Unflappable Mix
As we climbed the steps to the top of the media platform, Nathan mentioned that I was getting the best seat in the house. He wasn’t kidding.
From that lofty vantage, the stage was straight in front of me, and as I turned to either side, I could see well past the coverage area – in fact, the Atlantic Ocean was clearly visible on the Surf Avenue side beyond the Coney Island carnival rides.
On the platform, I met front of house mix engineer Mark Fiore at a Yamaha LS932 digital console selected for its overall versatility and small footprint.
Fiore has worked the past several contests, and told me during one of the rare quiet moments that he even uses some vacation time from his “real job” as a busy New York area mix engineer for the privilege.
“Mark’s an excellent mix engineer, and just as importantly for this show, he’s unflappable,” Nathan mentions as Fiore peers intently at his cue list during the brief morning run-through with Shea that serves as the only rehearsal prior to show time. “As you can see, it’s an exceptionally hectic situation, and Mark’s ability to stay cool and deliver anything needed very quickly is a big key in making this work.”
Recorded tracks for playback are a big part of the festivities come contest time, where Shea does an introduction of each contestant over their own theme music. All tracks are provided by two Qlab systems on a networked terrabyte hard drive in addition to residing on the PCs at front of house, so there’s redundancy in case of any problems. System tech Bryan McPartlin is invaluable in helping keep this and myriad other details in check throughout the process.
Downright Fun
Bruce Robbins serves as monitor engineer, manning another LS932 console from his position behind stage right. He provided mixes to up to 12 dBTechnologies DM12 monitor wedges that were moved around the stage to accommodate the various acts and activities as needed, in addition to supplying program to several dBTechnologies K70 compact loudspeakers built into the set.
Shea uses an Audio-Technica 4000 Series wireless system, and this is also the choice for other spoken word participants in the proceedings.
“They’re great in terms of gain before feedback and overall SPL,” Nathan notes. “It’s also usually really hot out here due to the direct sunlight, and these systems have proven they don’t mind the heat. We’ve had some other systems that were impacted by it.”
As the event unfolded, it dawned on me that Nathan was right – this wasn’t just unusual, it was downright fun to behold. He’s worked with top acts dating back to his start in Liverpool and Manchester in the late 1960s, been a part of sound designs for high-profile events like the Grammys, Academy Awards and Super Bowl, worked with ProMix on a wide range of corporate/industrials and theatrical productions, and yet through all of that, this one still stands out to him. I must concur.
Enjoying the best seat in the house, I was treated to a one-of-a-kind cultural experience, and heard every note and every spoken syllable cleanly, clearly, and in the context of the event. The best part was that the 40,000 or so other folks on hand, who weren’t in the best seat, heard exactly the same thing.
Keith Clark is editor in chief of ProSoundWeb and Live Sound International.