live-Sound werden sie nicht benötigt, da bereits das akustische Signal der Musiker das Stadion mit einem kräftigen Grundsound füllt. Streicher und Bläser werden in größerer Zahl mit Clip-Mikrofonen abgenommen. Für jede Instrumentengruppe erstellt Tischler einen Stereomix - in Summe werden sieben Stereomixe an seinen Kollegen Richard Redl weitergeleitet.
Nikolaus Schweiger, ebenfalls FOH-Techniker, erstellt an einer dLive-S5000-Konsole aus 110 Mikrofonkanälen von rund 500 Sängerinnen und Sängern einen Vocal-Mix. Etwa dreißig Vokalisten performen dazu vor einem eigenen Mikrofon, während die übrigen in kleinen Gruppen in Mikrofone singen. Von diesen Mikrofonen werden mittels Y-Kabel jeweils zwei bis drei zu einem Kanal zusammengefasst.
Schweiger stellt während der Probe EQ und Kompressor für die einzelnen Kanäle. Die Kanalpegel korrigiert er über das gesamte Konzert hinweg, denn nicht allen Sängerinnen und Sängern ist es möglich, über zwei Stunden alle Songs gleichmäßig laut zu performen. Außerdem achtet Schweiger auf ein ausgewogenes Verhältnis von Frauen- und Männergesang. Den summierten Vocal-Mix schickt er an Richard Redl weiter. Zusätzlich sind vierzehn Kondensatormikrofone zu Aufnahmezwecken ins Publikum gerichtet, um die Stimmung im Stadion einzufangen.
Redl erstellt an einem dLive-S7000-Mischpult aus insgesamt 36 Kanälen - einem Stereokanal pro Live-Instrumentengruppe, die Live-Stereo-Vocals und als Backup acht vorproduzierte Stereo-Spuren aus einem Qlab-System - den finalen Mix. Das Prinzip, nach dem Redl und seine Kollegen verfahren, kann theoretisch beliebig skaliert werden und wird lediglich von den logistischen Kapazitäten des Stadions beschränkt.
An einer weiteren dLive-S5000-Mischkonsole von Allen & Heath ist Felix Zwerger für den Monitorsound zuständig, wobei die Musiker der verschiedenen Instrumentengruppen jeweils einen vorproduzierten Stem hören, nicht aber das Live-Signal. Diese kommen ebenfalls wie der Klick aus der Qlab-Session vom FOH. Lediglich die Streicher bekommen zur besseren Eigenresonanz zusätzlich ihr Live-Signal beigemischt. Die Signale werden den Musikern über ein Silent-Disco-Kopfhörersystem ausgespielt.
Etwas anders verhält es sich bei den Instrumenten-Coaches, die jeweils eine Instrumentengruppe betreuen: Sie hören den Live-Monitoring-Mix über ein In-Ear-Monitoring-System, um den Live-Sound ihrer Instrumentengruppe besser beurteilen zu können. Ein weiterer Monitorweg wird für eine Tanzgruppe genutzt, die ebenfalls im Stadion zur Musik performt. Für die 16-köpfige Vorband Joker, Popup Club aus Österreich kamen weitere zwölf Monitorkanäle hinzu, die über ein In-Ear-Monitoring-System ausgespielt wurden.
Bei „The Grand Jam“ kommen insgesamt fünf verschiedene Stageboxen von Allen & Heath zum Einsatz. Alle drei dLive-S5000-Konsolen sind mit GigaAce-Karten ausgestattet, über die Signale zu den MixRack-GX48-Stageboxen übertragen werden. Die Verbindung zwischen MixRack und den dLive-Pulten erfolgt aufgrund der weiten Strecken im Stadion über Glasfaserkabel und ist redundant aufgebaut.
Michael Tischler nutzt zum Mischen von 122 Instrumenten-Kanälen an seinem dLive S5000 ein MixRack DM48, das nicht nur als Stagebox dient, sondern auch die eigentliche Mixeinheit enthält, die über das dLive-S5000-Pult gesteuert wird. Erweitert werden die Eingänge um zwei GX4816 und vier DX168-Stageboxen, die als Stagesnake angeschlossen sind. Das dLive S5000, über das Nikolaus Schweiger 110 Vocal-Kanäle mischt, besteht aus einem ähnlichen Setup mit einem MixRack DM48, einem GX4816 und sechs DX168 als Stagesnake.
Weniger physische Eingänge benötigt Richard Redl am dLive-S7000-Pult: Er nutzt ein MixRack DM48 mit 48 Eingängen, an dem diverse Kommunikationsleitungen zu einem Ü-Wagen sowie Intercom-Kanäle zur internen Kommunikation im Team angeschlossen sind; die acht Live-Stereokanäle werden hingegen über Dante in das Pult eingespeist. Außerdem sind an seinem dLive-Pult die zwei Computer angeschlossen, über die alle vorproduzierten Stems ausgespielt werden. Diese werden über MIDI vom dLive getriggert. Über den verwendeten Audio-Expander DX012 von Allen & Heath wird über die AES-Digitalausgänge die Stadion-PA angesteuert.
(Fotos: Allen & Heath/Audio-Technica)
EAW Adaptive PA system installed at Great Park Live
Pacific Coast Entertainment (PCE), live event production company and AV equipment provider in Southern California, recently provided a sound system to the newly opened Great Park Live outdoor venue in Irvine, using Anya Adaptive loudspeakers from Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW). Tom Pappanduros, production manager at PCE, led the installation of the system.
Nestled within the park’s picturesque setting, Great Park Live offers an entertainment experience for guests of all ages. This venue has been so successful that the city of Irvine will continue to invest in a permanent amphitheater, set to open in 2027. Great Park Live offers a unique acoustic challenge, though. “The venue is situated in the middle of neighborhoods”, says Pappanduros. “We needed a sound system with enough control to ensure an excellent audience experience while minimizing sound bleed into the surrounding community. We chose EAW’s Anya rig, which proved crucial in meeting these demands.”
The custom EAW sound system consists of 24 Anya boxes, twelve per side, and 24 Otto subwoofers in a centralized cluster. “The combination of these speakers allowed PCE to modify the sound based on the needs of the variety of events held at Great Park Live”, adds Pappanduros. “We’ve worked through about seven different configurations for the low-end, focusing on energy control to maximize the venue’s space while minimizing disruption to nearby homes, and the end result offers the ideal balance.”
One of the Anya system’s features is Adaptive Technology. “During one event, city officials noticed higher-than-allowed noise levels in the surrounding neighborhoods. Thanks to the Anya’s advanced control features, we quickly reduced the area’s effective size from 300 feet to 180 feet, lowering the decibel levels without disturbing the concert experience”, reports Pappanduros.
(Photos: Eastern Acoustic Works/Pacific Coast Entertainment)
Brian Courchine colorizes Pink Talking Fish with Chauvet Professional
New Hampshire-based lighting designer Brian Courchine, the LD at the Northland Music and Arts Festival, recently designed the lightshow for a sold out Pink Talking Fish concert at Infinity Hall in Hartford. Pink Talking Fish combines the music of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, and Phish, each evoking a different aura - and each lending itself to a different palette. Adding a little extra spice to this particular evening was the healthy serving of Beatles songs thrown into the set.
Following the music with his color rendering skills, Courchine immersed each song in hues that fit the sounds. “I try make a distinction between the three musical acts in the Pink Talking Fish show”, he explains. “Talking Heads is usually a more straight forward vibe. Although this band does jam out these songs, the palette I choose will stick within boundaries. On the other hand, Pink Floyd tunes can be a roller coaster. Some of their more epic songs can range anywhere from a single solo spot to an explosive, fill-the-room-with-bright-beautiful-gobos types of looks.”
“Then again, they also have straight up rock’n’roll songs like ‘Young Lust’, where I stick with the same vibe throughout”, continued Courchine. “With the Phish tunes I pretty much go on auto pilot. I’ve seen Chris Kuroda do lights for Phish so many times, I just think, ‘What would Chris Kuroda do if he still only had sixteen movers?’. The night in question also included a good amount of Beatles songs which I tried to keep a unified palette. Also, I realize everything I just said can fly out the window in the moment.”
Courchine utilized 32 Chauvet Professional Rogue fixtures to create his multi-hued show. He had eight R1 Spots and eight R1 Washes in his floor package to complement the eight R2 Spot and eight R1 Wash units in the venue’s house rig. “All my spots and washes usually end up in a line upstage”, says Courchine. “I try to keep them away from the backdrop for situations when I want to project gobos back on it. It’s helpful that PTF sets up across the downstage area, so I am never fighting for space.”
