Front of House engineer Steve Pattison chose JBL's medium sized VerTec line array as the main PA system - utilizing various numbers of VT 4888 elements depending on the size of the venue. This ranged from an average of five a side in the smaller rooms to 12 a side for larger spaces like Brixton Academy.
Subs are ADLIB's double 18 folded horn DF3's, which have a formidable low-end reputation! The system is driven by Camco Vortex 6 amplifiers, in which ADLIB has also recently extensively invested. Pattison has worked with Amy since the 2003 'V' Festival, and this is the first time they have toured a full-scale production. The sound he aims for is a slightly raw, gritty R 'n' B vibe with excellent vocal clarity, and he reports that the VerTec is giving some great results.
The VT 4888s are also proving highly versatile for medium sized touring, working equally well sonically when ground stacked or flown. There's a Soundcraft Series 5 desk at FOH, and system control is BSS FDS-366 OmniDrive Compacts with BSS FDS 360s for EQ. This offers the flexibility to zone the system as required.
Amy prefers minimal effects on her voice, so anything Pattison uses is well blended. Onboard effects include two SPX 990s - for pitch shift across the brass and for plate reverbs, and a PCM 91 for vocal reverb on the acoustic numbers. He's also using a TC D2 delay, a TC M3000 for drum reverb and an industry standard Eventide H3000 for pitch shift on the vocal. Amy's mic is a Shure Beta 87. She has exceptionally strong and clear vocals and the physical shape of the mic prevents her sounding 'nasal' when she holds it close up to her face - as is often her preferred technique.
Engineer James Neale definitely likes the Yamaha PM5D - one of two that ADLIB's purchased for its busy autumn season. It's the first time he's used one on tour and it's very compact size and smooth sound has impressed him already! He's taking full advantage of the onboard gates, compressors and effects and states: "It's a very clever piece of kit with plenty of creative and practical scope". He's using it in a 'scene per song' format for all his settings, and also likes the consoles 'intuitivity'.
Half the band - three brass plus the drummer - is on IEMs - they're using a Shure PSM 600 Series, and the drummer also has an ADLIB sub. Amy, the guitar and bass are all using ADLIB's new MP3 wedges, driven by Crown amps.
LD Stuart Gray has framed the stage with three five foot wide white legs upstage - arranged in columns, and decided on a very classical look, utilizing plenty of PAR cans. There are just 10 Martin MAC 500 moving lights, but they are used with great thought and impact. Forty-eight PARs are rigged on the rear truss and 24 on the front. The MAC 500s are split between six on the back truss and four on the floor, and give the stage an element of separation, depth and contrast.
It's a primarily beamy show. Gray works in large blocks of colour upstage where the white strips take the light nicely, and also make an ideal projection surface. Additionally, he has three half mirror-balls, one each side at the back of stage and one on the floor between Amy's wedges, and a single PAR can with a scroller is used for up-lighting Amy's moody moments. ADLITE bought a new Avolites Pearl for the tour, and Gray is using its "live" capabilities to the full, as the show offers plenty of improvisational opportunities.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
