DPA Microphones played a key role in the highly unusual Status Quo tour, which took place recently in the U.K.
With the help of DPA’s U.K. distributor, Sound Network, the band’s front of house engineer Andy May selected the company’s d:vote 4099 instrument microphones for strings and percussion as well as d:dicate 4011 cardioid microphones for percussion overheads.
The line-up was completed with three d:facto vocal microphones, which were used by band members Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt and Andrew Bown.
After nearly 50 years together, Status Quo shook everything up in 2014 with the release of Aquostic (Stripped Bare), a fully acoustic album of 25 completely reworked hits from the band.
The success of the album led to a well-received show at London’s Roundhouse, which was streamed live to BBC Radio 2 listeners. This, in turn, encouraged the band to play five more acoustic sets around the U.K.
For May, the key to delivering a great tour is ensuring you have reliable microphones. “The microphones are the first part in the audio chain, so they must provide a predictable benchmark,” he explains. “This is especially important when you are playing gigs in a variety of venues where the sound system and the acoustics may change. We had an extensive band on stage, which included a string section. The microphones I normally use were not appropriate for strings, so I decided to try DPA because they have such a great reputation in the classical world.”
While using the d:facto vocal microphone, May recognized that the most impressive feature about the mic was its ability to seamlessly handle the switch between Bown’s vocals and his harmonica.
“That surprised me,” he says, “because I usually have to change the EQ on the channel and remove some mid-high for the harmonica, and then change them back again when Andrew starts to sing. But with the d:facto, I didn’t need to change anything because it coped beautifully with the transition. It certainly made my job a lot easier. The d:facto also has a really clear and natural sound, which makes it ideal for acoustic performances like these. I did wonder what Francis, Rick and Andrew would say about using a different microphone because they have been using another brand for years, but I stuck the d:factos up at the first rehearsal, and used them for the entire tour.”
The veteran engineer also notes the performance qualities of the d:vote 4099 instrument microphones. “I had no issues with feedback or spill between the percussion and the strings,” he says. “I also loved the variety of clips for the different instruments — they worked really well.”
In the end, May was pleased to have an opportunity to try new microphones and admits that it can be all too easy to stay with what you know.
“People do get stuck in their ways and it can be hard for manufacturers to persuade an old hand like me to give something new a try,” he says. “But on this occasion, we were delivering a very different performance, so I had to experiment with different solutions. I must say, I was really pleased with the outcome.”