Courchine used the lighting fixtures in his rig to create a richly textured background of colorful aerial gobo patterns. “I’m not a big fan of video. I don’t want to choose the distinct image or feeling that an audience member is going to associate with a specific song”, he explains. “That being said, I have seen it done very, very well.”
“I definitely use the backdrop sparingly. The song attached to the picture with the backdrop lit was ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ by The Beatles”, he concludes. “It’s one of the more psychedelic songs I know by them, so I was going for that old-school oil projection look by just swirling a few different gobos with a prism.”
(Photos: Chauvet Professional)
CTC Events realisiert Jubiläums-Veranstaltungen der GWW Wiesbaden
CTC Events hat für die Wiesbadener Wohnbaugesellschaft GWW zwei Veranstaltungen anlässlich des 75-jährigen Jubiläums der GWW realisiert. Das Jubiläumsjahr startete mit einer Auftaktveranstaltung vor der Hauptverwaltung, an der rund 200 Mitarbeiter teilnahmen.
Geschäftsführer Thomas Keller eröffnete die Veranstaltung mit einer chronologisch aufgebauten Ansprache, die die Geschichte der GWW in Form eines Comics lebendig werden ließ. Die Zeichnungen dazu fertigte ein regional ansässiger Künstler im Auftrag von CTC Events an. Unter Begleitung einer Marching Band und Trommelwirbeln wurden Fahnen mit dem Jubiläumslogo vor dem Unternehmenssitz gehisst.
Am 13. September 2024 folgte eine exklusive Feier im Schloss Biebrich. Rund 400 Gäste, darunter Mitarbeiter, Geschäftspartner der GWW und Vertreter der Stadt Wiesbaden, genossen in den Räumlichkeiten des Schlosses und der Parkanlage ein Programm aus Musik, Show und interaktiven Aktionen. Die WISAG bot an verschiedenen Food-Ständen eine kulinarische Zeitreise an: von 1950er-Jahre-Klassikern wie Wackelpudding bis hin zu einer Insektenverkostung als Blick in die Zukunft.
Auch die Inszenierung der Dekoration und des Bühnenprogramms stellte sich als Zeitreise durch die Jahrzehnte dar. Kammermusik, Swing der 1950er-Jahre und Tanzmusik aus unterschiedlichen Epochen boten emotionale Anknüpfungspunkte für das Publikum. Durch den Abend führten die Radiomoderatoren Daniel Franzen und Leni Eckstein. Die Comic-Zeichnungen zur GWW-Geschichte wurden während des Events zugunsten des DesWos-Projektes „El Salvador“ versteigert.
(Foto: GWW)
Ed Warren serves up dramatic looks for The Last Dinner Party with ChamSys
Ed Warren designed the lighting for British glam rock/art rock quintet The Last Dinner Party’s recent European tour. The show featured a backdrop adorned with a crescent moon and velvety clouds. It was hand painted by artists Beth Quinton, then scanned and digitally printed on to cloth with a definition so fine that it looks like a highly textured hand painted work.
Warren accented this backdrop with a variety of lighting effects that shaded the image it projected. At other times, he blocked it out altogether with outpourings of light. “Just because a backdrop is there doesn’t mean you need to light it the whole time”, he observes. “A blackout moment is good to change the dynamics and stage depth within the show. Then when the backdrop is lit again next time it pops even more.”
Warren programmed his design on various ChamSys setups, mostly at his studio on his MagicQ MQ250M Stadium Console. “Sometimes, I programmed at other show venues where I had a desk in front of me with a bit of spare time, as well as on long haul flights on my laptop”, he shares.
Franki McDade was running Warren’s show live on tour using the ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console. She states that the Group Cues feature of her console were particularly important on the tour, as there were four variations of the rig for different sized venues.
Before this tour, McDade hadn’t worked with a ChamSys console in quite some time. “Everyone at ChamSys was really supportive in getting Franki back into the swing of things”, says Warren. “Early on, I sent her the show file and Visualiser in advance for her to get her head into things. Then a couple of days before the tour started, she spent two days at ChamSys in Southampton where they set everything up for her and walked her through all the new features such as Group Cues, FX Palettes and the Timeline.”
“Given the theatrical nature of the band, spotlighting played a big role in the show”, adds Warren. “The lead singer (Abigal Morris) rarely stays in one place, so it’s important to pick her out wherever she is.”
(Photos: Luke Dyson)
Datum Creative and Elation Pulse Bar pay tribute to NYC skyline at We Belong Here
We Belong Here has been uniting EDM lovers on Miami’s Virginia Key Beach for the past three years and has now hosted their first-ever festival experience in New York City amid Central Park’s greenery and panoramic skyline views. Held October 4-6 at historic Wollman Rink, design collective Datum Creative created an immersive 360-degree experience for festival-goers, including a visual tribute to the city’s skyline using Elation Pulse Bar strobe and effect lights.
The We Belong Here festival, known for its “no video” policy, provided Datum Creative the opportunity to design a stage that was as visually impactful as the panoramic views surrounding it. On the southern end of Central Park, the lighting and production team utilized a series of 26 staggered truss towers lined with Pulse Bars to mimic the verticality of New York’s skyline.
Datum Creative wanted to do more than simply mirror the surrounding high-rises. “We didn’t want to just copy the skyline, but rather give it a nod”, says David Singleton, Creative Director at Datum Creative. “We’re based in New York, so we often went on-site with pen and paper to sketch out designs - that’s how it was originally conceived.”
With performances by headliners Kaskade, Fisher, and Monolink, along with other acts, the event’s signature 360° stage allowed attendees to encircle the stage and immerse themselves in the festival’s atmosphere. “You’re not just looking at the stage all the time but moving through the space”, says Singleton. “We created a truss circle system with custom 40-ft diameter roof that organizers will now use on all We Belong Here shows.” Gracing the circle truss were Elation Proteus Maximus and Proteus Rayzor 760 fixtures.
“Our approach was all about creating something dynamic that could work both day and night”, adds Singleton. “You’re not going to see any beams until it is dark, so we thought of how we could do something interesting visually that would also work during the day. That’s where the Pulse Bars came into play. We ran effects pixel for pixel, using about 78 universes to create layers of effects that were visible throughout the day and into the night.”
The staggered heights of the truss towers (the tallest at 24 feet), filled with Pulse Bars, wrapped around the stage in a 180-degree array that followed the natural shape of the rink itself. “Their versatility - whether used as blinders, strobes, or simple background lighting - was key to maintaining the aesthetic of the show throughout the entire day.”
In collaboration with Technical Arts Group (TAG), the lighting vendor for the project, Datum Creative used 120 Pulse BarS, both long and short versions, to achieve their vision. The gear’s IP65 rating ensured that all lighting fixtures could withstand outdoor elements, a crucial factor given the event’s rain-or-shine policy. TAG provided all production materials for the show, including the sound, lighting, staging, and structure, along with all lead department staff.
“With only sixty hours from trucks unloading to the first guest entering the venue, we needed to make sure we had a 24-hour team of leadership there getting things built and completed quickly and efficiently”, states TAG owner Kevin Mignone. “Our team spent weeks leading up to the show in prep and pre-production, fine-tuning every detail of the schedule and gear to ensure the deployment could happen within the timeframe we had.”
The Proteus Maximus units served as workhorse beam fixtures with gobos and were placed in various locations around the site to create layered visuals. The Proteus Rayzor 760 fixtures were used primarily as keylights and to define the circle truss, all run in pixel mode to generate eye-candy looks throughout the event.
“We’re always thinking outside the box with multi-layered and multi-dimensional designs”, says Singleton. “The Maximus and Rayzor 760 gave us the flexibility to achieve both symmetrical and asymmetrical looks. It’s important to give lighting designers something different to work with, and the variety we created on this stage made it a really fun project.” Datum’s Brandon Jeffries served as the on-site lead, while Renzo Cubus took charge as the lead programmer, handling the majority of the show’s lighting operation.
