volume 4 issue 5 2011 Global Service & Live Shows Since 1966 We offer a complete array of state-of-the-art sound reinforcement products, technical staff and services to the live production industry. We are only as good as our last show, and excellence is the only option. That’s the Clair way. www.clairglobal.com Bobcon Seger tenvolume 4 issuet 5 2011s 6 10 16 26 Beck A. (c) Michael mobilePRODUCTIONmonthly The Grand Ole Opry House HARMAN Soundcraft Vi6™ 16 4 Sound Post-Diluvium and Post-Bellum, Impresses at the Donaufestival An Improved Opry House Rises Out of the Flood L-ACOUSTICS K1 Sings With Andrea Bocelli 5 17 Schermerhorn Symphony Hall Restoration of a New Building 6 Crowd Barriers Mojo Barriers Innovation On The Agenda 22 Bob Seger Just Like it’s Always Been The Browning Group 10 Tour Management Tour Vendors Tour Management and Beyond 24 26 M.L. Procise & Clair 12 Nashville Under Water RECAP 26 Crew Members Michael Caporale Soundcheck Nashville 28 12 Finishes What He Starts No Matter How Long It Takes Moo TV / Ed Beaver Guitars / Rich Eckhardt 15 ReTune Nashville 32 Advertiser's Index mobile production monthly 1 FROM THE Publisher The cover feature this month features one of the longest running touring artists in our industry, Bob Seger. Appropriately, it also features one of the longest running production relationships, M.L. Procise, of Clair and Seger. Their work together has spanned over 30 years. In HOME OFFICE STAFF this era of shifting loyalties and questionable commitments, a 7 3 2 it is refreshing to see that there are still professionals who ph: 615.256.7006 • f: 615.256.7004 understand how to service and maintain a client. 2961 Armory Dr • Nashville, TN • USA 37204 mobileproductionpro.com Another piece in this issue features Jason Browning of The For advertising inquiries: Browning Group; another pro who understands client loyalty. [email protected] New product pieces include the latest offerings from Mojo Barriers, Harmon Soundcraft and L-Acoustic. Publisher: Larry Smith [email protected] Also in this issue is a follow-up story on the amazing recovery Managing Director: Chris Cogswell of businesses that were struck by the sudden flood in [email protected] Nashville last year. This is the “feel-good” story of the year, so Chief Writer / Photographer: Michael A. Beck far, and we hope you will not only enjoy the story but reflect [email protected] on the strength of character and dedication exhibited by Art Director / Graphic Designer: Kristin Salaway these companies and individuals. [email protected] / [email protected] Finally, we want to direct your attention once again to our Webmaster: Michael Stalcup website, mobileproductionpro.com. The search engine [email protected] Bob Seger Bob continues to grow, news items pour in daily and there is an Contributing Writers: announcement of the date and location of the next Tour Link Bill Abner / [email protected] Hank Bordowitz / [email protected] Conference. (In case you have not heard, the last conference Robert Bryson / [email protected] was an overwhelming success.) Todd Kramer / [email protected] Bill Robison / [email protected] So, enjoy this latest issue and we hope to see you in Mike Wharton / [email protected] Scottsdale at the Talking Stick Resort in January for Tour Link 2012! TOUR LINK BOARD OF ADVISORS Larry Smith Benny Collins, Jim Digby, Jon Nevins, Stuart Ross, Bobby Schneider, Jay Sendyk, Seth Sheck, Nick Gold Nicki Goldstein, Chuck Randall, Michelle Freedman tourlinkconference.com PUBLISHED BY Anvil Productions, LLC ph: 615.256.7006 • f: 615.256.7004 FOLLOW US facebook.com/tourlinkconference | facebook.com/tourguidepublications twitter.com/mobileprodpro | twitter.com/tourlinkconf ©2011 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 informa- tion 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 inaccuracies appearing in this journal in the form of editorials, listings or advertising. Member of: 2 mobile production monthly Sound HARMAN SOUNDCraFT VI6™ Impresses at the Donaufestival he Donaufestival is an Austrian festival of music and performance that takes place each April on the River T Danube in Krems, in the state of Lower Austria. Promoted by the NOE ing mix of both external and Festival-Ges for the past inline FX. “For instance the two decades, the festival Irrepressibles had their own showcases a wide range of FX engineer who received artistry — from avant-garde several sends from the local rock, performance art and rack into his FX rack, and