The sounds of Gorillaz heard across the world
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“The tour started off with some warm ups in little venues,” says Stanley. “Eventually that grew as we added flown scenic elements of video, more lights and ultimately a completely new, and to my mind, quite remarkable PA system. I know Matt [Gorillaz FOH engineer] is really enjoying using it.”
Matt Butcher has been Gorillaz FOH since the band’s inception. Accompanied by Dave Guerin on monitors, neither are shy when it comes to extolling the virtues of their new d&b audiotechnik GSL System as provided by Brown Note Productions of Denver, Colorado. “It is quite a major step forward,” says Butcher; “It’s been a revelation,” chimes Guerin.
The switch to the GSL system was a combination of Brown Note’s belief in the product and simple serendipity. “Brown Note already stock in excess of 200 J-TOP boxes and we became an official d&b Partner in 2017,” explains Ben Shapiro, Brown Note head of audio, and client manager for the tour. “What we heard [earlier in the year at the SL-Series preview in Germany] was a phenomenal leap forward in technology and accuracy.”
Ryan Knutson, president at Brown Note, agrees. “Hearing the GSL system side by side with the J-Series in Germany I knew that what we were looking at and listening to was something special and ground breaking. We had no idea until the systems were compared just how much better the pattern control could be. d&b has always been great at pattern control, that is why d&b systems are some of the most consistent in the world.”
The demo proved so compelling Brown Note placed an order immediately. “Matt was eager to try it,” continues Shapiro. “And as it happened timing was on his side… Brown Note and d&b came up with agreement to ship our new GSL system from the factory in Germany direct to the tour.”
“Although it is perceived as a stadium scale system, size and weight is not an issue; we could see good application for it on the arena circuit so the Gorillaz tour made perfect sense,” says Shapiro.
For Matt Butcher, a long-term adherent for d&b systems, the benefits have proved abundant. “Seriously, stand anywhere behind the mains on stage and you just hear what’s on stage, not the system. Walk behind and you just don’t hear it. So I’m having a very nice time with it.”
Shapiro adds: “With the European leg of the tour complete the GSL has shipped to the US and this amazing new system is already available to our US clients.”
(Jim Evans)
