Once again, Adlib was asked to supply a crisp and clear PA system, lighting and all necessary trussing and rigging for the shows.
As with any comedian, working a big arena is a challenging environment. One of the tasks of the production is to reduce the void and bring the audience closer - a bidirectional 'personal proximity' relationship - which has to be achieved virtually. While the physical space remains the same, the perception - of both artist and audience - changes.
Adlib applied its considerable experience in the discipline of live comedy to the task in hand. The sonic detail is crucial as most comic delivery entails hearing every inflection of the voice with complete clarity right to the back of the room as they deliver the punch lines.
Steve 'Patto' Pattison mixed FOH using an Allen & Heath iLive-R72 system, with a single Shure SM 58 mic input and an iPod for special effects, so simplicity was the key.
Pattison chose the SM58 mic. The choice of speakers were L-Acoustics K1s for the main array, flown in various configurations depending on the venue, with the largest - London's O2 - featuring 14 elements a side.
Adlib's Michael Flaherty looked after monitors, using a Yamaha LS9 console ... which had the one vocal in ... and out ... plus flown L-Acoustics ARCS side-fills.
Patto, Michael Flaherty and George Puttock were joined on the tour by Adlib systems tech Simon Lawson.
Lighting was overseen on the road by lighting director Charlie Rushton, who was also on the tour earlier in the year.
The rig was based around 12 x Martin MAC Quantum washes and 11 x MAC 700 profiles in the in the air, together with MAC 700 and MAC Viper Washes on the floor - 27 moving lights in total, all run from an Avolites Pearl Expert console. Two Robert Juliat Cyrano follow-spots provided the only direct front light.
(Jim Evans)
