American roots rock band Larkin Poe recently performed live at the TELEFUNKEN soundstage at the company’s South Windsor, CT headquarters, employing a complement of TELEFUNKEN microphones.
Originally from Atlanta and currently based in Nashville, Larkin Poe is fronted by sisters Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell and delivers strong southern harmonies, heavy electric guitar riffs, and slide guitar. The band will launch its 2023 international tour this month utilizing a variety of TELEFUNKEN Dynamic and Small Diaphragm Series mics. Here’s a video of the soundstage performance:
Front of house engineer Brendon Harris explains, “I’ve got a Telefunken M80-SH mic on the guitar amps right at the center edge of the cone to get that sharp responsiveness out of the amps. On Megan’s lap steel, I have the M80, and on Rebecca, I’ll use the M81. Megan’s lap steel is more of a vocal-style instrument and the M80 high-end boost allows her to cut through a little more. Rebecca is more of a driving, heavy riff guitar player and the M81-SH allows her sound to be tailored going into the board, like a built-in EQ.”
Harris continues, “What I like about the M80s in particular is they’re very responsive, while also being able to take the noise level that a dynamic can handle. So you get some of that sensitivity you get from a condenser-type mic while also getting more control and the reliability of a dynamic mic, especially in a live situation.”
Harris describes his drum miking with TELEFUNKEN, “I’m using M60s on ride and hi-hat, close under bell with the mic on the ride to get that sensitivity whenever the drummer just plays on the bell. It brings out that pinginess and energy that drives the rhythm that can get washed out with overheads. I know a lot of people don’t tend to use a close mic, but on the bell-driven songs, that mic always helps, and can handle the SPL without getting overloaded.
Larkin Poe’s album, “Venom and Faith,” reached #1 on the Billboard Blues Album chart and was nominated for the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album, and in 2022, released its sixth studio album, Blood Harmony.
Harris sums it up with his TELEFUNKEN vocal miking for the band, “I have Rebecca with an M80, Megan with an M80, and Tarka with a M81. Rebecca is a very dynamic singer. She can go from absolutely wailing to very soft and that mic is very responsive and can be controlled on a big stage or in a small club setting with plenty of volume without feeding back. On a big stage with guitar amps and drums and all that, I’m able to have it tight and controlled, especially for their in-ear monitors.”
The Larkin Poe 2023 concert tour itinerary is here.
