PRODUCTION PROFILE
before we hit the road. I don’t know another company that can send you three Massenburg DesignWorks EQs overnight and have them the next day. No matter what we asked for, we had them the next day.” The PA of choice was a d&b audiotechnik GSL system, with J-Series delays in Europe and KSL Stateside. “We purchased this for the tour due to the rear rejection – the band doesn’t want to hear or feel the PA on the stage. We tested all the PAs and configurations and this came out on top. This is the first PA I’ve chosen solely by standing behind it. We were amazed at the rejection, and after using it, the coverage and how the ArrayProcessing works is perfect for this application. We’re playing stadiums, which are arguably the worst acoustic environments possible, so any extra clarity is huge for this type of tour,” Francis enthused. “The sheer amount of power the PA has behind it is impressive. When you hear the drums rattle through the PA, it hits you right in the chest and you can feel it,” Kastrinelis added. “This band has a shit tonne of great songs and they change the setlist from night to night. Certain songs strike chords with the audience more than others, but this band jams. It’s a truly unique music performance, which master musicians will put on, all vibe and feel – each show is different,” Francis added. “We’re still looking to enhance this setup with more outboard gear for improved tonality. Matthew Andrade, Monitor Engineer for John Fruscinate
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and Flea, mixed on a Yamaha PM1000 console. While fellow Monitor Engineer, Vish Wadi mixed the rest of the band’s JH Audio 16 Version 2s in-ear mix on a DiGiCo SD7 console. “I’ve been a big fan of this band since the Nineties, so it has been a dream gig to walk into,” Andrade began. “I had to adapt to using an analogue console after spending the past decade on digital consoles, where everything is easily accessible at your fingertips. However, I learned my craft on analogue consoles, so it’s been nice to return to it. With analogue, your remit for automation is limited, so you need to approach it differently and more creatively. It certainly has a much ‘warmer’ sound than digital consoles.” Audix OM7 microphones have been the band’s choice for the past 30 years. Andrade updated the band’s pre-existing rack of outboard gear to get the mix to a place he was happy with, and the quality he and the band of analogue enthusiasts strived for. “There were some mental barriers I had to break through because I was so attuned to the digital workflow but keeping the mix simple and minimalistic has proved successful. The challenge has been to develop a mix that isn’t too loud for the band on stage with amplification behind them, so while John’s guitar sits a little lower in my ears, it’s a good balance for them on stage, with that added realworld amplification of on-stage instruments.” The audio team comprised FOH Engineer, Toby
Francis; FOH Technician, Andrew Kastrinelis; Monitor Engineers, Vish Wadi and Matthew Andrade; Monitor Technician, Takayuki Nakai; Broadcast Engineer, Ethan Mates; Systems Engineer, Ville Kauhanen; SR Fly, Thiago Henrique Costa Borges; SL Fly, Gregory Philip Vierley II; Delays, Patrick Anthony Saint John; Mix Engineer, Bo Bodnar and Audio Technician, Justin Smith. Backline Crew Chief, Philip Dannemann; Drum Technician, Christopher Warren; Guitar Technician, Henry Trejo; Bass Technician, Tracy Robar. Recalling the joy of being back on the road, mixing some of his biggest shows to date, Andrade beamed with enthusiasm: “It’s been a pleasure to watch and mix an ever-changing setlist of older stuff that is so raw, grimey and punk rock through to the melodic, musical and dynamic tracks,” Andrade said, going on to praise the support of Clair. “My first tour was with Clair in 2011, fastforward a decade and I’m mixing with one of my favourite bands.” www.redhotchilipeppers.com www.xpeditiousunlimited.com www.beatthestreet.net www.pietersmit.com www.clairglobal.com www.premierglobalproduction.com www.coloneltomtouring.com www.setup.design www.thepowershop.eu www.guardianbarrierservices.com