Kids and Chemicals

We left off covering some bands I’ve had the pleasure of working with and the microphone choices that made their sound possible.  While I did my best to include video of the musician/microphone combos, a brief lapse in judgement left me omitting one very unique example.  

Kids and Chemicals is gearing up to release an EP on October 8th featuring five new tracks.  “Pale Horse” is currently available for pre-order on CD and limited-edition, purple cassette.  Both options include an immediate download of a single track of your choice and digital copy of the EP (MP3/FLAC/etc) upon release.

In honor of the upcoming release and to provide you with yet another audio/visual sample of microphones at work, I leave you with a clip of Kids and Chemicals playing the track “Out My Window” at the Gillioz Theatre.

 

Pictures of Microphones

I love pictures of microphones.  I could browse the web for days just looking at and reading about various mics.  There are so many different kinds with a variety of applications and sonic possibilities.  In browsing the photo album on my phone, I realized I have gathered a decent collection of shots featuring collections of microphones I’ve used on assorted gigs.  While I wish I had been more consistent in taking these photos and collected pictures from every show I’ve mixed, I would like to showcase a few in today’s post.

First up, the photo that started it all.

I started taking these pictures after a Springfield church chose the Gillioz Theatre to host their annual holiday variety show.  When striking a stage, I always start by pulling all mics (and clips, if stored with) from their stands and putting them in one place so I can keep watch and get them back to their homes as quickly as possible to avoid the possibility of any microphones “walking off” in the rush of load-out.  It was something about the sight of this chair-full of microphones that prompted me to whip out the camera-phone and snap a picture.  My pile makes it a bit hard to see all the models, but I believe this night’s package, which as with all the following selections were selected by yours truly, featured the following:

• Audix D6 (kick)
• Audix D4 (floor tom)
• Shure KSM137 (drum overheads–the Gillioz is a very live room and I often would choose to not close mic toms)
• Shure SM57 (guitar cabs)
• Shure SM58 (vox)
• Shure Beta 58 (vox)
• Shure SLX2 wireless handheld with Beta 58 capsule (emcees)

This show was quite some time ago and, as most church bands do, featured a wide variety of instruments and players, so I don’t remember the exact input list.

Now let’s look at a photo from Delta Sol Revival playing First Friday Live at the Gillioz Theatre.

I’ll do my best to reconstruct the input list (audience mics added for recording purposes):

1. Kick – Shure Beta 52A
2. Snare – Shure SM57
3. Overhead L – Shure KSM137
4. Overhead R – Shure KSM137
5. Aux Snare – Shure Beta 57A
6. Aux Percussion – Shure KSM137
7. Bass Direct – Radial JDI
8. Bass Cab – Shure Beta 56A
9. Keys L – Radial JDI
10. Keys R – Radial JDI
11. Guitar – Shure Beta 57A
12. Sax – Shure Beta 58A
13. Aux Vox – Shure SM58
14. Lead Vox – Shure SM58
15. Audience L – Shure KSM137
16. Audience R – Shure KSM137

This package was comprised completely of the Gillioz Theatre’s house inventory, which is obviously all Shure.

Next up, mics used for J-None’s First Friday Live performance.

For this show I supplemented some of my own mics to compliment the theatre’s Shure package.

1. Kick – Audix D6
2. Snare- Shure SM57
3. Hi-Hat – Earthworks SR20
4. Rack Tom – Sennheiser e604
5. Floor Tom – Sennheiser e604
6. Overhead L – Shure KSM27
7. Overhead R – Shure KSM27
8. Guitar – Sennheiser MD421
9. Tracks L – Radial JDI
10. Tracks R – Radial JDI
11. Aux Vox – Sennheiser e835
12. Lead Vox – Shure Beta 58
13. Audience L – Audix ADX51
14. Audience R – Audix ADX51

You’ll notice I always use the Shure SM57 on snare.  I just can’t argue with the results.  The KSM27s worked okay on for overheads, but lacked a bit of the pattern control I prefer to create a wide stereo image.