(Photos: Datum Creative)
Dora Showtechnik deploys XTA MX36 console switcher at Oktoberfest in Munich
The largest folk festival in the world, the 189th edition of the Oktoberfest, took place recently on the Theresienwiese in Munich. Across the event’s sixteen day duration, more than six million guests visited the site. Germering-based event production specialists Dora Showtechnik handled the audio for the festival’s Paulaner Festzelt venue - where two bands alternate throughout the day - and this year deployed the XTA MX36 console switcher to simplify their workflow.
Dominik Hähnel of distributor S.E.A. Vertrieb & Consulting GmbH had drawn Dora Showtechnik’s attention to the MX36: “Dora Showtechnik is a longtime customer of ours and during a conversation with their team about making elements of live projects more efficient, it quickly became clear that the MX36 could make a significant difference to their workflow for this and many other projects”, he says.
“At this year’s festival, for the first time, the bands in the Paulaner Festzelt tent used their own mixing consoles, enabling each front of house engineer a separate direct connection to the PA and the comfort of using a familiar mixing setup”, continues Hähnel. “The MX36 also allowed them to connect other essential signals to the PA, including evacuation microphones and media players.”
(Fotos: Maximilian Kuhn/Dora Showtechnik/S.E.A./XTA)
Manuel Knigge improves in-ear monitoring for The BossHoss with DMI-Klang
During German band The BossHoss’ summer tour, sound engineer Manuel Knigge benefitted from immersive mixes via the DMI-Klang expansion card, installed in their DiGiCo SD12 console, to improve in-ear monitoring.
“Summer tours can involve a lot of different styles of venue, one night we would be in a field, the next a tent”, says Knigge. “Before using Klang, we had to work really hard to get the mixes right for every space. We would make adjustments at soundcheck, but then the audience would come in and change the acoustics, so inevitably I would have to spend the first couple of songs each night perfecting the mix, only to have it completely change the night after. It was pretty full on.”
A regular user of Klang with his other clients, Knigge had explained to the band that Klang would be the way forward for their IEM mixes, but when the opportunity to use DMI-Klang with their SD12 finally came around, there was no pre-production rehearsal, “just a day of prep at Clair Global’s Berlin facility”, he notes. “Luckily, I had the multi-track recordings from last year, so I could make a rough 3D panned mix, just to give them a little more space in the mix. I just went for it during our first soundcheck. As soon as they started playing, their faces lifted to look straight at me. After the first song the band turned to me and said, ‘Whatever you did, don’t touch anything!’”
“From a playing perspective, the best show was the first one because they were all excited about the change and they loved it”, continues Knigge. “The band joked that they no longer needed a soundcheck because nothing needed changing and, by the end of the tour, they actually started ditching soundcheck!”
The FPGA architecture of DMI-Klang enables sixteen immersive in-ear mixes, with 64 channels available per mix, so it was a natural progression to offer the unused mixes to the crew. By the end of the tour, Knigge had control of ten musician mixes, a cue mix, a stage technician, three backliners and one guest mix that was used by the Pyrotechnic technician when not in use for guests.
(Photos: Manuel Knigge/DiGiCo/Klang)
Martin Dudley connects UB40 to fans with help from Chauvet Professional
Lighting designer Martin Dudley, owner of Martin’s Lights Ltd, chose Chauvet Professional’s Strike 4 blinders and Rogue R2X Washes for the just-concluded 8-city UK leg of UB40’s international “Red Red Wine” tour.
“The Strike 4s were on the front truss as good old-fashioned crowd blinders, and the Rogue R2X washes were in three sets of four fixtures on the floor, one set behind each band riser”, reports Dudley. “As everyone knows, there’s a lot of crowd participation in a UB40 show, so the blinders helped the audience become part of things, in addition to helping the band see who they were singing to.”
“On this tour, the Rogue washes did a lot of traditional ACL-style looks from the floor”, he continues. “With the Rogues, we were able to do the crowd washing in different colors, and beam widths, as well as with movement, which helped us reflect the energy of the show.”
Dudley arranged his rig to ensure that fans had clear sight of the band regardless of where they were sitting. “We had a video screen that is 4.5 m (14.8 feet) tall and its lower edge sat just above head height for practical reasons”, he says. “So, the lighting trusses were trimmed just above the top of the screen - around 6.5 m (21.3 feet) for the back truss and a little higher for the mid truss. The front truss was as high as we could reasonably get it to be, because we did not want it blocking anybody’s view of the stage, even if they were in the furthest away and highest seats.”
Also, engendering the sense of intimacy between the band and its fans was the clean look of the stage. There were no scenic pieces and minimal fixtures on the stage deck. Most of the floor lighting, as well as the ChamSys console used to run the show, taken from Martin’s Lights’ own inventory, were behind the risers.
“The only lights in front of the risers were six moving spots, all tucked away where they didn’t cause any problems”, adds Dudley. “There are a lot of band members and several of them were frequently moving between the stage and the risers. So, we didn’t want to put any trip hazards in the way.”
Limiting the fixtures on the stage deck, Dudley created much of the visual excitement from his flown rig, which was supplied by Liverpool’s Adlib. “The excellent team of Will Sutcliffe and Tim Eastham from Adlib were doing a fantastic job looking after the lights”, says Dudley. “We were also lucky to have Nick Jackson looking after the video screen, and I had my long-term colleague Chris Davey from Touring Electrics Ltd setting up the floor lights.”
After the UK leg of the “Red Red Wine” tour, this team is now off on an 8-city EU run, which began November 26 in Luxembourg and ends in Berlin December 4.
(Photos: Richard Purvis/RJP Photography UK)
Coda Audio CiRay bei Rheingrün Open Air im Einsatz
Das Rheingrün Open Air verzeichnete bei seiner elften Auflage am 14. September 2024 einen neuen Besucherrekord. Bei dem Techno- und Electro-Festival am Rheinstrandbad Rappenwört in Karlsruhe setzte MKM Event Show Technik GmbH in diesem Jahr erstmals das kompakte Doppel-10-Zoll-3-Wege-Line-Array-System CiRay von Coda Audio ein.
Auf das erhöhte Besucheraufkommen reagierte MKM mit einem erweiterten Beschallungssystem: Das Main-Hang bestand aus sechzehn CiRay 90° und acht CiRay 120°. Den Outfill-Bereich übernahmen zwei Hops8 (2-Wege-Point-Source), für das Nearfill waren achtzehn Komponenten des 2-Wege-Ultrakompakt-Line-Array-Systems TiRay zuständig. Das Tiefton-Segment, bei Techno und Electro ein dominierender Frequenzbereich, deckten 21 SCP-Sensor-Controlled-Subwoofer ab. Delay: 8 x ViRay-3-Wege-Doppel-8-Zoll-Line-Array-System 80° plus 4 x ViRay 120°. Monitoring: 6 x ViRay 80° plus 2 x SCP-Sensor-Controlled-Subwoofer. Amping: 4 x Linus-T-Rack-12-Kanal-Systemverstärker-Rack plus 2 x Linus-M-Rack-4-Kanal-Systemverstärker-Rack.
Die in einem Zelt untergebrachte „Stage 2“, bei der ebenfalls Coda-Audio-Systeme zum Einsatz kamen, musste kurz vor Showbeginn „aufgrund verschiedener Begebenheiten“, wie es Systemtechniker Daniel Vollrath ausdrückt, von der Stirnseite auf die Längsseite verschoben werden. Vorteil: „So konnten wir getrost auf eine Delay-Line verzichten“, sagt Vollrath. Folgendes Setup wurde für die Zelt-Shows gewählt: 4 x G715-Pro-3-Wege-Multifunktionslautsprecher, 4 x G712-Pro-3-Wege-Multifunktionslautsprecher, 3 x SCP, 10 x SCV-F-Sensor-Controlled-Subwoofer. Monitoring: 2 x Cue-One-3-Wege-Bühnenmonitor, 2 x SCV-F, 3 x Linus-M-Rack und 1 x Linus-10C-4-Kanal-Systemverstärker.
MKM verantwortete als Generaldienstleister den Bühnenbau sowie die Licht- und Tonproduktion. Das von Kai Hanstein geführte Unternehmen nutzt seit 2019 Equipment von Coda Audio.
(Fotos: Daniel Vollrath)
Mathias Kuhn lights Creed shows with Robe
Floridian hard rock band Creed’s “Summer of 99” and “Are You Ready?” tours this year were among the fastest selling rock shows in the USA. The production design was created by Mathias Kuhn and included eighty Robe moving lights and LED fixtures - 36 MegaPointes, thirty BMFL Spots, four BMFL FollowSpots, ten Footsie2 LED footlights, and four RoboSpot remote follow systems - all supplied by rental company Bandit Lites out of Nashville.
