Frankie Valli came to fame in 1962 and has been touring almost constantly since his early beginnings. The lead singer of the Four Seasons and the group is also the subject of the Tony Award-winning musical, Jersey Boys.
Over the past several months touring the US with its long-time client, Gand Concert Sound aka ‘the NEXO boys’ (Chicago) rolled back into ChiTown for a Valli show at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. The historic 3,900-seat theatre is the second largest concert hall in the US, second to the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.
Known for deploying NEXO and Yamaha gear for Gand gigs, the crew set up this particular theatre with NEXO GEO T line arrays and RS18 Ray Subs powered through Yamaha T5n amplifiers.
Gand placed a Yamaha PM5D-RH digital audio console at front of house for mix engineer Jim (Redford) Sanders. Joe Perona, Gand crew tour system tech who has probably logged the most hours on a GEO T in the U.S., says that Valli the long time front of house mixer loves the GEO T and remarks often that “it’s still his favorite, killer PA.”
“When it’s a Gand PA for our gigs, we always use the GEO T,” states Tim Swan, general manager, Gand Concert Sound. “This auditorium in particular is very difficult to design and fly arrays capable of enough upward-tilt to hit the “way, way up there” gallery balcony seats. GEO T’s unique kelping system enables us to get that extreme rake required.”
Gand president, Gary Gand, regarding the GEO T adds, “it’s the “Swiss Army Knife” of boxes; small enough for tight venues, yet large enough for an arena. GEO T is very ground-stack friendly as it’s light enough to stack up fairly high.”
For over 15 years, Gand has used GEO T for a large number of shows/venues and still receives many compliments from band engineers and clients about how great that system sounds.
“Even with a relatively large inventory of 106 boxes and 10 bumpers, there are multiple times every year where 100% of the GEO T inventory is out,” Gand says. “GEO T is very efficient when it comes to truck-pack; we can load 42 boxes with bumpers in just 7.5 feet; it’s the most successful system to date at Gand Concert Sound.”
A Yamaha CL5 and 48 channels of Rio stage boxes were used for monitors with Mike (MO) O’Malley mixing along with NEXO PS15 stage monitors and an LS18 (used as a drum sub), NEXO Alpha eF boxes for side fills, all powered by NEXO NX4x4 amps. NEXO PS8s with a NXAMP 4×1 were used for front fills.
Dean Egnater is PM/LD for the tour; along with Perona, Gand’s Alex Kociper is the GEO T tech. Impact Video (California, Nevada, Ontario) handled all video with Jessica Kush as video tech and Hard Hit Productions (Elmira, NY) handled lights, backline, and trucking.