The next feature is from one of my personal favorite Springfield, MO bands, The Bootheel.

1. Kick – Audix D6
2. Snare – Shure SM57
3. Rack – Sennheiser e604
4. Floor – Sennheiser e604
5. OHL – Audix ADX51
6. OHR – Audix ADX51
7. Bass Direct – Radial JDI
8. Bass Cab – Audix D4
9. Guitar SR – Audix i5
10. Guitar SL – Shure SM57
11. Drum Vox – Shure Beta 56A
12. Aux Vox – Shure SM58
13. Lead Vox – Shure SM58
14. Audience L – Shure KSM137
15. Audience R – Shure KSM137

This is when I fell in love the Audix D4 on bass cab.  This was also my first time using the Beta 56A for drum vocals, which worked really well as Warren, drummer for the Bootheel, adds a lot to the music with his harmonies, but also hits incredibly hard, which can be difficult to work with in the mix.  The Beta 56A provided good rejection of the drum kit and with a little HF rolloff on the console EQ, kept extra cymbal bleed to a minimum.  If I could do this again, I’d move the Shure KSM137s to the kit, as I’m not sure I like the ADX51 for overhead use.

Moving right along, here is the package used for Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin when they opened for Neon Trees at the Gillioz.

For this show, I opted to omit the overheads. As the opening act, SSLYBY was set downstage of the proscenium opening and main drape. I felt there was no need to reinforce the cymbals as I knew the room would take care of that and some bleed would inevitably make it into the vocal channels.

1. Kick – Audix D6
2. Snare – Shure SM57
3. Rack – Sennheiser e604
4. Floor – Sennheiser e604
5. Bass Direct – DI in head
6. Bass Cab – Audix D4
7. SR Guitar – Heil PR40
8. SL Guitar – Sennheiser MD421
9. Vox 1 – Shure SM58
10. Vox 2 – Shure SM58
11. Drum Vox – EV N/D857B

This was a great mix–and only 11 channels!  I’m a big fan of large-diaphragm dynamics on guitar cabs.  The cab on which I used the Heil PR40 is one I had worked with before and was always challenged to keep it from sounding harsh.  The PR40 tamed the tone nicely, requiring no console EQ other than a simple high-pass filter.  The EV on drum vocals worked beautifully.  SSLYBY likes to switch places on stage, moving from instrument to instrument between songs, and when one particular member sings behind the drum kit, it can be quite the challenge to get his vocals to stand out in the mix.  He sings softly and plays hard.  My dad gave my this N/D857B when I was about 12 years old, and it has been in my collection ever since (honestly, I’d say it started my collection).  I had it with my that night and decided to give it a shot.  The hyper-cardioid pattern rejected all the stuff I didn’t want and the mic’s response curve worked great for his vocals.  My only complaint is that EV no longer makes it.

Here we have a photo from Kids & Chemicals playing First Friday Live.

Kids & Chemicals is an electronic group backed with live drums.  This freed up the resources to go a little crazy on the drum mics, which I am always happy to do.

1. Kick In – Audix i5
2. Kick Out – Audix D6
3. Snare Top – Shure SM57
4. Snare Bottom – Sennheiser e604
5. Hats – Earthworks SR20
6. Rack – Heil PR40
7. Floor – Sennheiser MD421
8. OHL – Shure KSM137
9. OHR – Shure KSM137
10. Tracks L – Radial JDI
11. Tracks R – Radial JDI
12. Vox w/ FX from stage – Shure SM58 > Focusrite Saffire 2i2 > Radial JDI
13. Crowd Address – Shure SM58
14. Audience L – Shure KSM137
15. Audience R – Shure KSM137

I really liked using the Sennheiser e604 for snare bottom as it required no stand in an already crowded space.  The Heil PR40 and Sennheiser MD421 on toms were great.  Also, the Earthworks SR20 just feels right on hats–very fast and articulate.

