With Ancora, Il Divo have turned their classical talents toward their own original music, as well as interpreting popular tracks like Unchained Melody and a duet with Celine Dion on I Believe in You. The group is currently in the midst of a tour in which they are covering nearly 100 cities on five continents over the course of eight months.
London's Capital Sound has been providing the front-of-house control and monitor systems for the full world tour, as well as the sound system for the tour's UK and European dates. Colorado Springs-based Audio Analysts is supplying the speaker system for the North American leg of the tour. Both companies have supplied the band with powerful Meyer Sound systems, using the MILO high-power curvilinear array loudspeaker in North America, and both MILO and MICA compact high-power curvilinear array loudspeakers in the UK and Europe.
Audio Analysts is running a complement of 36 MILO cabinets, augmented by four MILO 120 high-power expanded coverage curvilinear array loudspeakers, configured as needed for each venue. Eight CQ-2 narrow coverage main loudspeakers and eight M1D ultra-compact curvilinear array loudspeakers are used for front-fill. The Capital Sound system uses 28 MILO cabinets and four MILO 120 units, along with 24 MICA cabinets. Eight M1D loudspeakers and four UPA-1P compact wide coverage loudspeakers cover front-fill.
FOH engineer Chris Pyne feels that MILO makes an essential contribution to the tour's sound. "MILO has the edge when it comes to vocal reproduction, which is obviously very important to this act," he states. "A nicely defined mid/high range and a good, cohesive, in-your-face quality to the audio really helps add separation and depth to what can be a complicated and busy mix."
Pyne mixes the show on a 112-channel DiGiCo D5 Live digital console, augmenting the desk's internal processing with TC Electronic and Eventide effects, Drawmer noise gates, and compressors from dbx and XTA. Rod Mattheson handles the on-stage mixes with a 112-channel DiGiCo D5 Live desk at his "Monitor Beach" station, sending the outputs to a mix of six CQ-2 units and Sennheiser in-ear systems. Sennheiser wireless microphones pickup the performers.
Independent engineer Dave Lawler joined system designer and chief system tech Tony Szabo and his SIM 3 audio analyzer system to assist with setup of the MILO rig at the tour's US opening date in Wallingford, Connecticut. As Szabo recounts, setup on that first date was a bit of a challenge. "The backup band was on stage playing and Dave was working with us to set up the system," Szabo says. "We were under considerable time pressure, thanks to late delivery of some freight. As we finally reached the point where we were happy with the sound, I looked up to discover that the four stars and their management had walked into the venue and directly up to the FOH mix position. It had all come together in the nick of time and they were treated to a great first impression with superlative sound. What else can you ask forΩ"
(Lee Baldock)
