Summer is winding down at the St. Louis shed (today called Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, which old timers still call Riverport, its original moniker). Brad Paisley picked this spot to end another successful summer tour, and he, the band and the crew are all in an especially good mood.
Read More »
“Are we there yet? No! Are we there yet? No! Are we there yet? No!” It’s the iconic call and response between bored children and their parents as they travel for long tiresome hours in an automobile. It was a scene played out on a daily basis between back seats and front seats everywhere and perfectly parodied in such cartoons as The Simpsons and the Shrek movie. While this is an amusing bit (made all the more funny if one ever experienced the situation up-close), it unfortunately is less than humorous as the experience is unfolding in real-time.
Read More »
The Enrique Iglesias & Pitbull Live! 2017 co-headlining tour, which also featured Latin boy band CNCO as an opening act, hit the road in the U.S. and Canada in June and July, then headed back out for another trek across North America in October and November. The tour follows a previous trek pairing Enrique and Pitbull, the “Time of Our Lives” tour, in 2015.
Read More »
Every new production of Hamlet must lay to rest the ghosts of its predecessors. With its familiar story, often quoted (and mostly misquoted) lines and contemporary spin offs, it’s among the most accessible of Shakespeare’s tragedies. The director’s skill lies in extracting the story of revenge from the Iambic pentameter and metaphysical musings so unfamiliar to the modern ear.
Read More »
House engineer Andy Kern and Lonely Dog Productions owner Tony Cottrill on the non-televised gigs staged within the PBS Bluegrass Underground venue, the Volcano Roomxt
A truly unique room — naturally beautiful and with amazing acoustics — makes a memorable music venue. The Volcano Room, a venue that seats 600, is the home for a popular radio and television series Bluegrass Underground, as well as a variety of non-televised concerts each month.
Read More »
FRONT of HOUSE profiles four unique venues, each with their own audio reinforcement needs. There’s the Palace Theatre in St. Paul, MN, a former vaudeville and cinema mecca saved from the wrecking ball and converted for use as a live music venue, and then there’s the Vietnam National Puppetry Theatre, where puppeteers wade behind a curtain in waist-deep water. We also profile the Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch, Havering, London, which is making the switch from analog mixing to digital, and how acoustic treatments are optimizing the acoustics for different performances within the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, FL.
Read More »
Audio Achievers Voted Best in Their Region by FOH Readers
Readers across the continent weighed in on which sound company deserved the certificate, bragging rights and the chance to take home the “Parnelli Hometown Hero Award of the Year” at the Parnelli Awards gala in January. There are some fresh faces along with several who are returning to the winner’s circle, but they all offer up a few things in common: a dedication to customer service, a commitment to constantly investing in their inventory and an unflappable commitment to getting the job done. Meet the people running the companies named as the best in their region by readers of FRONT of HOUSE.
Read More »
After a One-Year Hiatus, 12th & Porter Returns to Nashville’s Live Music Scene By Thomas S.FriedmanI
n February 2015, when 12th & Porter’s previous owners announced that their storied venue was about to close, the local newspapers went into full obituary mode, lamenting the loss of a venue that helped put artists like Keith Urban, Sugarland and Dierks Bentley into the public eye (and ear).
Read More »
New Division Anchored by PreSonus WorxAudio Loudspeakers Thriving in First Year
At first glance, it might seem curious for PreSonus to get into the pro loudspeaker business and create speakers for tours and installs. After all, there are plenty of other companies building boxes. But looking closer, the evolution was inevitable. And based on the successes they’ve experienced already, it was more than justified.
Read More »
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.
Read More »
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.
Read More »
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.
Read More »