PRODUCTION PROFILE
not an environment you can specifically explain, so Wembley worked out great and Adele adapted to the arena setting very quickly.” With the exception of Monitor Engineer Joe Campbell and one of the backline crewmembers, everybody else was a new recruit to the Adele camp. Young continued: “It was refreshing to have to start from scratch because it meant we could select suppliers that were exactly right for the job, rather than have any historical involvement. Adele’s shows have grown from small clubs to arenas and it doesn’t always necessarily mean that the suppliers who were with her then would be able to rise to that level of production she needs now. It was definitely a good opportunity to have a clean slate and select appropriate companies for the task at hand. “We included every department as much as possible right from the beginning to discuss what they wanted and needed in order to deliver this show, we didn’t want anyone to feel left out of the process,” Young added. This ethos also extended to the creative team with whom Young was also to join forces with for the first time. “I hadn’t worked with any of our creatives before but I’d known about their various work for years. It’s interesting because if you work with the same design team for a long time it becomes comfortable, familiar and probably a bit too easy. This show is a real design collaboration; Es Devlin has come up with some amazing looking designs and Patrick Woodroffe will adjust it based on lighting needs. Then I come in to consult and adjust for logistic and budget purposes. However,” he laughed, “my job is much more than just saying ‘no’ all the time! My job is saying ‘well if you want to do this, then we need to change it round’. So you get a different look that also satisfies any technical or design concerns. “What’s quite often born from those discussions is a completely new idea, which ends up being a better option for everyone. It’s very interesting to work with new people and their ideas because it creates different experiences during pre-production. Both Es and Patrick have also got experience from working with other artists and production managers so I’ve learnt a lot from them. The problem with being a production manager is that you never get to work with another production manager, because there’s only ever one on the tour! I’ve picked up a few tips!” he enthused.
A notable change in live event safety rules has also come into play since Adele’s last road outing, but Young is well-versed with the importance of H&S. “With the new CDM regulations and the tightening of the regulations throughout the EU, health and safety is paramount more than ever these days. Responsibility lies jointly with the touring company and the promoter, and we do our part down to the last detail to ensure we’re thinking about this right from the very beginning of the production concepts. Local authorities are looking for these aspects clearly designed into a touring system,” he noted. The tour’s H&S rep is Andrew Lennie. VERGING ON PERFECTION “Throughout this whole project, the important thing to remember is that we’re dealing with Adele - it’s not a light and sound spectacular. Although, what we’ve achieved is brilliant, you could always argue that all you have to do is give her a microphone and a spotlight and she’ll be just as amazing!” Young explained. “Obviously from a sound point of view everyone has to have the same experience in the arena, but from a visual point of view Adele is extremely classy and extremely polished in her delivery, no matter where she is. She’s very professional, and despite her jokey mannerisms, the way she does her show each night is verging on perfection. From the albums she produces and the way that she sings, to how she conducts herself in her ‘public’ life, we were very keen to present a show that reflected all of that. What we have is something that’s understated yet beautiful. I think it’d be fair to say she never expected the response she’s had upon retiring to the limelight and each night that she performs, she doesn’t take it for granted.” FOH SOUND Holding down the fort out front in the maze that is Adele’s audio is FOH Engineer, Dave Bracey. The tour is supplied by Germany’s Black Box Music, which has delivered a sound package including DiGiCo SD7 consoles - at both FOH and in monitor world, and an L-Acoustics K2 PA rig. Sennhesier directly provided the microphone and in-ear requirements. Talking from FOH, which, is ironically situated at the side of the arena floor, part way between the A and B stages, Bracey began proceedings to explain what can 35