A variety of Shure wireless systems and microphones were deployed for the recent 65th GRAMMY Awards show earlier this month at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, including Axient Digital wireless microphones, PSM 1000 in-ear monitoring systems totaling 28 channels with 160 P10R bodypacks, and more.
Overall, this year’s version of the event employed almost 60 channels of Shure wireless. The broadcast team included audio producer Michael Abbott, production mixer Tom Holmes, and music mixers John Harris and Eric Schilling. ATK Audiotek and Soundtronics supplied the Axient Digital systems, with ATK also providing the sound system design and implementation for the entire show.
Front of house was overseen by production mixers Jeff Peterson and FOH music engineers Ron Reaves and Mike Parker. Monitor engineers included Tom Pesa and Andres Arango, who notes, “Shure’s PSM 1000 was a staple of this year’s GRAMMY Awards. We relied on more channels of PSM than any other year before.”
“Having just completed the 65th annual Grammy Awards, I always rely on Shure microphones in creating the sound for the broadcast music mix,” Schilling adds. “Shure mics are used in several areas of our music performances, including featured performers. This year I was able to use the Shure KSM11 head on Mary J. Blige and Lizzo with great results.”
A performance of the Motown classic “Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder was captured by a KSM11 cardioid condenser vocal microphone paired with an Axient Digital wireless transmitter. The KSM11, which was released last year was also used by Smokey Robinson, one of MusiCares’ most recent Persons Of The Year who joined Wonder for a rendition of Robinson’s “Tears Of A Clown.”
Meanwhile, Lizzo took to the stage with gospel choir and another KSM11 to perform her hit “Special,” he her monitor engineer, Rico Gonzalez, stating, “The KSM11 is a new standard. The clarity helps Lizzo’s vocals stay in front of the mix with little effort.
Mary J. Blige, who provided a vocal presentation of her single “Good Morning Gorgeous,” touted a custom gold KSM11 capsule and Axient Digital transmitter that matched her wardrobe. Honoring the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, several artists paid tribute to with renditions of classic tracks, with LL Cool J performing a segment of “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” on a custom gold Shure transmitter and later, Busta Rhymes traded verses of “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” and “Look At Me Now” on an wireless system with an SM58 capsule.
Frequency coordination was the responsibility of RF coordinator Steve Vaughn of Soundtronics using the company’s RF Coordinator platform along with Shure Wireless Workbench. “Whether the GRAMMYs are hosted in Vegas or LA, I can trust Shure digital wireless to provide reliable support in the world’s most challenging RF environments,” says Vaughn. “Wireless Workbench gives me the control and flexibility these large-scale events demand.”
