PRODUCTION PROFILE: Slipknot
Below: As promised by Stage Manager, Jacob Raggio, the fans could still expect DJ Sid Wilson to jump off all the stage platforms; All three vocalists used wireless Audio-Technica AEW-T6100 handheld microphones.
Cardiff which had to be altered due to its lower ceiling.” Rigging was supplied by PRG XL Video and comprised of nine Loadguard LG10 onetonne motors along with five Lodestar D8 twotonne motors. “I have worked with PRG before and never had an issue,” concluded Knuckles. Down on the ground, TPi caught up with the tour’s three set carpenters, Rick Ortega, James ‘Chief’ Yepa and Jason Berry. All three had been with the band for varying periods, from Ortega who had only been with Slipknot for one month to Chief, who has worked with them for 11 years. As the veteran of the band, Chief explained what changes had been made on this tour. “For the last Prepare for Hell tour we had what we called ‘the portal’, which had mirrored images creating a vortex in the center of the stage as well as the massive goat head. Those have been taken away for this tour, but in terms of ramps and staging it is pretty similar.” Regarding the load in for a Slipknot tour, the three men explain that they have got it down to a fine art. “We stick together and knock everything out,” stated Berry. “Like every tour, once Knuckles gets the truss in the air, we then build our truss from down stage and then work everything else out from that to the middle.” Chief added: “It all comes together really easily as all the cogs fall into place.” The staging itself was designed by Ahlstrand and manufactured 78
by California-based Gallagher Staging and Productions. KEEPING IT GOING There are some within the industry who would be slightly apprehensive of stage managing a band such as Slipknot but according to Jacob Raggio, who has been with the group since 2008, he wouldn’t have it any other way. “It’s definitely variable compared to some other bands. Pre-show, the job is fairly standard but it’s when they start playing that you notice the difference because all nine of the guys really go for it; it’s a real show. One of the big omissions for this tour is the lack of pyro and some may say that it could take away from the performance but this tour is really just about the musicians. I personally don’t think it takes anything away as far as the performance goes.” Raggio reassured TPi that the fans can still expect the usual Slipknot show. “Sid (Wilson, the band DJ) still runs around the set and jumps off things and both our percussion players [Chris Fehn and Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan] still have hydraulics on their kits causing them to be lifted several ft in the air.” While talking about the drum section of the band, Raggio commented that the kit often create the biggest challenge of his day: “For starters, none of the drum kits are ever able to be shipped. They always have to be
flown in as they don’t fit in regular containers and they often don’t fit through venue doors, especially in the UK.” This means that Raggio has to be pretty creative with how to get the three kits into the venue, as well as the trucks that transport them… but more on that later. Despite some of the issues they cause however, Raggio stated it’s more than worth the bother: “They look great! And from a safety standpoint there are fewer points of failure as we are not assembling them every day,” he said. This ability to be able to adapt to issues is something that the stage manager is particularly proud of. “The biggest part of my role is to put yourself in everyone else’s shoes and be patient. I always say, in this role you are never going to please all departments on the same day, but everyone has to look at the big picture. If you can’t roll with the punches you are not going to last an album cycle with Slipknot!” While only mere metres away from one of the large percussion drum sets, it seemed right to grab a word with Sean Kane, Drum Tech and PA for Clown. “The percussion pieces are basically shells with kits inside them. They are real drums that have to be tuned as well as setting up the beer kegs, which both musicians use for percussion during certain songs.” As well as catering for the drums, Kane is also responsible for lifting the musician up in the air via a hydraulic system. During the Prepare for