electronica. returned a sum to my band mix. I used the internal FX This year for the first time for backing vocals, drums, the production brought in strings, wind instruments, the Soundworx team of acoustic guitar and vibra- audio engineers, with Klaus phone!” Hübner on monitors, and Michael Schmidt given the The Soundworx man found task of piloting the house himself using all the desk’s mix through a Soundcraft internal dynamics, — Gates, Vi6 — supplied by Redline De-essers, Compressors and Enterprise — over two week- even Limiters (for bands with ends. less stage experience). “The original Laurie Anderson The FOH engineer, who had input list comprised more specifically requested the Vi6 input channels than she sent after being introduced to the me from stage in the end, so I desk at the Prolight+Sound ers.” The Wild Beasts’ engineer came with a had to deal with a stereo sum Show in Frankfurt, was gratified that so show file created on a Soundcraft’s Vi1 and including all her vocals, violin, vocal effects many visiting artists’ sound engineers also John Cale’s technician brought a session that and additional effects — which made it a specified the desk on their riders. was created on Soundcraft’s Offline Editor.” little difficult in terms of feedback suppres- The number of inputs varied from 48 (in sion and using additional reverb.” With a multiple-act show occupying three the case of John Cale) down to just three for stages — including a gothic church, as well Laurie Anderson. Summarising the console’s attributes, he as several small locations spread throughout pointed to the obvious sonic quality and ease the town — the Vi6, running up to 96 chan- Michael Schmidt says it never took him lon- of use — and the fact that it provided the nels, was configured with two MADI cards ger than five minutes to familiarise new Vi6 best overview (with all dynamics, inputs and in the local rack for additional connectivity. users with the environment. “As a general outputs at a glance). “Other plus points were rule I create a specific user layer the way the the Lexicon FX, the compact dimensions The OB Van (containing a Studer Vista 8) band engineer wants it — that makes life and the fact there is no more layer confusion also received signals from an active analogue much easier, especially for an engineer with — thanks to FaderGlow™. Also, two engi- split onstage — a stereo sum and FX sum no Vi experience. neers can work on the desk at the same time from the Vi Stagebox (configured 64 in / 32 (via the fourth flexible input bay).” out). “I remember the old analogue days at fes- tivals with up to nine bands per day, where Michael Schmidt remains unequivocal that Although Michael Schmidt has worked the you had to convince a lot of band engineers the Vi6 is his favourite desk. “I have been festival for several years as a sound tech, this to go for a generic patch,” he continued. using Vi6’s now for two years — but only was his first outing in charge of the house “Now it is a real pleasure to offer them a 1:1 for monitor purposes until now,” he sum- mix — and he stressed the importance of patch to the band’s input list.” marised. “This was my first opportunity having a high-calibre sound engineer down to get in deep at FOH, and it did not take in Monitor City. “A very important aspect While some bands had ordered an analogue more than an hour to establish my basic fes- with ‘hot’ inputs — with a high tendency to graphic EQ, they did not use it once they tival set-up and answer all relevant questions generate feedback — is that you can rely on had tested the board’s dynamics. “I had even to myself due to the self explanatory surface each other,” he said. considered using my own tube preamps, and software. and was happy afterwards I did not have to “Many bands came with their own sound carry this extra weight back home again. “In fact this festival reinforced the decision engineers, but I had the fortune to mix some Definitely a good time now to sell them!” that Soundworx will definitely invest in a Vi on my own, like the Irrepressibles, Lydia Series console during 2011!”} Lunch, Gonjasufi, Laurie Anderson and oth- However, some engineers used an interest- 4 mobile production monthly L-ACOUSTICS K1 Sings With Andrea Bocelli ore than 15,000 fans recently Mpacked the Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima of Buenos Aires (GEBA) to hear Andrea Bocelli and special guest Chenoa perform with a large choir and orchestra on the Latin leg of his Incanto tour.