The initial summer tour played a mix of arenas, theatres and amphitheaters with 10K to 36K capacities and the most recent leg stepped up to arenas, including Madison Square Garden, which were all sold out. Kuhn is based in Hamburg, Germany, and brings his style and aesthetic to a lot of rock and metal bands, a genre he loves and that offers plenty of scope for imagination and dramatic lighting.
Kuhn talked to the band after being asked onboard, who revealed that they liked the idea of a circular halo-like shape being associated with the stage look. Kuhn took this as a stylistic starting point, basing the essential trussing architecture around two circles, a main 41-ft diameter sphere that defined the space, in conjunction with a smaller 21-ft diameter “supporting” circle flown inside the big one. Both were scalable to deal with different sized venues.
The fragmented LED screens were part of the look Kuhn crafted to avoid the “big TV” syndrome, complete with ladder trusses loaded with fixtures in between to further break it up and enhance the depth of the performance area. He controlled the screen outputs via his Resolume video server, triggered by the lighting desk, which ensured there could be a mix of playback content and IMAG footage from seven cameras.
Robe MegaPointes are consistently Kuhn’s first choice of moving light. “They are the first piece of kit that goes on the plot”, he says. Eighteen units were rigged on ladders in between LED screens at the left and right upstage corners of the rig, hung vertically in a line of nine each side, with the other 18 deployed on the floor on rolling Tyler GT truss, located directly underneath the LED screens.
BMFLs were chosen as workhorse fixtures. Eighteen units were rigged on the downstage half of the large circle, with four on each side of the stage on subs to extend the overall stage look. Four standard BMFL Spots were also part of the follow spotting system together with four BMFL FollowSpots (with the integral camera).
It was Kuhn’s first time out with the Footsies, which were used to assist key lighting, running in combination with the four-way RoboSpot system controlling the eight BMFLs. They were rigged four per side on two small truss sections flown downstage left and right. Having the follow spots at this very steep angle to the stage ensured they had a neat trajectory and minimized unsightly spillage.
Also on the rig were some other hard-edged fixtures, strobes, blinders and FX units with LED floodlights on the large halo, plus a few wash lights on the floor - Kuhn is not a fan of wash lights in conventional contexts. Different shades, textures and variations of white dominated the show, making it raw and contrasty, with color mainly introduced via the video content. Kuhn’s personal presence is generally to avoid distracting gawdy or “candy colored” scenes and keep it stark with the focus on the band and music.
The principal idea was to keep the band front and center of the action and at the epicenter of the picture. “It’s a live rock show, not a YouTube stream”, says Kuhn. Video content was commissioned by Creed and delivered by Wayne Joyner and Dave Letelier with a lot of discussion between them and Kuhn as it was imperative for the two medias to dovetail. “They did a great job”, says Kuhn. Content was shaped for each song, leaving enough black and dark spaces for him to mix and apply IMAG feeds and effects as he felt appropriate.
Kuhn set up, programmed lighting and ran the show for half of the first leg of the “Summer of 99” tour before leaving due to other commitments, with lighting crew member Brian Bogovic operating for the remaining dates. Bandit’s lighting crew chief was Cheyan DeBrower who was joined by Haley Elliott and Lucas Gamez, with Kenneth Ackermann working as video crew chief for this department which had equipment supplied by PRG.
(Photos: Chuck Brueckmann/Mark Scherer)
Adlib supplies Coda Audio VCA system for Aurora European tour
Norwegian singer/songwriter/producer Aurora recently completed a European tour which included a mixed itinerary of arena and theatre shows ranging in capacity from Brussels’ 8,000-seater arena Forest National to Edinburgh’s 2,200 Usher Hall. In total, the tour reached over 60,000 fans across the three-week period. Event production specialist Adlib provided audio and video for the tour.
“We deployed a Coda Audio system at the request of Aurora’s Front of House Engineer Paul Inge Vikingstad”, says Adlib Account Manager Craig Hamilton. The requirement for a scalable solution was achieved through a combination of Coda’s VCA “family” of ViRay, CiRay and AiRay line arrays with SCP and SC2 subs, supplemented by units from Coda’s Hops (high output point source) and Aps (arrayable point source) ranges.
In addition to Vikingstad, the touring audio team also included Adlib’s Billy Bryson, who assumed the role of a Systems Engineer, and freelancer Keiran Lowrie, who served as an Audio Technician for the tour. “In its largest configuration, the system comprised twelve AiRays and four ViRays in the main hang, with six SC2 sensor-controlled bass extensions flown behind, to allow us to steer the low-frequency pattern to suit the geometry of each venue”, says Bryson, who was responsible for system design and calibration.
“Additionally, side hangs of up to twelve CiRays per side were deployed”, he continues. A centre hang of three Aps flown from the front lighting truss ensured the desired coverage. “Subs were on four touring carts of three SCPs each, with one on either side also including two Aps as outfill”, details Bryson. “The subs were deployed left and right in an end-fired configuration to retain the best possible tonality and impact, with four single SCPs in the centre to fill in for the nearfield. Hops8 were utilised across the downstage edge to complement the centre hang and keep the image feeling natural.”
“Carrying a mix of AiRay and CiRay allowed for scalability between the arenas in mainland Europe and the theatre shows in the UK”, he concludes. “The lightweight nature of the CiRay made it perfect for split systems in theatres such as Edinburgh’s Usher Hall where three hangs were flown from the house advance truss to cover the hard-to-hit upper balcony.”
(Photos: Adlib/Coda Audio)
Audio Music stattet Bühnen des Siegburger Stadtfestes mit Systemen von dBTechnologies aus
Vom 23. bis 25. August 2024 verwandelte sich die Siegburger Innenstadt für Tausende Besucher in ein buntes Festgelände. Die Veranstaltungstechnik für die drei Bühnen des Siegburger Stadtfestes wurde von Audio Music realisiert. Das Unternehmen setzte dabei Audio-Systeme von dBTechnologies ein.
Die Merkur-Bühne, das Herzstück des Stadtfestes, stattete Audio Music mit jeweils acht Vio-L1610-Einheiten rechts und links der Bühne aus. Unterstützt wurden die aktiven 3-Wege-Line-Arrays durch zwölf Vio-S218-Subwoofer. Für die Nahfeldbeschallung nutzte Audio Music sechs Vio-X205-Lautsprecher. Das Monitoring auf der Bühne übernahmen W15t-Monitore.
Die Front-Beschallung der Rhenag-Bühne wurde durch zwei Vio-S118R-Subwoofer und vier Vio-L208-Lautsprecher pro Seite, die in einem gestackten Setup platziert waren, realisiert. Zwei zusätzliche S118R waren mittig vor der Bühne positioniert. Das Delay-System bestand aus weiteren zwei S118R und vier L208, ebenfalls gestackt. Für die Nahfeldbeschallung kamen kompakte DVX-d10-Lautsprecher zum Einsatz, während DVX-p12-Monitore den Musikern auf der Bühne den Sound lieferten.
Für Musikdarbietungen und Sprach-Beiträge auf der Kreissparkasse-Bühne verwendeten Audio-Music-Geschäftsführer Gerald Albrich und sein Team je sechs Vio L208 rechts und links der Bühne plus sechs Vio S218. Für die Nahfeldabdeckung sorgten, wie auf der Rhenag-Bühne, DVX-p10-Lautsprecher und DVX-p12-Monitore.
Auf der Merkur-Bühne traten unter anderem Queen May Rock und B. and M. auf; auf der Rhenag-Bühne waren es unter anderem Mo-Torres und die Kelz Boys; und auf der Kreissparkasse-Bühne unter anderem die Westernhagen-Tribute-Band Ganz und Gar und das Männerballett „Die Überflieger“. Für den Abschluss des Stadtfestes sorgte die Siegburger Band Hausmarke auf der Merkur-Bühne.
(Fotos: Sascha Gansen)
Rico Münzer kreiert Bosse-Bühnenlook mit GLP
Seit 2018 ist Rico Münzer für das Lichtdesign bei Konzerten von Aki Bosse und dessen gleichnamiger Band zuständig, so auch auf der diesjährigen Arena-Tournee durch Deutschland. Das aktuelle Tourdesign umfasst 200 Scheinwerfer von GLP - 86 KNV Arc, 76 JDC Line 1000, 24 Impression X5 Wash und vierzehn JDC1 -, um den Bühnenraum zu strukturieren und auszufüllen.
