UK production technology rental specialist Entec supplied lighting and sound for the recent Legends Live UK tour, which saw Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack, The Drifters and Mary Wilson of the Supremes play Wembley, Birmingham NIA and Manchester arenas.
Entec’s Will Wright project managed and co-ordinated all the prep work for the lighting department, and Mark ‘Magic’ Ellis-Cope doing the same for all the sound elements with tour production manager Chris Gadd and tour manager Richard Ames.
‘When Richard Ames requested that Entec quote for both sound and lighting equipment, I knew that this would be a show ideally suited to our equipment inventory and skills. Having one supplier really benefitted the logistics of a fourband arena tour – without any tech or rehearsal day,’ says Entec’s account handler, Noreen O’Riordan.
The system they devised comprised 14 d&b audiotechnik J8s and four J12s per side for the main hangs with side hangs of ten d&b V8s per side. The loudspeaker arrays were designed using d&b’s ArrayCalc simulation software, particular attention was focused on using d&b’s new array processing for all of the arrays which optimises every speaker cabinet in the system to get a fabulous, smooth and even coverage across all the auditoriums. Sixteen J-Subs were arrayed on the floor, d&b Y10ps and Y7ps were used for in and out fill.
The FOH console was a 96-channel Avid Profile, with Geoff Curtiss at its helm. Two Yamaha PM5D monitor consoles were set up either side of the stage, as one act specifically wanted to be mixed from stage right. Entec’s Kevin Smith did the majority of the monitor mixing using a combination of 14 d&b M2 wedges, a Y-Sub for the drummers, plus eight channels of Shure PSM1000 IEMs which were split between all four acts and backing bands.
Entec also supplied a full mics-and-stands package, including a selection of Audix, Shure, AKG and Neuman KM184s and six channels of Shure UR4 handhelds for the vocalists.
All the radio elements were powered by Fischer Amps rechargeable batteries, which is saving substantial battery disposal at each gig and is one of Entec’s ongoing initiatives to ensure the gig is as ‘green’ as possible.
More: www.entec-soundandlight.com
More: www.dbaudio.com
