Adlib provided design services, lighting, audio and staging elements for the most recent UK leg of The Specials Encore album tour – just as the release topped the UK album charts, providing the band with their first ever number one album.

For Production Manager Mike Darling, working with Adlib meant that one company provided a turnkey touring package. He was joined by Phil Stoker, who looked after all things audio, and regular audio engineers, Marcos Ferrari at FOH and Marina Martinez Sebastian on monitors.

Adlib offered the use of its full tour prepping facilities – a designated pre-production space in the company’s massive new Knowsley warehouse – to ensure that the production left the warehouse ready to roll. This proved invaluable in the construction and development of the show’s ‘protest signs’ and how they would integrate into the stage and backline.

Co-ordinating the audio side was Adlib Systems Engineer Kenny Perrin with monitor tech Sam Gallagher looking after the audio engineers.

Perrin and Ferrari specified the L-Acoustics K2 sound system together, chosen for its flexibility and low weight. With a wide selection of venues on the itinerary, flying wasn’t always an option, and when it was, there were often tight weight-loading limits, so a lightweight system that functioned equally well flown or ground-stacked was the key to picking the PA.

The largest configuration used was ten K2 elements and three Kara Down elements flown each side, or six K2 per side groundstacked using the K2 tilt adjustment screw jacks. These ran in conjunction with 12 L-Acoustics KS28 subs, which proved excellent for the all-important groove section and the distinctive ska sounds that the Specials have made their own with classic hits like ‘Too Much Too Young’ and ‘Ghost Town’. Where possible, the subs were arranged in two-high clusters stacked at 1-metre intervals across the front of the stage to create a sub arc for the best low-end coverage across the room.

This was complemented with six L-Acoustics Kara speakers, eight ARCS II and four X8 for fill. LA12X amplifiers powered the main system, while system processing was delivered via an L-Acoustics’ LA Network Manager 2 with one of Adlib’s standard Lake control rack comprising two LM44s and two LM26s for front-end control.

Ferrari’ FOH desk of choice was a Midas Pro-X used with classic outboard delays and reverbs, including a Yamaha SPX2000 digital effects processor, Lexicon PCM91 and 480L reverbs and an Roland Space Echo, which is prominent in creating the ska sound. The FOH effects were fed into the console via a Midas DL451 rack and the onstage mic preamps were sent via two Midas DL431s.

In monitor world, the monitor console of choice was a DiGiCo SD10 feeding a feast of wedges thatincluded ten Adlib MP4s driven by Lab Gruppen PLM10K amps. A rack of six Sennheiser G3 IEMs dealt with the brass and keyboard players with an Adlib MP4 sub for the drummer.

‘It was great to be back working with one of the most legendary bands of their time who are still going strong,’ says Adlib Director Phil Stoker. ‘We enjoy a great relationship with the Specials’ long-serving TM Mike Darling who trusts us to deliver on all levels for every act that he looks after, which has led to our involvement with some truly stunning live shows.’

More: www.adlib.co.uk