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A Conversation with Bruce Jackson

A Conversation with Bruce Jackson

The PMG (Australia's version of the Federal Communications Commssion) had been driving around in their vans when they triangulated the location of the lawbreakers. Converging on the high school, we don't know what they expected to find, though we know what they didn't expect: 16-year-old "criminal" and future Parnelli Innovator Award honoree Bruce Jackson.

Jackson and some buddies who shared his passion for all things electronic thought it would be fun to build a radio station, and they were broadcasting illegally from the school assembly hall after school. But it got the attention of the authorities because their unusual wizardry led to such a long antenna and strong signal that they were actually broadcasting across all Sydney.

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On The Bleeding Edge

Live sound engineers have been very lucky. We've able to get away with being relatively lazy because the fundamental operation of our tools hasn't changed much in the last 20 years. Sure, there have been developments in speaker and crossover technology, amplifier reliability is greatly improved, microphones are better than ever and consoles provide more 'bang for the buck' than in the past, but that's all 'background' technology. We've been able to lay our hands on an analog console and been able to fl y it without having to work at it–even if it's a console we've never used. Kinda like driving a car. Sometimes the headlight switch is in a different location, but it still functions the same as on that Plymouth Satellite my dad owned when I was a kid.

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Big-Time Sound in a Small-Town Space

Located in the heart of a small Southern town lies a state-of-the-art installation jewel boasting a 7.1 surround system and all the trimmings. The Badon H. Brown Performance Pavilion is nestled within the Aiken Center for the Arts–a nonprofit facility and one of the newest additions to the renovated historic downtown in Aiken, S.C. dB Acoustics & Sound of Gainesville, Ga., coordinated all the audio and video elements, including the acoustical design for the space.

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Faithful Central

While the Los Angeles Lakers may be long gone from the facility, L.A.'s venerable Forum lives on–as home to Faithful Central Bible Church, where Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer serves as the church's senior pastor/teacher. And though the Forum now functions as a house of worship, the venue also serves Southern California as a premiere facility for concerts and related functions.

Recently, Faithful Central staged a major production complete with a 100-voice choir, a 46-piece orchestra and numerous soloists–all of this accompanied by a wide assortment of props, live animals and additional staging support. The event was staged at one end of the Forum, as this enabled the church to accommodate the 16,000-strong crowd and facilitate prop movement through the tunnels.

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Fright of the Bumblebee

We were setting up for a street festival with an average attendance of about 5,000 people, and it was one of those gigs where I was wearing two hats. In addition to providing sound, I was also the fiddle and keyboard player for one of the bands on the bill. Makes for a busy day…

So, two hours before show time, the negative rail in the power supply for our main FOH console (an Allen & Heath GL3000) blew. We called several places trying to get the replacement parts we needed to fix the power supply, with no luck. And we were carrying neither a spare power supply nor a backup 32-channel console. So with an hour to go before show time, we had to pull the 24-channel Mackie board that was running monitors from side stage and set it up at the FOH position.

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Audio at the Alamo

After conquering the Great Wall of China, the producers of the Wonders of the World (WOW) concert video tour have settled in for some domestic scenery before going overseas again (to Russia's Gorky Park) sometime next year. This is good news for the audio pros who enjoy combining historical sightseeing with their work .

The WOW tour is the brainchild of Joyce & Associates partners Rob Joyce, Cary Floyd and Paul "Ringo" George, and is produced by their subsidiary, Doc Brown Entertainment. It is a special series of oneoff events showcasing renowned musical performers with historical backdrops, filmed in high-definition digital video for eventual broadcast and DVD distribution.

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Midas Siena Mixing Console, dbx DriveRack 260 and Production Intercom HD903 Half-Duplex Operation

Midas Siena Mixing Console

By Mark Amundson

Midas does not give the competition a rest when it comes to new console introductions. Just when you thought the Midas Verona was settling in to dominate the sub-$20,000 console market, out comes the Midas Siena to augment the Verona in monitor mixing and dual FOH/mon applications. And Midas had the good sense to leave the great Verona mic pre's and strip EQs alone, and then add a pile of monitor mixer creature comforts into the master section. And those 16 aux sends are plenty for most shows.

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Budget vs. Reality

The last several houses of worship we have done were typical, both in terms of technical requirements and the installation process. There were the minor yet expected frustrations of redesign, product returns and reprogramming of DSPs. There is almost always a point however, when budgets collapse and technical requirements are set aside as more urgent needs like carpets and chairs go into cost overrun mode.

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Advancing the Club Gig

When you contract for a new gig at a venue you've never been in before, checking out or "advancing" the venue well before the gig is a good idea–and doing it a few weeks before is a very good idea. By knowing ahead of time what you are facing in terms of logistics, your truck/trailer pack can be optimized so you are not bringing in the "kitchen sink" to cover the unknowns.

Come Prepared

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All You Need is Sound

People who want to see Beatles music performed live, particularly with a variety of male and female singers, will get a kick out of Lennon. Approved by Yoko Ono, the show offers glimpses into John Lennon's life, from birth through the Beatles to his untimely death in 1980. The show is unusual in that several people portray Lennon, often in the same scene, and it offers a good blend of drama and humor. Despite the mixed reaction the musical has received from critics, no one can deny the superb vocal talents of the cast. And from a sound angle, the show's continual interplay of music and dialogue makes it a tough juggling act for any mixer.

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AES Says YES for SR

In recent years, AES shows have tended to be measured quantitatively, particularly in the wake of the 2001 terror attacks in New York City. That year, the annual U.S. iteration of the audio technology convention and exhibition was scheduled to take place literally within a couple of weeks of 9/11. Most of the organization's own assessments of the shows since then tend to emphasize its size, while exhibitors would be naturally inclined to assess the show based on floor traffic.

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Scott Flaws and Mark Hall

Scott Flaws

Production Manager/

Systems Engineer FOH

K.C. Audio

Alsip, IL

[email protected]

Quote: Don't get all 2K on me…

Personal Info: Been in the business for 20 years now, still having fun and trying NOT to reinvent the wheel.

Services Provided: Live audio engineer/recording, production and tour management.

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