Volume 8 Issue 4 ‘ ltonJohns ETight Knit Circle of Lifers mobile production monthly 1 CONTENTS Volume 8 Issue 4 pg On The Cover Features Elton John’s Tight Knit REHEARSALS • BACKLINE • STORAGE • CARTAGE Circle of Lifers D.A.S. Audio Helps Keep the Energy 10 6 High at Battlefrog Obstacle Race 750 Cowan St. 3542 -A East TC Jester 1901 E. 51st St. Stage 4 Eighteen Sound Expands Worldwide Nashville, TN 37207 Houston, TX 77018 Austin, TX 78723 9 Sales Presence 615 - 726 - 1165 713 - 290 - 0335 512 - 444 - 0023 www.soundchecknashville.com www.soundcheckaustin.com CM Honors Mountain 10 Productions’ 30th Year of Hoist School UPSTAGING Introduces New Saber LED 16 Video Strip Backstage custom cases Elton John’s Tight Knit 18 Circle of Lifers 740 Cowan St. Nashville, TN 37207 31 PRG Will Acquire XL Video 615-259-0046 New High Res Scoreboard at 32 Canada’s Olympic Stadium! WWW.BACKSTAGECUSTOMCASES.COM 2 mobile production monthly mobile production monthly 3 Notes from the Publisher TOUR PALM SPRINGS LINK The touring season is off to one of the most sig- nificant starts in recent memory. It seems that 2016 AwaiTS nearly every major act in every genre is out as well as many mid-level shows and a batch of up- mobileproductionpro.com and-coming acts. This represents a real challenge PUBLISHED BY for us in terms of coverage as well as the Indus- Anvil Productions, LLC try that is being stretched to provide appropriate 740 Cowan Street, Nashville, TN 37207 ph: 615.256.7006 • f: 615.256.7004 support. mobileproductionpro.com For this issue, we selected the Elton John tour as our focus. Not only is Sir Elton a treat to see tourlinkconference.com performing, his show always provides an interesting look at the way he utilizes production re- HOME OFFICE STAFF sources. Many of the vendors are well-known established production companies and his crew Publisher: Larry Smith is one of the most experienced well-traveled groups in the business and have been together for [email protected] many, many years. Director of Operations: Lori DeLancey [email protected] We filled the rest of the issue with some interesting tid-bits and an expanded group of advertisers. Editor: J.J. Janney The magazine seems to have had quite a boost in interest and readership following the amazing [email protected] Contributing Writers for this issue: Jordan Haymaker success of the Tour Link Conference. The increase in online readers is especially gratifying. and Jon Pierotti Contributing Photographers: Jordan Summers Speaking of the conference…which I love to do…We have now launched the 2016 registration. Layout / Design and Website Design: If the past event is any indication of what to expect the next time, I would encourage everyone to Warehouse Multimedia jump on registration and hotel booking as soon as possible. Even though the property has 900 ph: 615.420.6153 • f: 866.929.9651 rooms, it is quite possible that it will sell out this time. 3050 Business Park Circle Suite 500 Goodlettsville, TN 37072 www.warehousemultimedia.com FOLLOW US Tour-Guide-Publications / Tour-Link-Conference Larry Smith @mobileprodpro / @TourLinkConf Publisher ADVERTISING INQUIRIES For advertising inquiries: [email protected] or ph: 615-260-6699 ©2014 Anvil Productions, LLC. Nothing may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit any and all editorial content included in this publication. The publisher has made every attempt to insure accuracy and consistency of this publication. However, some listings & information may be incomplete due to a lack of information provided by various companies listed. Please send any inquiries to the attention of the publisher. All advertising appears at the paid solicitation of the advertiser. Anvil Productions, LLC, can not be held liable for any errors, omissions or inaccura- cies appearing in this journal in the form of editorials, listings or advertising. Member of: January 11-14 Sign Up Today! 4 mobile production monthly www.TourLinkConference.com mobile production monthly 5 D.A.S. AUDIO HELPS KEEP THE ENERGY HIGH AT BATTLEFROG OBSTACLE RACE WE PROVIDE LUXURY TRAVEL FOR INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS Sound quality and first-rate dispersion prove ideal for outdoor event! line MC/Coach Pain Dewayne.” The new D.A.S. Audio loudspeakers are prov- Founded by former U.S. Navy SEALs, the Bat- ing to be ‘just the ticket’ for the rigors of the When queried about those D.A.S. Audio attrib- BattleFrog Series. This equipment represents a tleFrog Obstacle Race Series is an intense obsta- utes that make this choice of equipment ideal cle course race for all ages inspired by the chal- tremendous upgrade from our previous system, for the BattleFrog Series, Guerra emphasized which couldn’t even compare,” Guerra reports. lenges Navy SEALs face every day in training. the systems’ speech intelligibility, dispersion, BattleFrog transforms every race venue into a “We’ve received numerous compliments from and power. “My voice has never sounded bet- both event attendees and BattleFrog employ- demanding obstacle course designed to test the ter,” he says. “You can see the audience react im- strength, skill, and determination of any athlete. ees. Our D.A.S. loudspeakers really ignited our mediately when I make announcements about festival area, which is such an important part of On February 28th and March 1st, Miami area their heat’s start time. And the sound projects participants brave enough to take the challenge the customer’s overall experience. Not everyone evenly across the entire area. The entire festival knows good sound, but they certainly know gave it their all on the BattleFrog 15K, BullFrog area was covered—without ever sounding harsh 5K, BullFrog Mile, and TadPole Dash 400M when it’s bad—and with our D.A.S. equipment, or fatigued. I’ve also been impressed with the those issues are a thing of the past. My bosses courses. Being able to clearly hear the instruc- equipment’s ease of use. This enables me to easi- tions of the staff and others requires first-rate were extremely pleased with the performance of ly manage the rig even when skilled labor is lim- our D.A.S. gear and that, of course, pleases me.” audio quality and, for this, sound reinforcement ited or unavailable. The rigging is user friendly technology from Valencia, Spain-based D.A.S. and flexible. With 18 races this year, we needed Audio was placed into service. something that can handle the road while also www.battlefrogseries.com having a low power draw. The Event series was Edwin “Haviken Hayes” Guerra is the Produc- the solution.” tion Coordinator for BattleFrog Series, Miami and Director of Operations for Kenote Enter- With all this equipment, tainment of Hollywood, FL. Working alongside knowing there is competent festival directors Alex Cruz and Frank Mendez, and responsive customer and Guerra served as the DJ/MC for the Miami technical support available main stage area in addition to being responsi- is a big consideration, as one ble for coordinating all production aspects of never knows when questions those areas requiring amplified sound. D.A.S. may arise. Here too, Guerra Audio Event and Action Series products were was very complimentary of deployed at two sites. Guerra discussed his ex- D.A.S. Audio. “We experi- perience with the D.A.S. equipment. enced a lot of rain on Satur- WE SPECIALISE IN BAND BUS day and one of the start line “On the main stage, our current configuration monitors became partially uses two stacks of five Event 208A dual 8-inch submerged under water. The line array cabinets over two Event 218A dual 18- Miami-based support team inch subwoofers running through a DSP-2040A & CREW BUS SERVICES got the enclosure back to me multi-channel digital signal processor,” Guerra that week in time for our FOR THE MUSIC INDUSTRY COVERING UK & EUROPE. explained. “We also use two Event M210A dual next race. I’ve never received 10-inch stage monitors, which I (as the DJ) and anything back that quick— other people scheduled to speak use during the even for minor problems— event. At the start line, we use two Avant 215A from other manufacturers. +44 (0)1964 563464 www.mmbandservices.co.uk [email protected] dual 15-inch full-range loudspeakers and two They really look out for us. I Action 118A single 18-inch subwoofers plus couldn’t ask for more.” two Action M12A stage monitors for our start 6 mobile production monthly mobile production monthly 7 30 Celebrating 30 Years EIGHTEEN SOUND Entertainment EXPANDS WORLDWIDE SALES PRESENCE 1985 # #2015 Specializing In Worldwide Travel For: Travel Italian loudspeaker manufacturer Eight- team has come out with over the years is re- een Sound has announced the appoint- ally a step ahead of its class,” adds Davwind- ment of Davwinder Sheena as Director of er. “I am looking forward on reinforcing Sales, Middle East, Asia and Pacific Rim both their distribution and manufacturing and Jeffrey Cox as Director of Sales North efforts in the territory.” America. Cox concludes, “This is an amazing com- Sheena will be responsible for managing pany that redefines quality when it comes distributors, as well as market develop- to professional audio products. It has been ment, in China, India and other key Asian a pleasure being a part of their continued Touring Bands Television and Film Industries Professional Sports manufacturing centers. growth. I am particularly looking forward to working with Italy, and directly linking Davwinder comes to Eighteen Sound with companies in the States to 18 Sound, bring- an array of experience in the pro audio ing their extraordinary loudspeakers to 615.256.8900 www.entertainmenttvl.com market.