Von Anfang an „gesetzt“ seien dabei die KNV Arc und JDC Line 1000 gewesen, ohne die der gewünschte Look nicht zu realisieren gewesen wäre, wie Münzer erläutert: „Am Anfang des Designprozesses stand die Idee, mit Kreisen zu arbeiten. Zunächst plante ich hier noch mit LED-Flächen, was grundsätzlich auch Anklang im Team fand. Aber letztlich bin ich doch der Meinung gewesen, dass Video-Content künstlerisch nicht das ideale Medium für Bosse-Live-Shows wäre. Diese Konzerte leben von Spontaneität, von auf der Bühne umarrangierten Songparts, intuitiven Ansagen und Handlungen. All das beißt sich mit fixiertem Video-Content. Aber ‘nur’ Kamera und VJ-Elemente sind eben auch nicht das Richtige.“
„Also suchte ich nach einer anderen Ausdrucksweise und erinnerte mich an die KNV Arc von GLP“, fährt er fort. „Diese Geräte sind zwar nicht mehr ganz neu, aber man hat sie eben auch noch nicht tausendmal in Shows gesehen, sodass sie immer noch einen frischen Look bieten. Ich selbst habe die KNV Cube einmal genutzt, aber noch nie mit den KNV Arc gearbeitet. Im Gegensatz zu einer LED-Wand, die im ausgeschalteten Zustand wie ein grauer Klotz aussieht, machen die aus den KNV Arc geformten Kreise schon als rein physische Objekte etwas her. In Verbindung mit der Treppe sahen sie selbst im Arbeitslicht stimmig und stylisch aus. Definitiv ein schöner, unverbrauchter Stagelook.“
Die KNV Arc setzte Münzer zu insgesamt neun Kreisen in drei verschiedenen Bühnentiefen und -höhen zusammen. Zur zusätzlichen Stabilität der Ringe fertigte der technische Dienstleister Ambion Stahlkreise an, die die Schellen der einzelnen KNV-Arc-Module fassten. Darüber hinaus wurde jeder Ring von drei Punkten gehalten, um ein Wegdrehen zu vermeiden und bei Bedarf unterschiedliche Neigungswinkel zu realisieren.
Der Designer nutzte die KNV-Kreise überwiegend als stehenden Look, gelegentlich aber auch als Effekt, wobei „die Strobe-Ebene super Akzente auf die farbigen LEDs“ gesetzt habe. „Im Allgemeinen haben wir aber vermieden, diesen Look zu oft im Konzert einzusetzen, um die besonderen Momente auch besonders zu halten“, so Münzer. „Es ist meiner Meinung nach absolut kontraproduktiv, einen schönen Look, eine tolle Lampe oder einen Effekt während einer Show so auszuquetschen, dass er seinen Zauber schnell verliert.“
Eine mit 76 GLP JDC Line 1000 bestückte Treppe bildete einen weiteren Eyecatcher im Bühnendesign. „Für mich waren die JDC Lines auf der Treppe gesetzt“, erläutert Münzer. „Bei Bosse habe ich sie häufig in Verbindung mit den KNV genutzt. Durch die beeindruckende Stückzahl ließ sich der Raum auf der Bühne wunderbar begrenzen, öffnen oder auch einfach nur illuminieren, um ein gewisses Backlight für die Bühnenebene zu erzeugen.“
Die GLP Impression X5 Wash betrachtet der Designer eher als „klassisches Washlight“, ein „Arbeitstier“, das er für sehr viele allgemeine Looks und die Ausleuchtung der Bühne nutzte. Vierzehn JDC1 füllten die Bühnenräume zusätzlich auf: „Ich habe sie überall eingesetzt, weil sie eine großartige Möglichkeit sind, zusätzlich Farbe und Fläche zu gestalten“, so Münzer.
Generaldienstleister (Setbau, Licht, Rigging) der Tournee, die am 17. August in einem Open-Air-„Heimspiel“ in Braunschweig gipfelte, war die Ambion GmbH aus Kassel, welche in Person von Jesko Purmann und Alexander Neuparth laut Rico Münzer „fantastischen Support auf allen Ebenen“ geleistet habe.
(Fotos: GLP)
Wetterfeste Scheinwerfer von Elation im Outdoor-Dauereinsatz auf Freilichtbühne Tecklenburg
In den vergangenen Jahren ist die Licht- und Tontechnik der Freilichtbühne Tecklenburg, Deutschlands größtem Freilicht-Musiktheater, schrittweise modernisiert worden. In diesem Zuge wurden im Rahmen der Umrüstung auf moderne LED-Technik im Jahr 2022 erstmalig wetterfeste Scheinwerfer von Elation installiert. Zwölf der IP65-zertifizierten Moving-Lights Proteus Lucius und 22 der wetterfesten (IP65) Profilscheinwerfer WW Profile HP IP kommen seither zum Einsatz.
Die Kolibri MediaS GmbH aus Ibbenbüren, die auch die Tontechnik der Freilichtbühne zuvor umgerüstet hatte, stellte dem Technik-Team der Freilichtbühne die Geräte vor Ort vor. Seither mietet die Freilichtbühne die Scheinwerfer vom Technik-Dienstleister jeweils für ein halbes Jahr.
„Die Modernisierung der Lichttechnik war nötig geworden, da der Stromverbrauch der alten Geräte zu hoch war und teilweise auch Leuchtmittel und Ersatzteile nicht mehr zu beschaffen waren“, erklärt Frank Schwegmann, Geschäftsführer von Kolibri MediaS. „Mit den IP65-Geräten von Elation verfügt die Freilichtbühne Tecklenburg nun über statische und kopfbewegte Scheinwerfer, die keinerlei Probleme mit den langen Außeneinsätzen während der Spielzeit haben.“
Die Proteus Lucius kommen jeweils zur Hälfte unter dem Bühnendach und ungeschützt am Vordach zum Einsatz, während sich die WW-Profile-HP-IP-LED-Profilscheinwerfer auf die Dachkante sowie die Beleuchtungstürme rechts und links der Bühne verteilen.
(Fotos: Oliver Winkler/LMP Lichttechnik/Freilichtbühne Tecklenburg)
W E Audio supplies newly purchased Martin Audio WPL for Seal tour
Long-term Martin Audio rental partner W E Audio recently underlined its commitment to the British manufacturer by making a massive investment across the latest Wavefront Precision line array portfolio.
W E Audio’s upgraded inventory is headed by Martin Audio’s flagship WPL large format line array, and SXH218 subwoofers, as well as FlexPoint FP12s, Torus, and XE500 wedge monitors. At the same time, in order to give them further scalability, the company has also invested heavily in the smaller WPS and WPC line arrays - all delivered in recent months to its base in Oxfordshire, UK.
Last month saw the production company’s highest profile deployment of the large-format WPL to date, on Seal’s European tour. The core PA design was based around twelve WPL cabinets per side, with six WPS units for front fills, Torus T1230 speakers on outfill duties, and sixteen SXH218 subwoofers, powered by iK42 amps in bridged mode.
(Photos: Martin Audio/W E Audio)
New London production of “Starlight Express” supported by Icefog Q and TheOne generators from MDG
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Starlight Express”, re-envisioned for the 21st century, has taken to the stage in the specially designed Starlight Auditorium at London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.
With new orchestrations, choreography and songs, the story of a child’s train set that magically comes to life retains all its original wonder, with roller skate races around the auditorium and powerful performances from the 40-strong company of “rolling stock” (engines and carriages) in a production that begins from the moment the audience steps into the theatre. The audience is closely entwined in the action which takes place on a near in-the-round main stage with racing track “spokes” leading off between sunken areas of seating and around the auditorium.
In anticipation of a long run, the show’s producers, Michael Harrison Entertainment Ltd, made an early decision to purchase four MDG Icefog Q low pressure generators directly from MDG UK to handle the show’s low fog requirements.
“With forty roller skaters travelling at speed, it was vital we employed a top-class CO2 system because it would not leave any slippery residue - water or vapour - on the track”, says Oliver Thomas, Senior Production Electrician for “Starlight Express”. “Noise levels were also a factor as the Icefog Q generators are located under the show floor very close to the audience.”
