In keeping with the local talent theme, Elbow front of house engineer Danny Evans worked with Manchester-based sound solutions provider Audio Alliance, who supplied all audio and communications requirements for the show at Bridgewater Hall, as well as for a relay to Manchester's waterside Castlefield area.
"We were asked us to supply orchestra sub mixes and a separate mix for the relay," explains Audio Alliance's Oliver Driver. "The main FOH mixing console was requested by Danny, a Digidesign Profile, with a Yamaha M7 on monitors, a new Digidesign SC48 desk looking after the orchestra and a Cadac S-Type mixing the final feeds to all the links."
Driver and Audio Alliance's Jonnie Asher looked after Bridgewater Hall, with Neil Hughes, Pete Stanbank, Steve Cole and several Chris's, (Snow and Wright) in charge of 24 Meyer Mica cabinets and subs on site in Castlefield, serving a crowd of over 5,500.
"It was an exciting event," continues Driver. "There were over 100 microphones to be mixed and feeds to 20 destinations, including all talkback between sites. We're proud to say that the show sounded so good it sent a shiver down the spine and passed without a hitch."
"The effort Audio Alliance put in helped to make the event a huge success," adds Evans. "The particular acoustic of the Bridgewater Hall lends itself more to the performance of an orchestra than a band. It was a challenge to get the two conflicting requirements to gel into a coherent consistent mix throughout the hall, but from the positive comments I received, the approach we took really paid off."
"We are all delighted to have been involved in this Manchester event, it made a nice change from the norm," concludes Driver. "We were even more delighted that it won such critical acclaim from so many sources, even reviews in the broadsheet and tabloid press."
(Jim Evans)
