Sound engineer Chris Bergstrom, who since 2013 has been responsible for the evolving live sound of rock group and fellow Portlanders The Dandy Warhols in addition to working regularly with the Oregon Symphony, has assembled a collection of Campfire Audio in-ear monitors that he says help him to be prepared for wildly different audio concepts in both live and studio situations.
In working with singer and lead creative director of The Dandy Warhols, Courtney Taylor-Taylor, Bergstrom collaborates to provide a “larger-than-life” experience. Taylor-Taylor has creative intent regarding the sound for every song, record, and period, and he often alters the sound for live performances to deliver a new experience that differs from the recorded version.
To accomplish these effects, the engineer and artist conduct virtual playback from the front of house console. After Bergstrom records the sound check, he’s joined by Taylor-Taylor so the pair can mix the live show together in each venue. This offers the singer transparency in hearing how his vocals/guitar will sound to the audience while also permitting Bergstrom to save scenes, drive the delays and other techniques.
The symphony, on the other hand, doesn’t require any additional changes like reverbs and delays because the goal is to translate live sound reinforcement of what is being played on stage to the audience. However, Bergstrom uses the virtual playback method with the symphony as well. “This experience was mind blowing for them to hear the full orchestration without needing to be on stage. It allows the musicians to connect with what the audience is hearing as opposed to just guessing.”
Given Bergstrom has different consoles to accommodate the different spheres of sound that he mixes, he depends on IEMs from Campfire Audio, Solstice and Equinox to provide monitoring consistency. “I’ll have a different console on the upcoming tour in Europe, so I used one that we have to practice and get comfortable with before we fly over. I take my Cascades, Solstice, and Equinox everywhere with me for various reasons.”
On tour, he’ll have a wireless pack from the stage to hear commands and use for mix reference with the headphones for SBL, PFL soloing, and checking various elements individually for sound check, and during the show. Recently, the Oregon Symphony performed on the waterfront in Portland and Bergstrom mixed that broadcast Live to FM for the first time. Using a dual output console he was able to use Solstice in one ear, and Equinox in the other and headphones separately and ensure all the levels were in line.
With a wide array of applications, Bergstrom has adopted several Campfire Audio models for both personal and professional use. For recreational listening he prefers Equinox, noting he can get lost in the music. “They have a very pleasant boost and with no outside sound interfering it’s easy to escape.” Solstice is his choice for final reference in the studio and FOH mixing because of their accurate low end response. “Especially when there isn’t an ideal mix position at a venue or similar situations where it’s difficult to maneuver I’ll align the mix bus with the distance from the PA to eliminate an echo slapback. Then with one in and one out, I can hear the house and make accurate judgments.”
Bergstrom found himself doing more studio work during quarantine in his home studio set up and a plethora of tracks in the vault to work on. The Dandy Warhols distributed a living “world-tour” collection of 52 tracks releasing one song a week (available now on bandcamp) that he had previously recorded from live performances from around the world. His preference has shifted to IEMs over loudspeakers for studio work, which he’s noticed is becoming more common in the industry as technology advances.
“Over the years, accurate audio has become increasingly important to me. I don’t use the term ‘good audio’ because it’s so subjective,” he says. “Accurate audio is what I need. Using in-ears and headphones for reference, I want to know this is exactly how it was meant to be presented to me and then I can use my judgement. Unless it’s required for a specific project, I don’t appreciate it when a piece of equipment adds its own flavor.”
