Sonalyst has supplied this touring production with a high-spec system, the key elements of which are distinguished by their space and weight-saving characteristics. Front-of-house PA is a combination of the self-powered Meyer Sound Mica and M'elodie with Upa and M1d fills, mix control is DiGiCo's compact SD7 digital console, and performers are wearing the miniature headmics from DPA Microphones. New to the show are the Roland M-48 personal mixers which now handle the monitoring requirements for the 8-piece band.
"I was on the hunt for something new and suggested these units to the WWRY team," says Rory Madden of Sonalyst. "When compared with other mixers of its type, the M-48 definitely stands out. The fact that the band is able to record or mix without hassling the engineer is great, and the sound through headphones is excellent."
Housed in a huge steel cage suspended above the stage, the We Will Rock You band remains hidden for most of the show, revealed to the audience as the dramatic story reaches its climax. With seven other musicians, Musical Director Jim Henson spends the show in his airborne orchestra pit.
"Having these new units has definitely made our lives a lot easier. We had three days of band calls, in which the musicians were first introduced to the M-48 units and they took to them like ducks to water. Each player now has full control of his own settings, so they can all get what they want.
"It's particularly useful when we have deps in; they can easily tweak the mix to their preferences, and the settings can be stored. When my assistant MD is conducting, he can store his own settings on the mixer. And it offers great back-up; if we got to a new venue and something went wrong, we would just recall the stored parameters from the previous show."
Mixing nearly 120 channels of vocals, band and sound fx is front-of-house engineer Rich Scott, who has been with the show since it opened in 2001, has toured with it and set up productions in Stockholm and Berlin. "The Roland M-48 has replaced the analogue system we were using, which required a lot more cabling, so we're enjoying all the advantages of digital in terms of convenience. Not only is there a useful reduction in on-stage sound from the band, but it frees me up from having to worry about their monitor requirements."
(Jim Evans)
