Ad Lib first used JBL’s Ver-Tec system in the late summer when they ran a system in the VIP tent of the Ministry’s massive event at Knebworth Park. Ad Lib and Ministry’s crews, plus assorted DJs, were so impressed with VerTec that they decided to use it for the upcoming tour. Ad Lib were hired as audio contractors for the events, and decided to purchase their first VerTec speaker enclosures - in a deal completed at PLASA with UK JBL distributors Arbiter Pro Audio.
Ad Lib’s Dave Kay and Ben Baker are crewing the Ministry tour, using 12 ground-stacked VerTec VT4889 boxes - plus their own Ad Lib subs - to create a high energy sound concentration in a small area. The speaker stacks are arranged either in quad format - one at each corner of the room, or in spaces where this is impractical in a conventional end-on stage format, complete with delays. "It’s a hugely challenging tour for sound," comments Kay. Many of the rooms we are playing are split-level, and often they’re surrounded by reflective surfaces. The idea is to get a nice trouser-rumbling sound that’s clean and pleasant in the ears," he states. Two dbx drive racks, a 480 and a 482, also supplied by Arbiter, are controlling the VerTec system, enabling them to run the system in true quad.
The Ministry tour - featuring top DJs including Lottie, Yousef, Dave Piccioni, Oliver Lieb and John 00 Fleming is completely sold out. The show wraps with a gig at the Ministry’s flagship South London venue this month.
