News

MONTREAL — To support Avenged Sevenfold’s incendiary “Shepherd of Fire” tour in support of the band’s 2013 album, Hail to the King, Rat Sound is providing a full L-Acoustics system with 12 new K2 enclosures per side as outfill arrays. The setup aslo includes L-R hangs of four K1-SB, 12 K1 and four KARA for downfill, plus 24 SB28 subs, additional KARA speakers and six ARCS II along the face and lip of the stage.

LAS VEGAS — When Tim McGraw and Faith Hill performed at the 49th Annual Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here April 6, a distinctive pair of mics from Ear Trumpet Labs shared the spotlight. McGraw started out his new song “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s,” singing solo into an E.T.L. Edwina mic. Hill joined in at the chorus as a surprise guest, using an E.T.L. Chantelle model. The song recalls a more old-fashioned society, and the mics’ vintage look completed the picture. The show aired live on CBS.

WASHINGTON, DC – Ever since last year, when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced plans to auction off the 608 to 698 MHz UHF spectrum — the UHF TV channels 36 through 51 — the pro audio community has been justifiably worried. After all, many pro users have far-too-vivid memories of the last reallocation of TV channels 52 to 69 (the so-called “700 MHz band” from 698 to 806 MHz) in 2008, which were made illegal for pro wireless applications after June 12, 2010.

WILKESBORO, NC — For 27 years, SE Systems of Greensboro, N.C. has provided audio production for MerleFest. SE Systems, a longtime Yamaha Commercial Audio customer, recently added four CL5 digital audio consoles to their inventory. MerleFest 2014, held the last weekend in April, included more 125 artists with area roots such as Alan Jackson and Merle Haggard.

AUSTIN, TX – Christian hard-rock band Skillet is now performing on a tour visiting amphitheatres across North America with rappers TobyMac and Lecrae. Skillet FOH engineer Robert Taylor credited the Meyer Sound LEO linear large-scale sound reinforcement system provided by Blackhawk Audio as “perfect for what we do.” The standard configuration is 16 LEO-M line array loudspeakers per side, with two MICA line array loudspeakers per side used for down fill.

LAS VEGAS – Brian Montgomery, monitor engineer for Carlos Santana, has been using a Sound Image-supplied SSL Live console to support the guitarist on a variety of gigs including stops at the Dubai Jazz Festival, Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium, Cape Town’s Grand Arena and the New Orleans Jazz Festival as part of Santana’s Corazon tour. He is continuing to use the console as Santana teams up with Rod Stewart for this year’s spring and summer tour, The Voice, The Guitar, The Songs.