The Black Crowes kicked off their Southern Hospitality Tour this summer, embarking on a 41-date run across the United States and Canada in support of A Pound of Feathers, the band's tenth studio album.
The tour's sound system is based on a Meyer Sound PANTHER line array, supplied by California-based rental and integration company UltraSound.
A system designed to adapt to venues of every size
UltraSound's main challenge was to develop a system capable of adapting to venues with capacities ranging from 3,000 to 30,000 people, including both arenas and amphitheatres.
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The main PA configuration consists of 18 PANTHER loudspeakers per side, complemented by side arrays of 16 LYON loudspeakers per side to provide coverage for the wider audience areas in larger venues. Low-frequency reinforcement is delivered by six flown 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements per side, together with 12 additional ground-stacked units, all configured in a cardioid pattern. Front-fill coverage is provided by six LEOPARD loudspeakers.
For the system design, UltraSound relied on simulation models previously developed using MAPP 3D during earlier tours at many of the same venues. Throughout the tour, system engineer David Williams fine-tunes the configuration for each location using the software's prediction tools.
Uniform coverage and touring efficiency
FOH engineer and production manager Tim "Quake" Mark, who has nearly five decades of experience, is using PANTHER on tour for the first time. Among the system's standout qualities, he highlights both its acoustic performance and its reduced weight, a factor that has a direct impact on transportation costs.
According to Mark, the configuration saves approximately 20,000 pounds compared to equivalent systems, helping to reduce fuel consumption throughout the tour.
From a sonic perspective, Mark says PANTHER delivers a highly balanced response from the outset, requiring fewer adjustments at the mixing console than other systems. He also highlights its uniform coverage, maintaining consistent performance even in the furthest audience areas. To preserve a cohesive stereo image, the LYON side arrays are configured by alternating the left and right channels.
Low-frequency control on stage
The cardioid deployment of the 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements provides the low-end impact required for the show while reducing low-frequency energy on stage, creating a more comfortable environment for the musicians. UltraSound also angled the subwoofers slightly outward to increase rear rejection towards vocalist Chris Robinson's position.
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Tim Mark summarises his mixing philosophy by explaining that the goal of the PA system is to faithfully reproduce the band's sound in every venue, allowing the creative work to be carried out at the mixing console rather than through corrective adjustments to the reinforcement system.
The Southern Hospitality Tour will continue through 20 August, concluding at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California.