Finally, a shot from the last band I mixed at the Gilly, Plaid Dragon.

1. Kick – Heil PR40
2. Snare – Shure SM57
3. OHL – Shure KSM137
4. OHR – Shure KSM137
5. Bass – Radial JDI
6. SR Guitar – Sennheiser MD421
7. Center Guitar – Audix D4
8. SL Guitar – Shure SM57
9. Acoustic Guitar – Radial JDI
10. Ukulele – Radial JDI
11. Synth – Radial ProDI
12. Upright Bass – Radial JDI
13. Violin – Shure KSM137
14. Aux Vox – Shure SM58
15. Drum Vox – Shure Beta 58A
16. Lead Vox – Shure Beta 87A

The Beta 87A for lead vocals belongs to Inge, the lead singer, and sounds wonderful on her voice.  The D4 helped add some meat to her small, single 10″ guitar amp.  I had owned the PR40 for a while at this point, but had never tried it on kick, which all the studio rats rave about.  As you can tell from previous input lists, I’m quite partial to the D6, but Plaid Dragon is a bit “unconventional” so I felt it was an appropriate time to get a little crazy myself.  The results were excellent and I look forward to using the PR40 on kick again when appropriate.

Women’s History Month @ First Friday Live

The dream team is at it again.  Ben Clayton (with additional camera support from Bret Hoy) and I, put our expertise together once again for the folks at the Gillioz Theatre to produce and document the March edition of First Friday Live.  Featuring three Springfield based, X-chromosome-centric musical acts, The Eskimo Girls, Black Bonnet Ballyhoo and Lilly Bee & The Pollinators, the show was sponsored by Missouri State University in honor of Women’s History Month.

This morning I received the highlight video and couldn’t resist sharing.

The Bootheel @ First Friday Live

For the next installment of my continuing blog series, “live concert videos I recorded and mixed for (working title),” I present to you The Bootheel performing their song “Northsider” at the January edition Gillioz Theatre’s First Friday Live.

Shot by Peter Jodlowski and Ben Clayton, edited by Ben and audio recorded/mixed by yours truly.   Working with Ben, Peter and the Gilly staff on concert series has been a blast and I feel the project as a whole has really matured into something special.  Originally only four shows were planned, but thanks to community and artist support, the Gilly has decided to continue the series. Friday, March 1st, kicks off round two of First Friday Live.  If you’re in the SGF area, come on down and enjoy this free for 21+ event, or if you’re just checking in via the interwebz, stay tuned to the Gillioz Theatre YouTube channel for more event coverage.

Shameless self-promotion alert: Ben and I are looking to take this show on the road, so to speak. We are currently accepting inquiries from parties interested in producing such videos for their events.  Whether  you’re a band, venue, promoter, or anyone looking for professional live production media coverage, please contact us.

Audio for Video

It seems like I’ve been getting an unusually large number of projects tracking bands at live shows and mixing down for video. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a welcome change of pace from the FOH one-offs, I just find it interesting how after a good year of no such project, I now find myself working “audio for video” gigs every couple of weeks.

More often than not, I don’t see the video until it’s edited and synced with my audio, so I always enjoy seeing the finished product after the video folk have done their thing.  Yesterday I received a link to a video I tracked and mixed for back in October.  This particular song, a cover of The Beatles’ Across the Universe, was a bit tricky.  I wasn’t informed ahead of time that the band was bringing four additional members on stage for the song, but if you’re no stranger to live production, you can relate to the situation.  Though no show goes without its challenges and I’m happy with how everything turned out.

