This marks a digital first for Keyes, who has never before taken a digital console on the road. She has been mixing monitors since 1991 and, in recent years, more usually opted for a Heritage desk.
"In the past," says Keyes, "we have not been able to get (vocalist) Eddie Vedder on a digital because we've not got the sound quality but the PRO6 has really delivered. We have found no issues with latency and the band loves the sound."
Keyes herself quickly felt at home on the PRO6. "I felt pretty comfortable with it after the first show," she says, "and the factory support from Midas is amazing.
"The key to mixing monitors for Pearl Jam is keeping my eyes on Ed and the band the entire show," she continues, "Pearl Jam has a lot of cues, but they are not scene cues that can be programmed and a lot of them are for more than one person at the same time. With the PRO6, I have everything I need on the surface at the push of a button. That's hugely important to me."
After a string of US dates throughout May, Pearl Jam are now playing the major summer festivals across Europe.
(Jim Evans)
