ADLIB Audio provided sound equipment and crew for one of Ireland's hottest musical exports, The Script, on their recent UK tour, complete with a fresh FOH mix by ADLIB's own Richy Nicholson, who's now on tour with them in the USA.
Nicholson recently took up the FOH engineer's role after coming highly recommended. He says, "They are a great band to work for ... Totally into their music, very knowledgeable and informed about the technology and what it can do, and all have brilliant personalities". .... Clearly all are having plenty of laughs on tour, with Ian Quinn at the helm as Tour Manager and Colin Rogers as Production Manager , they are also producing some stunning live performances!
In creative terms, Nicholson's sound departs from a traditional pop sonic aesthetic, accentuating their coherence as a band with a very full sound, with well balanced and clearly heard, but not overbearing vocals.
The UK touring system was L-Acoustics V-DOSC, chosen because it "Sounds great" confirms Nicholson, and also its flexibility when it came to dealing with the variety of venues, ranging from student unions to the London showcase at Hammersmith Apollo. For the majority of shows, the PA had to be ground stacked, which entailed a bit of daily on-the-spot improvisation by the very experienced ADLIB crew of James Neale and Marc Peers, but was a good exercise and a chance for the system to show its true versatility.
The main hangs in its largest configuration were 10 V-DOSC boxes with 3 dV-downs a side, plus 6 ground stacked subs a side and 4 ARCS front fills.
Right from the first show at Liverpool University - they were off to a fine sounding, punchy assertive start.
Nicholson's FOH console of choice is currently the DigiDesign Profile. They ran a ProTools HDX system with this, multi-tracking each show, so it could be played back through the console the next day, to tweak the system with the band playing 'virtually' live. It also offered the band an opportunity to listen to their previous show realistically through the PA.
A standard ADLIB system control rack contained 2 x Dolby Lakes for all the processing and EQ, and everything was powered via LA8 amps. Super systems tech James Neale would fine tune the set up in each venue using SMAART software.
Monitors are mixed by Paul Moore who is now using a Soundcraft Vi6 console. He first encountered the desk at a show Koko, London, where it was the house desk and an instant hit with both him and the band. Thereafter, ADLIB dispatched one to band rehearsals before the tour, and after a bit more exploration, they decided it should become their regular desk.
The band all use Sennheiser G3 IEMs, which they love. For some onstage air movement and atmospherics, 2 ARCS and an SB28 sub a side were positioned upstage, plus a dV-SUB for drummer Glen Power.
ADLIB's Marc Peers looked after all things in monitor world including the microphone package which was primarily Sennheiser with a couple of Shures.
Nicholson expands that Sennheiser were "extremely helpful at rehearsals in demonstrating their new E965 condenser mics with cardioid settings for lead singer Danny O'Donoghue - which has now become his current mic of choice.
The wired version of the same model is also being used by the other 3 band members, and Sennheiser have assisted in ensuring that they have the right kit to work on the relevant frequencies in Australia (their first stop after the UK tour) and the USA.
Colin Rogers the band's Production Manager states, "Having Adlib on board for The Script's first tour of the new album 'Science & Faith' was one of the main reasons it all went hitch-free. All of the Adlib team are among the most down to earth people I've met whilst touring, nothing is ever too much trouble for them. Through Adlib, the band have also found - in my opinion - one of the best up-and-coming FOH engineers in the UK, Richard Nicholson. I would recommend Adlib every time for touring."
The Script tour until November in the US, while their following continues to grow after the trailblazing success of their second album, "Science & Faith" and chart-topping single "For The First Time".
Arena dates for the UK and Australia are already confirmed for 2011.
For more press info. on ADLIB, please contact Louise Stickland on +44 (0)1865 202679 or +44 (0)7831 329888, or Email ‘[email protected]', Contact ADLIB direct on +44 (0)151 486 2214 or check www.adlibsolutions.co.uk