Two Icefog Q low pressure generators are located upstage left and right providing low fog across the centre stage area of the main floor. Two more Icefog Qs are embedded in the central stage lift where low fog is pumped through ducting that travels up with the lift and cascades down its sides to give the impression the lift - and the performer on it - is floating. “If we were to use smoke machines the atmosphere would become too ‘smoky’ with the movement of the skaters, but the Icefog has a dense low fog that provides perfect wispiness but remains low enough for sight lines to remain uninterrupted when it is skated through”, explains Thomas.
The decision process was helped along by MDG UK, whose Matt Wiseman took a demo unit to the show’s rehearsal studios in 3 Mills, East London. Here director Luke Sheppard and lighting designer Howard Hudson were able to see how the low fog reacted with the movement of the skaters, and also try out new ideas to explore what effects could be achieved. It also gave the skating team the chance to feel confident that the low fog option would be safe and to acclimatise to skating through it on different surfaces.
“By choosing the low pressure Icefog Q we were able to dispense with individual CO2 bottles and feed the four Icefog Q generators directly from two 230 ltr CO2 dewar tanks located within the theatre”, adds Thomas. “These dewars have content gauges which make it easy to see how much CO2 is left, so there is no wastage swapping out part-used bottles, and they are refilled directly (by BOC) on a weekly delivery. The dewars never leave the theatre, there’s no time wasted or manhandling in disconnecting bottles and hosing, and we only pay for what we use. They are much easier to manage, cost effective and there’s less wastage. From a cost and environmental point of view it’s a very efficient system for long running shows.”
The haze for Starlight Express is supplied by two MDG TheOne dual haze and fog generators from Christie Lites, the main technical provider for the show. “The new production of Starlight Express is performed in a large space (60 m x 30 m) with inconsistent and varied air flow so we knew using MDG’s TheOne would be vital to provide a consistent and adjustable level of haze across the vast space”, says lighting designer Howard Hudson.
TheOne generators are rigged over the stage area and in the gantry over the auditorium seating, their travelling cradles, Thomas states, making them “easy to roll on stage and useful to hoist into position”. “Tucked away in these positions they fill the room with constant haze which is virtually undetectable by the audience”, he continues. “The haze is so fine it just travels through the natural air circulation of the venue. TheOne gives us the volume and large range of control to handle the huge space without the network of ducting and multiple CO2 bottles that a large number of smaller generators would require. Instead we feed TheOnes from the same dewar tanks as the Icefog Qs, TheOnes using vaporous CO2 and the Icefog Qs using liquid CO2, and the fluid reservoirs on each of TheOne holds 25 ltrs.”
“MDG was extremely helpful in providing us with all the information we needed to create our own pipework to be able to site the Icefog Qs and TheOnes wherever we wanted”, concludes Thomas. “All of this ties together to form a very efficient, economical and environmentally conscious fog and haze system.”
“Starlight Express” began its journey in June 2024 and has recently extended its booking until October 2025.
Pictured: “Starlight Express” at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. (Photos: Pamala Raith)
Tascam’s Portacapture X8 central to Roland Guerin’s musical activities
Whether he is performing, working on sound design, or hunkered down in the recording studio, the ability to quickly capture performances, experiment with musical ideas, or record instruments and more for inclusion on a recording is essential to bassist/recording engineer Roland Guerin. His preferred solution is the Portacapture X8 8-channel 32-bit float Portable Audio Field Recorder from Tascam.
“My Portacapture is my personal audio stenographer”, says Guerin. “At any time throughout the day and whenever inspiration hits, I capture voice memo clips of me singing or playing my bass. Having this capability lets me feel good about not missing a moment of inspiration. These moments are like gold nuggets to me. I can take these ideas and add to them, drop them in software on my computer, drop them into a sampler/drum machine, and more.”
“I’ve been actively recording all of my live shows for many years now”, he continues. “From back in the day of using cassette tapes, MiniDisk, and other recording formats, capturing my live shows lets me evaluate what actually happened, as opposed to my perception of what took place. This form of documentation has helped me to learn and grow.”
“To this day, I still have my first Tascam recorder, the DR1”, he adds. “Now, my Portacapture X8 takes matters to a whole new Ievel. The audio from some of my shows is definitely worthy of a live album release and I’m about to be in a position to start using multiple mics in my live show capture. And outside of live shows, I’ve used my Portacapture X8 to record a final mix from my DAW and I’ve used it several times as an audio interface while on tour.”
Since getting his Portacapture X8 in May of 2022, Guerin has used the recorder for a wide range of projects. “My Portacapture X8 captures my ideas, feeds my samplers, fuels my songs, and interfaces with my computers”, he concludes. “It also records audio into my Fuji cameras, it records my rehearsals and my performances. It also provides me with wireless control capability by using the Portacapture Control app with my Android Galaxy S24 Ultra.”
Guerin has a wide range of musical and creative experience. From 2008 to 2015, he was the bassist for musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer Allen Toussaint. Later, Guerin served as Musical Director to singer/songwriter Dr. John. Currently, he has his own band called the Roland Guerin Band, planning to release an album in early 2025. Further, Guerin’s work as a photographer will soon be released on a historic publication titled “Seeing Black”.
(Photo: Roland Guerin/Tascam)
Chris Reade lights Dierks Bentley shows with Chauvet
Dierks Bentley’s recent “Gravel & Gold” tour, which concluded with its September 21 show at the American Family Insurance Amphitheatre in Milwaukee, celebrated the tenth album in the American country musicians’ career. Bentley and his production team strove to create something special for this 30-city tour that featured a production design by Bruce Rodgers, lighting by Chris Reade, and video by Luz Studio.
They created a massive, wide open panorama with minimal props and fixtures on the stage deck, a potent flown lighting rig overhead, and large, multi-layered 3D video wall that made it possible to change overall looks dramatically. Helping Chris Reade set the tone with light was a collection of Chauvet Professional Strike 1 fixtures, which, like the rest of the rig, was supplied by Christie Lights. Arranged on towers, the Strikes were used to create cross light effects.
“The Strike fixtures gave us an old school feel and created a beautiful tungsten look”, says Reade. “We used them for a dramatic element, as well as mix tungsten looks into sections. We picked and chose when to use them, calling on them when they could have the biggest impact. Overusing them would have been a mistake.”
Reade notes that the Strike 1 fixtures were key to creating one of his favorites looks in the show. It occurred in the solo section of the song “Say You Do”: The subtle use of the warm white fixtures at that moment created what Reade described as a “great visual within a large, beautifully textured video look”.
(Photos: Chauvet Professional)
HD Pro Audio specifies Shure Axient Digital Wireless System for Glyndebourne Festival
Shure’s Axient Digital Wireless System delivered audio for the Glyndebourne opera house’s 2024 season. The Glyndebourne Festival runs each year from May to August, followed by an autumn season of opera and concerts that puts rising stars centre stage.
The Axient Digital system at Glyndebourne serves multiple purposes, from facilitating communication during rehearsals to supporting recordings and broadcasts of productions. To meet the complex audio demands of multiple simultaneous productions, Glyndebourne’s technical team turned to audio experts HD Pro Audio to implement a solution that could handle the requirements of live opera. Shure’s Axient Digital Wireless System was specified for the project.
The Shure equipment deployed at Glyndebourne consisted of a comprehensive array of Axient Digital technology. This included seven AD4Q Four-Channel Digital Wireless Receivers, twenty ADX1M Micro Bodypack Transmitters, one AD600 Axient Digital Spectrum Manager, two AD3 Digital Plug-on Wireless Transmitters, and four AD2 Handheld Wireless Microphone Transmitters.
“The Axient Digital frequency management’s ability to handle large numbers of channels within the same bandwidth was invaluable in managing the frequency-dense environment at the festival”, states Andy Huffer, Sales Director at HD Pro Audio.
(Photos: Glyndebourne Productions Ltd./Charlotte Boulton/Sam Stephenson/Leigh Simpson)
Rodger Pugh and Craig Richter light Halestorm shows with Chauvet
When lighting designer Rodger Pugh, his co-designer Craig Richter, and production manager Joey Dileo began working on the lighting for Halestorm’s current tour, they collectively developed a clear vision for the show’s final design, coming up with a concept that was “somewhere between an ‘80s rock show and a ‘90s high school prom”.
Marked by an intense flow of bold visual eruptions, the lightshow is a screaming testament to an era when hard rock and alt metal bands like Halestorm were rattling the music world to its core. However, at other times, there is a softer, more reflective quality to the lightshow, one with rich welcoming looks that would be right at home during romantic moments at a prom in the ‘90s.