And now for the feature presentation:

Another of such projects, mentioned earlier, is the Gillioz Theatre’s First Friday Live. This Friday, Feb 1, marks the fourth installment of the series that has grown into a beast of it’s own. Originally only four shows were planned, but the Gilly crew has been busy booking local SGF acts for every First Friday through the end of summer. This time around I’ll be working with local basement rockers, The Bootheel, who, by the way, just released a great album.  To see all the Frist Friday Live videos release thus far, check out the Gillioz YouTube channel, and if you’re local, come out this Friday at 8:30 for The Bootheel’s performance.

Here’s one from J-None’s December First Friday Live rager:

And for those looking for something a bit more relaxed, check out highlights from January’s show with Bella Donna:

Delta Sol Revival @ First Friday Live

In the midst of a busy late fall/early winter show season, the fellas over at the Gillioz Theatre have whipped up a nifty free concert series coinciding with Springfield’s “First Friday Art Walk.”  For the first Friday of every month, the theatre doors are opened to showcase a local band/musical artist performing along side a visual artist of their choice.  I was enlisted to mix FOH for the show as well as capture a multitrack recording of the show to be mixed down for internet distribution and promotional videos for the artists and the Gillioz.

The opening night of “First Friday Live,” as it’s so aptly named, featured tunes by Delta Sol Revival and live painting by Nicholas Tarr.

Local camera wielders (that’s what I call video people), Ben Clayton (of Ben Clayton AV) and Peter Jodlowski, shot and edited this pretty nifty little video.

To hear the audio from the entire November First Friday Live set with Delta Sol Revival, check out the player below from the Gillioz Theatre’s soundcloud page.  Stay tuned for tracks from J-None‘s December performance as well as the rest of the series as it happens.

Springfield Jazz Festival

About two hours before the 3rd annual Springfield Jazz Festival was supposed to start, I received an unexpected phone call.  The event was supposed to take place on a couple outdoor stages, but the rainy, 45 degree weather was less than accommodating.  “Think we could move this inside the Gillioz?”

Not one to turn down a challenge and the opportunity to mix some bands on a Friday night (this was a rare Friday I originally had to myself), I said “sure, we can make that happen,” and 20 minutes later there were a few dozen jazz players inside the venue.

Apparently they had planned on two stages, and we only really have our main auditorium, so I grabbed the intern and some staging decks and built this little guy in our front lobby. I even gelled a couple 36 degree lekos and lit the place up.  Of course once the house LD arrived, I had him give the seal of approval.

The night went off without a hitch and a multitude of jazz was enjoyed in the comfort of the warm theatre I lovingly call home.

Where have I been?

When you have so much fun at work, it’s easy to overlook the whole “documenting what I do” thing.  Enough apologizing for my lack of posts.  How about a quick recap?

Looks like I haven’t mentioned any shows I’ve worked since December 2011.  Last year?  Damn, it’s been a busy seven months.  Here goes nothing…

1.18: Bryan Adams (The tour was carrying what was allegedly the first Midas Pro2 in the states.)

2.27: Peter Frampton (Maybe the best show I’ve ever seen.  Definitely best FOH mix of any show at the Gillioz.  FOH engineer, Vinnie, was rocking a beautiful beast of a console, a Midas XL4)

2.28: Rusko (I mixed FOH, if you can call leaving two channels wide open “mixing.”  Perhaps system tech is a more accurate job title.)

3.04: Steven Curtis Chapman (The tour was carrying a 12 box JBL VerTec 4887 rig.  Cool little boxes.)

3.11: Chevelle (Great mix on a Yamaha M7 by tour manager Chris Morrison)

3.14: Kelly Clarkson (Biggest show at Drury’s O’Reilly center to date.  Killer Clair Bros i4 rig .  Also, Clay Paky Sharpys out the wazoo.  I served as promoter rep.  Fun time.  Big shout out to TM Alan Hornall for ensuring a smooth operation.)

3.20: BB King (I had the pleasure of mixing FOH for the king.  Truly an honor.)

3.23: Lisa Lampanelli (I was laughing, sometimes cringing, at my console the entire show.)

