Tech Talk
Tech Talk – The Poor Old Omnidirectional Microphone
TECH TALK The Poor Old Omnidirectional Microphone by Simon Byrne. The poor old omnidirectional (or omni) microphone has fallen out of favour, which is a shame because it has a lot of great characteristics. The primary reasons we don’t see many of them in live sound is gain before feedback, and spill between…
Read MoreEntech Roadshow 2019 – Product News
SpeedDeck March 2 – SpeedDeck is a lightweight portable staging system featuring its unique Speedlock system. With a turn of a key, operated from the top of the stage, staging modules can locked together. There is no need to grope around under the stage or insert links for the side, as you do with other…
Read MoreRoadskills – Jim Jefferies
ROADSKILLS Jim Jefferies by Cat Strom Photo Credits: Andreas Heuer @AK Photography The days of a comedian shouting loudly down a Shure SM58 with little to no intelligibility are long gone. With comic acts such as Russell Peters playing to 17,000 people, the audio requirements for these comedic superstars are as big and exacting…
Read MoreRoad Test: Claypaky Axcor Profile 600
ROAD TEST Road Test: Claypaky Axcor Profile 600 by Ben Morris and Ian Fynney. Ben Morris is the Executive Manager – Technology, at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre has a lot of flexible spaces and only limited opportunities to install equipment, so we operate as a…
Read MoreHow To: Moving The Stage Without Drama
HOW TO Moving The Stage Without Drama: Reliable energy supply for stage technology With moving energy supply systems such as the igus e-spool and the zig-zag system, complicated stage applications can be implemented even in confined spaces and with high loads. The challenge for every ‘stage builder’ is to create the perfect stage. Every…
Read MoreBogota To Caracas, 1992
TOURING Bogota To Caracas, 1992 by Roderick van Gelder. In 1992 Sydney Dance Company performed ‘Some Rooms’ in Bogota and Caracas as part of a world tour. I was the production manager and lighting designer. The challenge was to get the sets for ‘Some Rooms’ from Bogota to Caracas on a 3 day turn-around.…
Read MoreRoad Test: Riedel Bolero
ROAD TEST Road Test: Riedel Bolero by Ricki Cook. Writer Bio: Ricki Cook is Head of Audio, Production Infrastructure, and Network Architect at Hillsong Church About Riedel Bolero Bolero is a wireless intercom system capable of supporting 10 beltpacks per antenna and up to 100 antennas in a single deployment. When used with Riedel’s Artist…
Read MorePaul Kelly’s Making Gravy
ROADSKILLS Paul Kelly’s Making Gravy by Cat Strom. Photo Credits: Ashley Mar Next time there’s a drought anywhere, just book Paul Kelly for an outdoor concert. Many of us saw the footage on social media of the Melbourne leg of Paul Kelly’s Making Gravy tour where extreme flooding resulted in the ground stacked speakers…
Read MoreTour Smartly – Get Out There
TOURING Tour Smartly – Get Out There by Simon Byrne. Touring is different to one-off gigs in that when you are on a tour, you roll out the same production repeatedly. Therefore it pays to do it an efficient way. Efficiency gives you the gift of time which gives you the opportunity to refine your…
Read MoreHistory – Braithwaite: Tour Sells Out
History We have covered a lot of touring productions since 1990. Here’s a story about Daryl Braithwaite’s The Horses tour from Channels magazine, September 1991. Braithwaite: Tour Sells Out by Julius Grafton. When Daryl Braithwaite sold out three nights at Sydney’s State Theatre during May; his crew were relieved. After all, three nights…
Read MoreDPA d:vote CORE 4099 Instrument Microphone
ROAD TEST DPA d:vote CORE 4099 Instrument Microphone by Jimmy Den-Ouden. DPA makes premium level condenser microphones. Before leaving the factory, each mic capsule they make is measured on and off axis to verify it performs to spec. They’re the kind of company who wanted to make a wind-screen for handheld mics which better rejected…
Read MoreThe School Musical – A True Story
WAR STORIES The School Musical – A True Story by Stephen Dean. The school has booked the venue to do their annual musical, the sort of affair where it is important that the parents see and hear their little darlings. The only problem is the teachers directing. Yes, I said teachers, plural – who have…
Read More