Bowie's production manager Nick Belshaw contacted Entec’s head of sound Dick Hayes (the two have worked together on many projects in the past) before the first leg of the Heathen tour in the summer, looking for a rental company to supply the desk that was specified by FOH sound engineer Pablo Wheeler. Hayes decided that it was an opportune moment for Entec to take the digital plunge and buy the PM1D. "They're appearing more and more frequently on spec sheets," he confirmed. The console went straight out on the first leg of the Bowie tour, and has also been used on other high profile events serviced by Entec, including Proms In The Park where it was operated by FOH engineer Richard Sharrat.
Entec also supplied technician Tristan Johnson to the Bowie tour to ensure all things audio ran smoothly. The tour carried its own monitor system, engineered by Mike Prowda, rented from New York state-based Firehouse Productions, and used festival and locally supplied FOH systems along the way. Hayes comments on the PM1D: "It was definitely the right move to make. Apart from being out on the two legs of the Bowie tour, it's not touched the warehouse floor!"
(Lee Baldock)