4.07: Leo Kottke (So much sound from one man with one guitar. Great musician.  A Shure SM58, Midas pres, Countryman DI and a Taylor guitar.  I mixed the entire show with a smile.)

4.15: Blue October (My first night on an Avid SC48 running FOH for local support.  Favorite digital desk I’ve used.)

4.18: JJ Grey & Mofro (Their second time at the Gillioz Theatre, always a party.  I mixed monitors for SGF locals, Speakeasy.)

4.19: Ralphie May (Funny guy. Laid-back show.)

4.21: Ozark Mountain Daredevlis (My last date serving as promoter rep on their 40th anniversary tour.)

5.01: Hellyeah & Clutch (Vinnie Paul had a Shure Beta 98 upside down between his toms to mic stick clicks.  Sweet!)

5.04: Switchfoot (The day MCA died.  In honor, Switchfoot played a fantastic cover of “Sabotage.”  I mixed the opening act.  FOH console was a Soundcraft Vienna, my first experience with a Soundcraft desk.  Auxes from bottom to top, anyone?)

5.05/06: Big Smith (A two day farewell run for the band’s retirement.  Both sold out shows.  I engineered a multitrack recording of the show with the Gillioz’s Midas Verona and my Logic rig.)

5.15: Styx, REO Speedwagon & Ted Nugent (Another promoter rep gig for me.  Definitely had my work cut out for me.  The O’Reilly center was the smallest venue on the tour, so I had to pull out my shoehorn to squeeze this one in there.  Pulled it off, learned a lot.)

5.19: Gabriel Iglesias (Really impressed by their production.  Big impact, small footprint, easy setup.  Also, hilarious comedian.)

5.22: Incubus (Promoter rep gig at O’Reilly Center.  I’m a big fan of the simplicity of “An Evening With…” shows.)

5.29: Theory of a Deadman (First nigh on an Avid Venue Profile.  At first impression, I feel I like the SC48 better–perhaps because of differences in metering and on-desk displays.) 

6.01: Primus (Never thought I’d see these guys grace the Gillioz stage. Tour carried a huge Meyer MILO rig.)

6.08: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (Holy cow, what a voice on that girl, not to mention the legs.  Another fun night on the local Soundcraft Vienna for me mixing the support act, Rayland Baxter. Photo by Chet Smith.)

6.15: Josh Turner (Promoter rep gig.  All around nicest touring crew I’ve worked with in a long time.  Friendly southern boys.)

7.06: Tech N9ne (Last night of their record breaking tour, 90-some shows in 100-some days.)

7.09: Death Cab for Cutie (FOH was a Midas Pro6.  Didn’t get to mix on it, but hope to get the chance soon.)

There, now I feel my lack of posting has been justified.

Show Shots

Hope Community Church chose the Gillioz for their Christmas variety concert this year. With 20-some different acts performing all the classics, the show was action packed from start to finish. As you can see, it took about 24 channels to facilitate the show. Please ignore the minor clipping you see down there…a vocalist got excited.

While clearing the stage post-show, I couldn’t resist getting a shot of all the mics we had out that night.

Check out the stage for a little Gillioz employee Christmas party we had last week. Festive, eh?

I’ll leave you with a shot from the Gilly’s last touring show of 2011, Hinder with support from 9 Left Dead. I mixed monitors for 9LD. This is the auditorium not long after doors opened.

AUDIO: Matisyahu Unplugged at Gillioz Theatre

Here’s a little treat for your ears.  I present to you, in its entirety (including the Q&A session), my recording of Matisyahu’s November 16, 2011, live and “unplugged” performance at the Gillioz Theatre.

I recorded this with a Tascam DR-40 in four channel mode, channels 1/2 being the internal mics for house ambience and channels 3/4 my stereo mix from the Midas Verona 400 at the Gillioz.  I later mixed the four channels together in Logic Pro with minimal processing.

Enjoy!