James performs with complete spontaneity and without set lists, so being prepared for any situation requires Front of House engineer Chris Lynch to have the power and speed that only DiGiCo can deliver.
The generous control surface of the Quantum 338 and its three large screens ensure that everything he needs is always within easy reach. Meanwhile, monitor engineer Aled Irfan is working with an SD10 and has also integrated a KLANG system and a Fourier transform.engine. His company, AL Touring, supplies the tour's control package, including microphones, in-ear monitoring systems and stage monitors, while the PA system is provided by Solotech.
I've been touring with the Quantum 338 for around 18 months. I'm comfortable working on any console, but this show requires managing a huge number of channels. We have nine musicians on stage, two drum kits, keyboards, trumpet, violin, cello... there are countless elements happening at the same time. I need immediate access to a large number of faders, and the Quantum 338 is the console that best suits the band's needs, explains Lynch.
With a catalogue of more than 300 songs, James has an enormous repertoire to choose from. A smaller console could accommodate all the inputs and outputs, but, as Lynch points out, the Quantum 338's three screens and 38 physical faders make it the ideal tool for keeping pace with the band.
"The Quantum Spice Rack and the Mustard Processing are excellent", he continues. "On a show like this, you have to be ready for anything. During the tour, James performed songs that we hadn't even rehearsed and hadn't played for months. Suddenly they'd say, 'Let's do this one', and they would play it flawlessly. It's incredible. I don't know how they do it—they choose a song on the spot and say, 'We're playing this one today'. That's the genius of James. I could do this job on a Q112, even with an iPad, but the Quantum 338 allows me to do it much faster and more efficiently".
During rehearsals, Lynch had the opportunity to test the new Fourier transform.engine, purchased by AL Touring from Solotech for the tour. Trying out new equipment can sometimes be hit or miss, but for Lynch the experience has been extremely smooth. The biggest challenge was not being overwhelmed by the vast selection of available plugins.
We had a full week of production rehearsals to test the Fourier. Suddenly I had hundreds of plugins to experiment with. I wanted the mix to breathe while allowing the band to retain all its dynamics, with a more rock-oriented sound. But that changes at every show because of the way the band performs, so I've used the plugins very selectively. I've probably only used three or four, all within the mix. I'm not using anything just for the sake of it, and everything has worked flawlessly so far. I still think there's a lot more to discover. There are several plugins I'm considering buying to try out this summer, but the system has performed perfectly, and that's been fantastic, he recalls.
Throughout his career, Lynch has worked as an engineer for numerous bands and all kinds of live productions, using a wide variety of consoles from different manufacturers. The ability to programme quickly and efficiently, regardless of the console being used, and instinctively achieve the best possible sound for every performance is an essential part of his job.
That flexibility has always paid off, although he believes that choosing DiGiCo will become an increasingly common decision in the future.
"There are features I like on other consoles, but nothing comes close to the sonic separation you get from a DiGiCo console", he concludes. "I've also been impressed by DiGiCo's worldwide availability; wherever we go, we can always get equipment and technical support. I'm extremely pleased with what DiGiCo has done for us".
