US soul and blues diva Jill Scott (not to be confused with Gill Scott Heron) used a JBL VerTec PA system supplied by Adlib Audio for her UK tour. Gigs included two nights at Brixton Academy, Bristol Birmingham, Barrowlands in Glasgow and a grand finale at Manchester. Adlib supplied 20 JBL VT4888s and their own DF418 subs; the system was driven by ADLIB's new Camco Vortex 6 amplifiers. FOH engineer Chaz Clifton used a Soundcraft Series 5 desk, with BSS FDS-366 OmniDrive Compacts for system control and BSS FDS 360s for EQ. This offered the flexibility to zone the system as required. Monitors featured one of ADLIB's new Yamaha PM5D consoles. The console's compact size, smooth sound and 'intuitivity' has very much impressed Adlib's engineers thus far.
For N*E*R*D's only live UK shows, at Hammersmith and Manchester Apollos this autumn, Adlib again provided a VerTec Line Array - the JBL VT4888s working hard on re-capturing that honed studio produced sound of N*E*R*D and the full live band. N*E*R*D's FOH engineer Alex Oana was delighted with Adlib's service. Alex mixes records for a living, and the sound of the JBL system, tweaked by Ad Lib's own Tony Szabo, made him feel right at home, "Like I was listening to giant studio monitors," he comments, adding: "The BSS NTM filters Tony used made the system sound incredible! It was just great having him and all the other guys on hand."
Finally, US soft-rockers The Calling visited Adlib twice this year. Their second leg encompassed Southampton, Manchester, Glasgow and Wolves, concluding at a sold out-out Hammersmith Apollo. Marc Peers and Richie Gibson were Adlib's systems techs, taking very good care of all-things-audio with a Nexo Alpha system and a Midas H3000 console - the preferred choice of FOH engineer Ronnie, complete with a Soundcraft SM20 at the staqe end of the multicore. The tour also saw Adlib testing its new Camco Vortex 6 amps - one of many substantive purchases in 2004.
(Lee Baldock)
