Adlib supplied full production plus crew for the recent UK visit by Hall & Oates – the first time that Adlib has served a tour by the US duo. After the UK tour, an Adlib control package and video servers went on to the Latin America leg of the tour, and then returned to Europe with the addition of a full audio package for the third segment and Euro festival run.
Adlib’s Craig Hamilton – based in the Glasgow office – project managed and co-ordinated all things sonic, liaising closely with Daryl Hall and John Oates’ audio team of FOH engineer Chris Salamone, monitor engineer George Squires and US supplier Firehouse’s stage tech, Jeff Child. Adlib sent Billy Bryson was the system tech, Jay Petch as monitor and stage tech for the UK section of the tour and Bryson as also tech on the European festival dates.
The process began with transatlantic conference calls and Skypes, during which the existing successful sound designs were tweaked for Europe and followed up with extensive email correspondence. They again chose to work with an L-Acoustics PA to achieve the precise sound they wanted, deploying 12 K1 plus four K2 down fills for the main arrays and 12 K2 for the side hangs. For lip fills across the stage six L-Acoustics X8 were used, with out fill comprising four ARCS II per side.
Subs were 16 KS28, deployed in four blocks of four, tipped on end. The onstage sub in each stack was reversed and run in cardioid mode, at the request of Salamone in continuity with the set-up on their most recent US tour.
K2 down fills on the main hangs were used for extending the length of the line and maintaining tonal consistency to the front row. Using K2 on the side hangs enabled asymmetric high frequency coverage, minimising overlap with the main hangs via the mechanically adjustable L-Fins.
Adlib specified an Outline Newton multisource processor which matrixed between the main DiGiCo SD10 FOH console, the DiGiCo S21 backup console and the Allen & Heath S7000 dLive supplied by opening act KT Tunstall. The PA drive system was handled by the Newton, sending matrix feeds via a dual redundant, current driven AES distribution to the 38 L-Acoustics LA12X amplifiers on stage.
For system design, the new L-Acoustics Autosolver tools were employed within Soundvision to optimise the system. The tuning was further refined and tweaked before being verified on-site each morning. ‘The Autosolver tools give a great head-start,’ Bryson explains. ‘The accuracy in which a design can be tuned within Soundvision ensures complete tonal consistency when touring through venues of different sizes.’
Each day, the system was tuned and verified using Smaart8 and Room EQ Wizard audio measurement software. To assist this process, Bryson used a Lectrosonics R400 wireless receiver together with an Earthworks M30BX measurement mic.
The monitor console was a Yamaha PM7 chosen by George Squires, driving 12 Firehouse F12 wedges, which together with their associated amplifiers were part of the band’s ‘universal’ touring system.
Adlib provided a 60-channel line system and power distro all built into one of its Monitor Wardrobe cases, designed and built to make setting up monitor world exceptionally quick and straightforward each day. The 110V stage power for the US equipment was handled via Adlib, supplying 4kVA backline transformers, and two 7.5kVA transformers to feed the monitor amplifiers.
Immediately after the UK shows, Hall & Oates headed to Latin America, where Adlib supplied selected kit, including a World 110V transformer designed by Head of Sound, Ian Nelson.
More: www.adlib.co.uk
