DiGiCo consoles have stayed busy as of late, working Justin Beiber's European tour, The Revolution's shows in Minneapolis following Prince's death, and the latest tour of Tom Chaplin, ex-lead singer of Keane.
Two DiGiCo SD7s Purposefully Chosen for Justin Bieber Tour
A strange thing happened in the world of touring audio in 2016. It was the year that pop officially took over as the top revenue driver for live shows to the point that A-list engineers long associated with the biggest names in rock began a kind of mass migration to riding faders for pop acts. The list includes names like Tony Luna (from Five Finger Death Punch to Meghan Trainor), Toby Francis (ZZ Top, among many others, to Ariana Grande and Kanye West) and Ken Pooch Van Druten, who has been the man for Linkin Park for the better part of a decade.
Ken Pooch Van Druten at the tour's DiGiCo SD7 FOH console
One thing that all of these engineers have in common is their console of choice, depending on DiGiCo desks to control the audio world on each and every one of those tours. On the current European leg of Bieber's 2016 Purpose World Tour, which is being globally supported by VER Tour Sound, Van Druten and monitor engineer Alex MacLeod are using a pair of fully loaded DiGiCo SD7s to run more than 120 input channels, more than 20 stereo monitor mixes, and about 20 always on talkback feeds.
Van Druten was quick to point out that pop is not only driving the revenue-it's driving the tech as well. We are doing things on this tour with technology that are way beyond anything I have seen on any rock tour, he says. Part of this is simply a question of logistics. With four and a half years under his belt with Bieber, MacLeod is an old-timer for a pop tour, and it's that seen-it-all experience coupled with the flexibility of the SD7 that allows him to wrangle an astounding number of mix outputs.
The big thing on a pop tour, and especially with this artist, is a huge number of talkback systems, MacLeod says. It's not just the monitor engineer talking to the artist or the band or some kind of party-line with everyone on all the time. Some people have switched systems so that a band member can switch between a feed that lets them talk to the rest of the band, or one that allows them to talk to their tech. There are feeds for dancers and choreographers and stage managers. I literally could not do this on anything other than an SD7. The DiGiCo platform is a huge part of pulling off this tour.
Just think about the insanity of that for a minute, Van Druten interjects. A band member can be talking to another band member while two different techs are talking to each other and a band member is talking to a specific tech and Alex is talking to Justin. And this is all happening at the same time. It's all a part of the architecture of the system based on the DiGiCo SD7 and the Optocore audio transport, and I really don't believe there is another system from any other audio manufacturer at this point that would allow this kind of flexibility. This show could literally not happen right now without the SD7.
This kind of flexibility elevates the level of inter-band and inter-tech communication that goes way beyond the old days of a tech running up to the monitor engineer and screaming that there is an issue with the guitar and he is going out onto the stage to try to fix it. When I got here and saw this, I was initially struck by the complexity of the system, he says. But that changed pretty quickly and I am now just so impressed every day with how smoothly this makes the show go.
Everyone is in the loop at all times, MacLeod adds. With the level of non-audience communication that the SD7 allows, when the inevitable issue arises, it is solved very quickly and with minimal drama. Even with all of the outputs and mixes on this show, I literally never remove my ear molds to communicate with someone about some issue.
Add to that the sheer number of people on in-ears during the show. While there are a lot of shared mixes for dancers and techs, MacLeod reports that there are about 40 active in-ear feeds going during the performance. It's a monumental management challenge, Van Druten says. I honestly don't know how Alex does it. But I do know he could not do it without the abilities baked into the SD7.
That renowned DiGiCo flexibility is something both engineers count on because this is a show and tour that is constantly evolving. MacLeod answers the challenge in two ways: first he knows that the SD7 gives him the ability to do almost anything in terms of routing so he quickly comes up with a solution; then he assumes that the same request will be made of him on every subsequent show and is prepared for it.
On this kind of pop tour, stuff tends to just get thrown at you randomly, he notes. You not only don't know exactly what the change will be today, you don't know when it will occur, so you have to be prepared for just about anything.
As an example, when the artist decided to speak directly with some fans at a recent show, he sent a wireless mic down into the audience. Note that this is miles past the popular staging phenom of a long thrust. On shows with that kind of staging, great care is taken in tuning the system and choosing vocal mics that can be in front of the PA and not feedback. And if there is an engineer alive who says he or she is not a bit on edge every time that artist ventures in front of the PA, they are probably lying.
MacLeod reports from the trenches: So, when that happened, we had to figure out how to do it. I had to leave the console and grab the closest wireless mic and find a way to communicate to Pooch which mic that was so that as soon as it was handed to Justin to allow him to give it to someone in the audience, it was hot and
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
DiGiCo consoles have stayed busy as of late, working Justin Beiber's European tour, The Revolution's shows in Minneapolis following Prince's death, and the latest tour of Tom Chaplin, ex-lead singer of Keane. 