“For a rock show, you naturally want those big, punchy, high-energy moments, but we also wanted to give the audience room to breathe during the softer, more introspective parts”, says Pugh. “For the high-energy, punchy parts, we leaned into bold, saturated colors - like deep reds, electric blues, and intense purples - to give the space a sense of urgency and power. At other points we went with more subtle tones. With this tour, we tried to balance the two elements.” Working with Dileo production design, Pugh and Richter achieved this with help from 48 Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by Bandit Lites.
“We used eight Nexus panels beneath the drummer, which gave us a powerful, rich saturation of light”, continues Pugh. “The drummer is a central part of the performance, so it was crucial that this area remains a focal point. These panels made that possible, allowing us to highlight the drummer in a bold, visually striking way.”
Pugh, Richter and the production team (Sam Morgan and Van Boer) also called upon forty Colordash Accent 3 LED washes to generate visual intensity and underscore a range of moods during the show. The team positioned these compact RGBA fixtures under each riser tier. “This setup under the risers creates a dynamic pixel grid that adds depth to the stage visuals”, says Pugh. “We are using them to play with a wide range of effects, from subtle shifts to more intricate patterns, giving us the flexibility to create visuals that complement the music in creative and unexpected ways. The combination of these fixtures gave us a layered, immersive design that enhanced the entire visual experience of the show.”
Also adding depth to the show were the design’s special light angles and the resultant long shadows. “For this show, I really wanted to explore dynamic shadows and highlights, which gave the performers more texture and presence on stage”, concludes Pugh. “It also helped build a sense of mystery and movement - sometimes the angles would highlight specific moments, almost like framing a scene in a movie, and other times they created more abstract visuals.”
(Photos: Alison Northway)
Flo Herkert chooses Klang:Vokal+ for Naomi Jon tour
Naomi Jon is a YouTuber with over eight million followers across her social media channels, and also an accomplished singer-songwriter. Her first major headline tour has sold out music halls and concert venues across Germany and there are more dates being added, with international venues promised.
Jon’s sound engineer is Flo Herkert, who has been working with her since her first ever gig. Herkert is responsible for the front of house mix and also oversees the on-stage monitor mix. He bought Germany’s first Klang:Konduktor immersive in-ear-monitoring system in 2017, followed by a Klang:Vokal system and is now using his Klang:Vokal+ system with a DiGiCo SD11i for the “Villain Of Your Dreams” tour.
“I’ve always been interested in new technologies and Klang immediately caught my attention”, he says. “I attended a presentation and training session where I met Phil Kamp. We quickly became firm friends and have even toured together, using Klang:Fabrik in our set-up. I recently upgraded to the Klang:Vokal+. It’s great to run 64 channels in a 1U package, and it’s the perfect fit for our production with Naomi Jon.”
“There is a lot of interaction between Naomi and the fans, so the ambient mics are important”, continues Herkert. “While the audience can be unbelievably loud, it is crucial not to allow the mics to overpower her mix. With Klang, I can lower the ambient mics in volume but place them up-front in the focus zone, raising them a slight touch upwards.”
Herkert has chosen to use his DiGiCo SD11i console with Klang:Vokal+ to simplify the workflow. With this setup he can concentrate on his FOH mix, while Klang directly integrates with the console. The IEM mixes are not limited to Naomi Jon - they can also be enjoyed by the support act, backline team, choreographers and the lighting designer. “I send all the channels, FX returns and talkback direct-out via MADI into the Klang:Vokal+”, explains Herkert. “I then have all the mixes returned via Merge Input on the corresponding AUX Master in the console. I use an iPad to remotely control the Klang:App and also use it as a ‘Klang:Meterbridge’.”
“All artists love the space and the transparency of Klang and my set-ups work for any situation”, he concludes. “My largest is a DiGiCo Quantum 225 console plus Klang:Konduktor (with 2 x MADI BNC DMI) for when I need more than 64 inputs.”
(Photos: Tom Gross/Markus Haner/Flo Herkert)
Peter Maffay mit Equipment von Sennheiser auf Abschiedstournee
Mit der „We love Rock’n‘Roll“-Farewell-Tour füllten Peter Maffay und Band im Sommer 2024 Deutschlands größte Open-Air-Arenen. Dabei kamen digitale und analoge Sennheiser-Drahtlossysteme zum Einsatz. Neben Digital-6000-Systemen und anderen Wireless-Lösungen wurden während der Shows auch Komponenten aus der neuen Serie EW-DX verwendet.
Premiere bei einer Tournee von Peter Maffay hatten zwei EW-DX-EM-4-Dante-Vierkanal-Empfänger. Mit EW-DX-SK-3-Pin-Taschensendern waren unter anderem die Holz- und Blechblasinstrumente, ein Akkordeon sowie Gitarren von Pascal Kravetz und Showgästen versehen.
Während bei früheren Maffay-Tourneen lediglich ein einzelner EM-6000-Doppelempfänger (Gesang Maffay und Spare) zum Einsatz kam, griffen während der Farewell-Tour auch Anastacia (Gesang und Spare) sowie wechselnde Gastsänger (Johannes Oerding, Joy Denalane, Rea Garvey, Wolfgang Niedecken, Bülent Ceylan, Hartmut Engler) auf Drahtlostechnik aus der Wedemark zurück. Insgesamt drei EM-6000-Receiver und damit sechs Kanäle waren verfügbar.
Peter Maffay und die Chorsängerinnen hatten MM-435-Mikrofonmodule (Niere) auf ihren Handsendern, während die Stimmen von Anastacia und anderen musikalischen Gästen mit dynamischen MM-445-Kapseln (Superniere) abgenommen wurden. Die zu den SKM-6000-Handsendern gehörenden Akkus wurden in einer netzwerkfähigen L-6000-Ladestation mit Energie versorgt.
Ihre Monitorsignale erhielten die Akteure drahtlos über vierzehn SR-2050-IEM-Stereo-Transmitter. Auch die Backline-Techniker wurden mit acht Strecken versorgt, auf denen sie jeweils den Mix ihres „Schützlings“ hörten. Auf diesen Strecken wurde auch untereinander kommuniziert, ohne dass die jeweiligen Musiker dadurch gestört wurden. Als Antennen für die IEM-Systeme dienten zwei zirkular polarisierte Wendelantennen (A 5000-CP), die durch eine überdimensionale Karottenattrappe auffielen, welche Bühnenbildner Michael Haufe vor Jahren für eine „Tabaluga“-Tournee angefertigt hatte - im „Möhrenmikrofon“ versteckte sich damals ein SKM-2000-Handsender.
Die Gitarristen Peter Keller und Pascal Kravetz sowie Bassist Ken Taylor nutzten Funkstrecken aus der Serie Evolution Wireless. Multi-Instrumentalistin Charlie Klauser trug drei Beltpacks: neben dem In-Ear-Empfänger zwei Sender SK 500, die die Percussion-Signale von an ihren Händen befestigten MKE-2-Ansteckmikrofonen übertrugen. Auch der Klang einer von Charlie Klauser gespielten Violine wurde mit einer EW-500-Funkstrecke übertragen.
Den Einsatz der dynamischen Mikrofonkapsel MM 435 hatte FOH-Mischer Timo Hollmann schon lange vor Beginn der Farewell-Tour angeregt. Er hatte die MM 435 zuvor mit zahlreichen Newcomer-Bands in verschiedenen Clubs getestet. „Es handelt sich um eine dynamische Kapsel, die robust genug für den Touring-Einsatz ist, dennoch aber wie eine Kondensatorkapsel klingt“, so Hollmann.
Zu Kommunikationszwecken nutzte Hollmann auf der Farewell-Tour ein modifiziertes E-835-S-Mikrofon, dessen Rastschalter durch einen Non-Latching-Switch ersetzt wurde und nun nach dem Push-to-Talk-Prinzip funktioniert. Während der Show verwendete Hollmann einen geschlossenen Neumann-NDH-20-Kopfhörer. Bei den Proben legte er an seiner Digitalkonsole den gesamten Mix unter Verwendung des NDH 20 an.
