BACKSTREET BOYS
Video Engineer, Max Ramsden; Monitor Engineer, Austin Schroeder & Playback Engineer, Romain Garnier.we went into more challenging venues and had to alter the content to fit on
the screen. It gave me an opportunity to be more hands-on and learn more
about the system.”
Overseeing the colour balancing for all the video feeds was Video
Engineer, Max Ramsden. “The first three quarters of the show is fairly
straightforward on my end in terms of colour balancing,” he commented.
“It’s only the last quarter when all the guys come on in white suits that
things get interesting. They’re a bit of a nightmare to deal with for the
cameras. During that section we change the colour temperature on the
spots and I have to alter the colour balance on my end.”
Capturing all the live footage were four Sony HXC 100s, with two at FOH
and a further two in the pit. Also on the camera spec were a selection of
Q-Ball 3s, although their placement was specifically a safely measure due
to the large amount of automation.
For control, the tour’s Video Director, Randall Garriott, opted for a Grass
Valley Korona. “We are not really using it to its full potential,” said Ramsden,
commenting on the potential size of rig that the Korona can handle. “We
only had the four camera inputs and, with five guys on stage, this meant a
lot of work with our four camera guys, who are continually repositioning
themselves to ensure each of the band get equal screen time.” All four
of the cameramen were part of the touring party, with two LED techs, a
lighting tech and a truck driver filling the roles, which meant each of them
got to know the show and provided some consistency each night.
Ramsden concluded by adding his thoughts on the LED product
deployed on the show. “WinVision is now a slightly older model, but it’s still
a great product,” he said. “It’s incredibly reliable and super lightweight. All
this means it goes up ver y quickly.”AUDIO
Providing audio support for the five-piece was FOH Engineer James
McCullagh and Monitor Engineer Austin Schroeder, who both worked side
by side throughout the Las Vegas residency. When the time came to create
the audio rider for the DNA World Tour, the duo saw an opportunity to makea change. McCullagh explained: “The first major difference is that we both
changed to the SSL L550,” he began. “This decision came off the back of the
overall goal to stick as close as we could to the ‘studio sound’.
“The SSL brand has much more of an analogue feel. It feels as though
they have created their desks with this in mind, which really attracted me
to SSL.” The Engineer went on to complement the support the company
had provided throughout the process, sending a console to both his and
Schroeder’s house to trial.
At FOH, the SSL stor y didn’t just finish with the console. “Out of the SSL
I have an SSL G-Series Compressor and the company’s latest Fusion box.”
stated McCullagh. He explained that he was using the compressor in a
“studio style” – in that he was monitoring compression outside the console,
so he could keep an eye on it throughout the show. “I was particularly
excited about the Fusion,” he continued. “We don’t have a live band with us.
Using pre-recorded tracks, what the Fusion is able to do is give the digital
playback a more analogue quality.”
He admitted that when he first put in the request with SSL to include
the Fusion in his rider, he didn’t have a concrete idea of what he was going
to use it for. “I just knew I wanted it,” he laughed. “What I have found is that
it’s really good at rolling-off the high-end. I also found that it adds a bit of
crunch to a mix – a tone you simply don’t get with any digital emulator.”
Before leaving his outboard collection, McCullagh was keen to give
special mention to the Bettermaker Mastering Limiter. “Essentially it’s a
digitally controlled, analogue limiter,” stated the Engineer, clearly satisfied
with addition to his rider.
Adamson Systems Engineering was the PA of choice for the tour.
“I’ve had a long relationship with Adamson and known Jesse Adamson
for a long time,” said McCullagh. “Jesse is actually our Account Manager
on this one,” chimed in Mercer, while praising the ser vice they’d received
both for the manufacturer and audio supplier Sound Image. The PM went
on to state how Adamson was the “best-sounding PA on the market.”
McCullagh also explained the choice of PA came down to the personnel
that came as a package deal with Sound Image – specifically Cameron