Marking five decades of late-night Saturday Night Live TV show, SNL50: The Homecoming Concert was staged audiences at the Radio City Music Hall theater in New York City.
Joel Singer, co-founder of M3, and his team, were responsible for sound for this historic event: ‘This was a massive production, not only in terms of the artist line-up but also from a technical perspective. We had to accommodate a vast number of sources and deliver an impeccable mix. Lawo consoles were central to making that happen,’ he says.
That line-up included the Backstreet Boys, Bad Bunny, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Chris Martin, Cher, David Byrne, Dave Grohl, Devo, Eddie Vedder, Jack White, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Post Malone, The B-52s, The Roots, Snoop Dogg and other. The complex live production demanded top-tier audio quality, seamless workflow and maximum flexibility – a challenge perfectly suited to Music Mix Mobile (M3) and its extensive experience of working high-profile multi-act events.
M3 deployed its two mobile units – Phoenix and its flagship truck Eclipse – each equipped with Lawo mc²56 production consoles. These systems provided the capacity to manage the 448 mic preamps needed for the production – 224 on each desk.
‘We used fibre exclusively, no copper at all, running everything through Lawo’s interfacing systems,’ Singer notes. ‘This not only ensured the highest audio quality but also helped us avoid grounding issues, which can be a concern.’
The scale of the production demanded a sophisticated audio network and efficient signal distribution. Firehouse Productions, responsible for comms and infrastructure, provided additional splitters to deliver all signals into the Lawo ecosystem. ‘We wanted full access to every music input at all times and the only way to achieve that was to bring in additional splitters so all signals could be processed through the Lawo system,’ says Singer. ‘That gave us complete flexibility and eliminated any surprises, especially during the rehearsals.’
The mixing workflow was carefully structured. Two seasoned audio engineers handled specific portions of the show: Lawrence Manchester, music mixer for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, operated from the Phoenix truck, while Eric Schilling, eight-time Grammy winner and one of the two music mixers at the 2025 Grammy Awards, took charge in Eclipse, handling all stand-alone acts.
Additional comedy segments, including musical performances intertwined with production elements, required close collaboration between the audio and broadcast teams. ‘Some of the comedy segments were especially complex, like Jimmy Fallon’s performance where we had to mix music from Lawrence’s truck and lead vocals from production,’ Singer says. ‘That kind of integration was only possible thanks to Lawo’s routing flexibility and real-time control.’
The production was delivered in High Dynamic Range (HDR) with 5.1 surround sound, ensuring an immersive audiovisual experience for viewers. ‘Lawo consoles don’t just sound great – they give us the control, reliability, and scalability that we need in high-pressure live productions like this one,’ Singer says. ‘The mc² series desks are the best-sounding digital consoles on the market, and their networked environment allowed us to execute this show without compromise.’
M3 has been a Lawo user for years, with a fleet that includes six Lawo consoles, including mc²56 models in its trucks and an mc² 56 flypack – the first immersive flypack M3 has deployed. Singer’s trust in Lawo technology stems from its robust build, sound quality,and adaptable workflow. ‘From multi-act concerts to intimate performances, our clients expect the highest standards. Lawo allows us to deliver exactly that, time and time again,’ he says.