Skan provides sound for Q Awards

Skan PA Hire has provided the sound system for this year's Q Awards, which took place for the first time at the former Saatchi art gallery in St Johns Wood, North London. The prestigious event, now in its 13th year, celebrate what Q Magazine's readers consider to be the best music of the preceding year, with accolades this year going to artists including Coldplay, Radiohead, The Hives, Depeche Mode and Tom Jones. Two of Skan's clients were also among the winners: the Best Single award was presented by Gary Numan to girl trio Sugababes for their song Freak Like Me, which uses samples from Numan’s eighties hit Are Friends Electric, while Electric Soft Parade picked up the New Band gong.

Skan elected to use a front of house PA system comprising four Turbosound TQ 440 sp cabinets with 16 JBL C25s, and a monitoring system of 16 Turbo TFM 450s. The event marked the first time use of Klark Teknik DN 1248 active splitters. A Midas Venice 320 front-of-house desk, with a Midas XL3 monitor console and a Midas Venice 160 for radio mics.

According to production manager Neil McDonald, the first time involvement of Skan was a great success. "The system design for the Q Awards Ceremony, held in a brand new venue this year, and preceded by the filming and recording of four bands for the subsequent Channel 4 transmission, required an attention to detail and commitment to service that Chris Fitch and Skan can always be relied on to supply," he says.

Skan's crew for the ceremony were Chris Fitch (crew chief), Dennie Vidal (FOH engineer), Matt Napier (monitor engineer) and Peter Whitelaw (patch and radio mic engineer).

(Lee Baldock)

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