Production Profile

Since 1983, guitarist Dave Mustaine and gang have continued to keep thrash metal relevant, and here they are again out in support of their latest album, Dystopia. Bradley Johnson of KRF Audio, based in Newport, WA, is once again at the DiGiCo D5 on FOH with Dave Rupsch again handling monitor duties on a DiGiCo SD8. As these engineers were fans of the band when they were teens, it is a great gig for both — professionally and personally. “They are playing new songs from their new album, which, incidentally, is quite good,” Johnson says. “Also there are two new players in the band — Kiko Loureiro on guitar and Chris Adler on drums. They are both scary good!”

Named after a David Bowie single, Holy Holy is a touring band that performs the works of the late superstar. But formed in 2013-2014, Holy Holy is no quick money grab. And it’s not quite your average tribute band.

FOH engineer Greg Price states that “The End” tour is “incredible for all Sabbath fans. In my judgment, this is the best the band has ever played on tour. Start to finish, it’s a great show.” Good thing, too, because for the band that exemplifies the heavy-metal aesthetic and sold 75 million albums worldwide, these Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are going out one last time.

It’s All About the Music for 150,000 Revelers at This Year’s “Jack Daniel’s Bash on Broadway”

Nashville knows how to bring a crowd out: First of all, name it “Jack Daniel’s Bash on Broadway.” What’s not to like about any of those words? An annual event since 2009, this party keeps getting bigger and better. Making it more so is that Sound Image was brought in to handle the sound — which they accomplished by pretty much clearing out their warehouse for this end of 2015 event (188 speakers were used on the two stages) and bringing out all their top-notch crew.

Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns Help Keep the South Point Showroom Rocking

They may be named after New Mexico’s capital, but since 1975, Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns have been based in Las Vegas (Nevada, not New Mexico).

Going strong for nearly a quarter century (the group marks its 25th anniversary in 2016) the ever-inventive Dave Matthews Band has long been innovative — in terms of onstage performance, studio work and with the close relationship it maintains with its fans. Not only has the group encouraged non-commercial taping of its shows by audience members to share, but also offers a growing series of Live Trax recordings of performances, which is currently at #36, this most recent release featuring a 2015 summer U.S. tour stop recorded at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in Elkhorn, WI.

The AC/DC Rock or Bust tour, now through most of its slated 55 dates, has already played to millions across 21 countries. Following a four-week break after their last Los Angeles show, the boys boarded a plane and headed for where it all started for them: Australia. The band’s makeup is different this outing: Drummer Phil Rudd is currently battling legal problems in New Zealand, so Chris Slade is on the drummer throne; and original guitarist Malcolm Young has been forced into retirement and is currently fighting dementia. But keeping it in the family, his nephew Stevie Young is slinging his guitar parts.

Brian Ruggles’ Scenes from a Lifetime with Billy Joel

Billy Joel is a Long Islander, from the tips of his ivory-tickling fingers down to his sustain-pedaling right foot, and likes to surround himself with similars. So our story begins with a young Brian Ruggles kicking around those same stomping grounds in the late 1960s. The two grew up in neighboring towns, though “I was more middle class compared to Billy, who, as he puts it, was lower middle class,” Ruggles says. As Joel was cycling through several bands, so was Ruggles who, although a drummer and guitarist, was principally a lead vocalist.

The Van Halen 2015 Tour kicked off on July 5 at the White River Amphitheatre (Auburn, WA), with an additional 40 stops throughout North America — playing mostly sheds and arena venues — and wraps up in early October. The staging and lighting is uncharacteristically bare for a major rock tour, but it all serves to focus on the guitar pyrotechnics of Eddie at center stage, joined by his brother Alex on drums, son Wolfgang on bass and on-again/off-again singer David Lee Roth returning to the lead vocal slot. The outing is in support of a new live album, Tokyo Dome Live in Concert, which was recorded during VH’s previous tour.

One of the largest hip-hop festivals in Canada, the fourth annual OVO (October’s Very Own) Fest drew more than 35,000 fans to Toronto from August 1 to 3. Kevin Hart headlined day one of the three-day event; J. Cole, Big Sean, YG + Jeremih took the spotlight day two; and Drake hosted day three, along with guest performances from Future, Pharrell Williams, U.K.’s MC Skepta, Kanye West and Krept & Konan.