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The November 2017 Digital Edition

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November 2017

George Petersen, Editor of FOH Magazine

Stayin’ Alive, Part 2

One of author Peter Benchley’s ideas for a tagline to promote his blockbuster 1975 movie Jaws was “just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water.” Ironically, some version of that could today be applied to the safety of attending (or working) live sound gigs. This certainly comes to mind considering last month’s carnage at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas or the May 22 Manchester Arena bombing after an Ariana Grande show. Ironically, both of these attacks came from outside the performance space, where measures such as metal directors and security patdowns are ineffective.

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Custom Earpieces for IEM Systems

Custom Earpieces for IEM Systems

One of the major advancements in live sound has been in-ear listening/monitoring systems, which have made a significant impact in the way concerts are presented. A rock-solid wireless transmitter combined with beltpack IEM receivers and accurate earpieces can significantly improve nearly any show or presentation. Not only can performers hear themselves far better than stage wedge mixes, IEM use results in lowered stage volume. With a great IEM mix, the FOH engineer’s task becomes simpler, audience get better sound and artists are happy — a definite example of a win-win-win-situation.

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New Gear, Nov. 2017, FRONT of HOUSE Magazine

New Gear, Nov. 2017

FRONT of HOUSE’s Nov. 2017 New Gear section includes products from Allen & Heath, Audio Precision, BAE Audio, Bose, DirectOut, DPA, EarSonics, EAW, Eventide, Lectrosonics, PreSonus, sE Electronics, Shure, SKB, Waves and Whirlwind.

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Shure Axient Digital road test, FOH Nov 2017

Shure Axient Digital

Shure’s Axient Digital is the latest addition to the Axient line of high-end, robust wireless systems from the industry leader in wireless microphone and in-ear monitoring. Building on a tremendous wealth of experience with both analog and digital wireless, and coupled with an array of available microphone capsules and accessories, Shure is the most well-positioned company during a transitional time for the U.S. wireless spectrum.

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QSC K.2 Series Speakers

QSC K.2 Series Speakers

Powerred loudspeakers have become the mainstay for many applications. Compact and easy to set up, they eliminated issues with amplifier racks, impedance matching and speaker cabling. Simply plug them in, provide audio signal and away you go. QSC, a recognized name in power amplification entered the powered speaker market with their K-Series, which soon became a popular choice of musicians, sound companies and AV rental houses. The compact K’s had 1,000-watt amplifiers, multiple inputs with mixing and basic DSP. Rear panel switches allowed the user to configure the speakers to their needs. So, if the K’s are good, what could be better? Enter the new QSC K.2 models.

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The 58 “Crosses for Losses” near the Welcome to Las Vegas sign commemorate victims of the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting Oct. 1. The crosses were moved to the Clark County Museum in Las Vegas on Nov. 12.

Beyond Safety’s Reach

Las Vegas Shooting Shows That Even Best Practices Can’t Make Events Completely Safe

The real-life nightmare that unfolded during the closing performance by headliner Jason Aldean at the Route 91 Harvest Festival defied just about every best-practices precaution that could have been deployed to keep the performers, crew and 22,000 concert attendees safe.

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On the Digital Edge, FOH, Nov 2017

Year-End Summary

At the end of each touring year, I try to go over what was done right, what was done wrong and what we could do better while out on the road and performing night after night. This past year was particularly interesting because of the variety of geographic locations to which we traveled and the diversity of gear packages that we encountered along the way.

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Infrared satellite imaging is one of the tools that can indicate storm activity.

Something Else To Be Thankful For

Just before you dive into that turkey this year, be thankful you got through the entire festival and outdoor touring season without a weather-related fatality. Compare that with the experiences of the last decade or so, particularly 2011, considered the annus horribilis of the industry’s history, when the stage structure at the Indiana State Fair collapsed in high winds, killing seven people and injuring 58 others.

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