Emotional Roadshow World Tour
Like many original bands, Twenty Øne Piløts (TØP) have a distinctive and unique musical style that defies pigeonholing them into any easily defined genre, but has oft been described as “schizophrenic pop.” But whatever you call it, this Columbus, OH-based duo of vocalist/keyboardist/bassist Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun offers a sound that has increasingly caught on, and now grown to include legions of fans in nearly every country worldwide.
Thunder Audio Makes Mighty Sounds on Co-Headlining Tour
Two major modern rock bands ignite on a blistering co-headlining tour. Twenty-four U.S. cities in just a month’s time, no additional support acts, both bands to play full headlining sets and alternate closing the show. Primarily playing major outdoor amphitheaters, Portland-based alt-rock veterans Modest Mouse and Long Island, NY emo-grunge band Brand New are artists whose styles demand both power and finesse.
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Sophisticated Control Tames the Old West Sound
In 1920, Walter and Cordelia Knott moved to the then-sleepy southern California community of Buena Park to farm 20 acres of rented land. They eventually founded a fried chicken restaurant, which by 1940 was serving as many as 4,000 meals a day and is now the world’s largest chicken dinner restaurant.
To offer waiting customers something to do and to pay homage to the pioneering spirit of his grandparents, Walter developed Ghost Town, eventually the first of Knott’s Berry Farm’s six themed areas. Today, that land is part of 160-acre Knott’s Berry Farm, America’s first theme park and the 12th most-visited amusement park in the country.
Lightning Safety Planning for Live Productions
Lightning kills thousands of people across the globe every year. Lightning also arrives with thunder, which acts an audible alert system that warns of dangerous conditions outside. If thunder is heard, anyone outdoors is in danger of being struck by lightning. A common myth is that it must be raining for lightning to occur. In fact, many lightning fatalities occur when rain is not falling. When lightning threatens, immediate action is required to promote life safety.
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In live performance, in-ear monitoring has changed everything. 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, but IEM use typically results in lowered stage volume. With a great IEM mix, the FOH engineer’s task becomes simpler, the audience get better sound and artists are happy — everybody wins.
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There are hundreds of models of 12-inch two-way, speaker-on-a-stick P.A. enclosures on the market from scores of manufacturers. And with good reason — this particular format offers a great combination of full range response with enough oomph to handle applications ranging from bread-and-butter corporate gigs to smaller venue music reinforcement in clubs, houses of worship — you name it. Add in an external sub(s), and such systems easily handle larger venues, all from a compact, easy to use system.
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A friend of mine in Vancouver, Canada, occasionally sends me surprises that are always very cool. These products are never big and loud, nor are they flashy and expensive. The items that arrive from Peter Janis at Radial Engineering are colorfully packaged, yet always contained within a simple metal box. Each product is of the highest quality and extremely efficient in accomplishing its particular application.
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The State and Future of the Live Music Industry
Nashville International Airport sends out this notification email they cutely refer to as an “Aireport.” The one from mid-June warned of excessive security line delays as hordes of attendees from two major music events in and around the city began heading home. What it didn’t reveal was the very different experiences those two events had. The CMA Fest, formerly Fan Fair, set a new benchmark, averaging 88,500 fans per day for the five-day event. About 65 miles away, however, attendance the Bonnaroo festival was “slightly less” than the average of 80,000 that bought tickets for the last two years.
Dealing with Unfamiliar Mixing Desks
Engineers who tour without production have mixed blessings. If the P.A. system at a particular venue is terrible, they don’t have to live with it for long. If the system at a venue is wonderful, they get it only for one show. Sometimes we can advance our favorite console, and sometimes we get whatever has been installed in the room. Other times, the result may be whatever gear that’s available from the inventory of the sound company providing the P.A.
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I have to be honest, choir miking, choir mixing, just dealing with our choir in general, is something that I’ve always struggled with. I’ve been struggling with it for the past 10 years. Maybe I’m being a bit dramatic, but seriously, like many others, the church I work for suffers from some aging technology in our main sanctuary, and it seems like we’re always “just about to upgrade.” Not that I’m blaming the gear or the people, it’s actually a confluence of several factors that makes our choir particularly challenging. So perhaps by writing this article, I can get some of this off of my chest, and hopefully impart some wisdom and things I’ve learned.
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Back in the last century — when I spent a good deal of my time on the road traveling from gig to gig — we would arrive at the airport, check our luggage and gear, hand in our tickets and board the plane. If the flight were international — whether originating from the United States or some other country — we’d face the scrutiny of some austere border guard as they looked between our passport picture and us. Satisfied that we were who we said we were and that we were not transporting any fruits, vegetables or exotic animals, the guard would then approve our passage with a passport stamp and usher us through to our flight.
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