SR/Live Sun, November 23, 2008

The summer 2008 concert tour by Pearl Jam that just kicked off is featuring EAW MicroWedge MW12 stage monitors deployed by Monitor Engineer Karrie Keyes to provide monitor sound on stage for several band members.

Easily one of the most influential bands of the past 20 years, Pearl Jam continues to be a top concert act, noted for its dynamic, deeply compelling live performances. The legendary band is headed by the Eddie Vedder, (lead vocals, guitar), while Mike McCready (lead guitar), Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), and Matt Cameron (drummer) generate a tight, cohesive, and truly one-of-a-kind rock sound. (Photo at left provided by Rat Sound Systems.)

The 2008 Pearl Jam tour kicked off in June 2008, with the band serving as the headline act for the Bonnaroo Music Festival. They then move on to at least a dozen shows in the Eastern United States.

Keyes has served as the band’s monitor engineer since its inception in the early 1990s, and also has worked with a wide range of other top musical acts. For Pearl Jam, the monitor system is straightforward, elegant in its simplicity, and devoid of gates, compressors, and elaborate effects packages. She notes that she has utilized previous MicroWedge models to a limited extent, but that’s changed given the significantly upgraded performance of the new EAW MicroWedge Series.

“There are two types of wedges - those that are loud, and those that sound good. Usually a wedge is not both, but the new MicroWedge is the exception,” explains Keyes. “Another big plus is that they are small. Pearl Jam and Ed’s solo tour both use a very small amount of stage space, and we’re always looking for ways to reduce the footprint on stage.”

Keyes first deployed MicroWedge during Vedder’s just-concluded solo tour, using six MW12 for opening act Liam Finn. “When I fired them up in rehearsals, I was blown away. They had power, were clear and just kept going,” she says.

As a result, dual MicroWedge MW12’s are being deployed with Pearl Jam for Eddie Vedder’s guitar mix, as well as for Jeff Ament’s mix. “I’m also very excited to try MicroWedge on the drum mix, because again, we’re always looking for smaller options that deliver top quality,” Keyes adds. “In my evaluations, I’ve come to believe this new version has the performance capabilities to more than keep up in arenas and sheds.

For more information:
EAW Home Page
EAW MicroWedge MW12