An einem eher ungewöhnlichen Einsatzort kam bei der Farewell-Tour ein Neumann-Miniature-Clip-Mic-System, das an einem Sennheiser-EW-DX-SK-3-PIN-Taschensender betrieben wurde, zum Einsatz: Peter Maffay fuhr zum Auftakt der Show in Lederkluft mit einer schwarzen Harley-Davidson auf die Bühne. Um das Motorrad-Sondermodell akustisch in Szene zu setzen, hatte Wireless-Spezialist Florian Keinert eine Miniatur-Kondensatorkapsel MCM KK 14 mit Gummibändern oberhalb des Auspuffs befestigt.
Die Kapsel war zum Schutz gegen Regen von oben mit einem Stück Plastikfolie abgedeckt, das Keinert mit schwarzem Gaffa-Tape fixiert hatte. Der SK-Sender steckte in einer Schutztasche, die mit starken Gummibändern an der eigentlich für das Nummernschild vorgesehenen Platte befestigt wurde. Für Erheiterung sorgte der Kanalname „Moped“, der auf der permanenten Anzeige des Transmitters und auf dem OLED-Empfänger-Display zu lesen war. Mit KK-14-Kapseln wurden zudem die Holz- und Blechblasinstrumente sowie ein Akkordeon abgenommen.
Für Scans der HF-Umgebung nutzte Keinert Winradio-Hard- und Software. Darüber hinaus kam der Sennheiser Wireless Systems Manager für die permanente Echtzeitkontrolle aller relevanten Parameter zum Einsatz. Da die digitalen Sennheiser-Drahtlossysteme intermodulationsfrei arbeiten, habe Keinert sie „praktisch überall“ in einem freien Bereich des in Frage kommenden Frequenzspektrums unterbringen können.
„Ich nutze das äquidistante Raster - die digitalen Strecken passen allesamt in einen Fernsehkanal“, erläutert er. „Die analogen In-Ear-Drahtlosstrecken arbeiten in den Frequenzbereichen GW und BW, die Instrumentensender der EW-Funkstrecken habe ich im Bereich A und weit oben im Bereich E angeordnet. Insgesamt ist mein Arbeitsbereich für die drahtlose Übertragung von Audiosignalen also recht groß, weshalb ich problemlos ausweichen kann, sofern es die Situation am Auftrittsort erfordert. Mit zwei Sennheiser-A-2003-UHF und zwei A-5000 CP kann ich alle Aktionsbereiche der Künstler abdecken.“
Bertram Engel, auch bekannt als Schlagzeuger von Udo Lindenberg, setzte bei Peter Maffays Farewell-Tour erneut Mikrofone aus dem Portfolio von Sennheiser ein. Er spielte mit zwei Kickdrums, von denen das 28’’-Modell mit einem E 902, einem MD 421 und einer E-901-Grenzfläche mikrofoniert war, während das 24’’-Gegenstück mit einem E 902 und einem E 901 auskam.
Die Snaredrum wurde von oben und von unten mikrofoniert, um sowohl den Attack des Schlagfells wie auch das charakteristische Rascheln des Snare-Teppichs in allen Nuancen einfangen zu können. Diese Aufgabe übernahmen zwei dynamische Sennheiser E 905 (nierenförmige Richtcharakteristik). Die kleinen Tom-Toms wurden mit E 904, die Floortoms mit E 902 bestückt. Für die Overhead-Mikrofonierung setzte Drumtech Benjamin „Benji“ Johl zwei MK-8-Doppelmembran-Kondensatormikrofone ein. Dauerpolarisierte E-914-Kondensatormikrofone mit aufgesetzten Schaumstoff-Windschirmen kamen bei den Live-Konzerten für die beiden Hi-Hats zum Einsatz.
„Mit der ‘We love Rock’n’Roll’-Farewell-Tour konnte sich Peter Maffay von rund 250.000 Konzertgästen in ganz Deutschland persönlich verabschieden und hat ihnen mit seiner besonderen Song-Auswahl unvergessliche Momente beschert“, resümiert Sennheisers Relations Manager Thomas Holz. „Ich freue mich, dass er und seine Band bei ihrer großen Abschiedstournee wie schon in der Vergangenheit auf Lösungen von Sennheiser vertraut haben.“
„Die Karriere von Peter Maffay ist eine beispiellose Erfolgsgeschichte, und als Künstler ist er eine Ausnahmeerscheinung in der deutschen Musiklandschaft“, so Holz weiter. „Ob als Rockstar, ‘Tabaluga’-Drachenpapa oder soziales Vorbild: Wir wünschen Peter Maffay für seinen neuen Lebensabschnitt alles Gute und bedanken uns für die jahrzehntelange Live-Partnerschaft mit Sennheiser.“
Fotos: Peter Maffay; Florian Keinert; Thomas Holz, Benjamin Johl und Timo Hollmann. (Fotocredits: Sennheiser)
22live deploys new Martin Audio subwoofer system design at Creamfields North
Sound production company 22live returned to the Creamfields North site on Daresbury Estate, in the Cheshire countryside, where they made their debut last year on one of the stages. With ten stages set for the four-day dance music festival, the Martin Audio rental partner this year doubled its account.
22live were entrusted with delivering sound for a second stage in a large-scale Big Top. This was in addition to the 14,000-capacity Steel Yard stage which they also equipped last year. This industrial superstructure was described as the largest in Europe when originally designed by Acorn Events.
Boasting a large overhead video screen, Steel Yard comes into its own after 1 a.m. on the Saturday night, when it runs through to 4 a.m., and this year saw electronic music icon Eric Prydz headlining. 22live director Paul Timmins oversaw the sound system installation - both of this and the #3 stage, renewing his long acquaintance with event production company LarMac Live.
Noting the natural rake of around six metres over the 110 m distance to the downstage edge, Timmins’ concern was fitting a new sub design within the heavily populated tech built into the front of the structure. “Unlike conventional rock festivals, at Creamfields a high SPL is required all the time”, he says. “For this type of event you need high impact, so we changed what had been a broadside sub array to a spaced cardioid array to create greater impact, although I realised we would sacrifice a bit of controllability and risked a bit more low-end offsite. Whereas for certain other outdoor events, controllability and offsite noise is probably top priority you have to design to suit the event, and DJs at this level often ask about the subs. Although there are still noise propagation and offsite considerations, with ten stages working together it’s a collective responsibility.”
22live deployed twenty-four SXHF 218 subs in eight ground stacks of three, under a flown WPL line array, sixteen elements per side as the main hangs. A further four SXHF 218s (two a side) were flown at the top of the delay towers, each comprising eight Martin Audio WPL, set around 70 metres back. The system was designed by system tech Sam Millen - who operated in the same role last year - and 22live Technical Director Simon Gladstone.
Paul Timmins’ other concern was working within the parameters of the superstructure - particularly being able to accommodate an extra stratum of subwoofers (last year the broadside design was only two high). “The Acorn structure is like a hangar, containing a lot of production in terms of moving lights and video”, he explains. “Since there are weight restrictions, you have to work with a ground-based sub solution. And since the entire back of the stage is a video screen, effectively everything has to go out wide to avoid obscuring sightlines and detracting from the artistic element.”
Thus 22live made sure to be able to recess the spaced sub array under the stage, since the pit was already heavily populated with confetti cannons, pyro and CO2. LarMac Live and their technical production manager Alex Mackie had been accommodating in this regard. “As a result, we managed to squeeze an extra six or eight inches height which was just sufficient to get all the subs, three high under the stage.” Sam Millen worked with the Display software’s “Hard Avoid” feature inside. “The room is reflective, with a silvery stage covering, so we had to keep the sound off the side and especially off the back wall”, says Timmins.
Torus T1230s were designated for nearfield coverage. “But that also provided challenges; because of the increased height of the stage (the audience) was having to look upwards; therefore anything on the front edge of the stage would have obscured the video.” In the event they located the four Torus boxes in the pit on stands. Completing the soundscape, twelve WPS enclosures were used as in- and out-fills.
Set in a large Big Top, Stage #3 presented less of a challenge for 22live. Here they flew two hangs of twelve WPL, underpinned by a further spaced array of sixteen SXHF218 subs, in eight stacks of two - and this time no delays were required. All main passive PA systems on both stages were powered by Martin Audio iKon multi-channel DSP amplifiers in 1-box resolution, with the delays in Steel Yard run in 2-box res.
Crew boss for both stages was Nick Jackson, with Sam Millen system teching Steel Yard and Neil Winterbottom doing likewise on Stage #3.
(Photos: Geoffrey Hubbel/LarMac Live)
