World - Initially billed as a “reunion tour”, Blink-182’s World Tour 2023/2024 marks the band’s 30th anniversary and first tour with original singer and guitarist, Tom DeLonge, since 2014. Given the significance of the tour, front-of-house sound engineer Charles Izzo and monitor engineer Ray Jeffrey knew there would be high expectations for quality audio during performances from both the band and its audiences around the globe. Pulling from their past experiences with the brand, the duo set their sights on a variety of DPA Microphones vocal and instrument mics.
To ensure the band delivers unbeatable sound on stage throughout the North American and European legs of the World Tour, together Izzo and Jeffrey selected DPA’s d:facto 4018VL vocal microphones for singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus. They also deploy DPA mics across Travis Barker’s entire drum kit, which features the 4055 Kick Drum mic, 2011 Twin Cardioid mics for snare and hi-hats, 4015 Wide Cardioids for underheads and 4099 instrument microphones on all other instruments, including toms and the cowbell.
“When Charlie and I got the call for this, we had to start at the very beginning, and it was on us to figure out what microphone solutions would be best,” says Jeffrey. “From my experience with DPA’s reliability when I was on tour with Lorde, mixed with Charlie’s experience with the mics while working with the band Passion Pit, we decided it would be the perfect choice for Blink-182. We initially brought in a few DPA mics and, once we realised Tom and Mark were extremely pleased, we went from there. Now, 95 per cent of the mics we have are DPA.”
When it comes to vocal mics, Izzo and Jeffrey favour DPA’s d:facto for many reasons, including its clarity and durability. “For me personally, it’s such a natural-sounding microphone, and it really does pick up every nuance and characteristic of the vocals in a very clear, transparent way,” says Izzo.
“It’s the same for me,” says Jeffrey. “I feel like they’re very flat, transparent mics, and when you decide to add colour to it, you actually hear what you’re doing; they sound great.” On the drum kit, the 4055 is especially favoured by the two. “In my eyes, it was never a question which kick drum mic we were going to use for this tour - it was the 4055 from the start,” explains Jeffrey. “I used the 4055 with Lorde, and I knew from that experience that it was a great microphone.”
“To me, the 4055 has such a big, bombastic character to it in all the good ways that you would want in a kick drum, and not in a weird, over-EQ boost way that you might find with other brands,” adds Izzo. “It just sounds like a big, natural, round kick drum that is easy for me to control, colour and characterise however I want.”
“The 4015s were also a great choice for underheads,” he continues. “It’s wild how great they sound - almost as if you’re standing directly in front of the drum kit when you listen to them. In terms of the 2011s, the snare just sounds so good with it. The attack and transient on it are unmatched.”
Jeffrey adds: “The 4099 might be the most versatile mic ever created. When it comes to sound quality, especially on toms, they don’t change the tune because they’re not heavy and weighing down the sound.”
“We have even had comments from our drum tech praising the mics’ lightweight construction and how they don’t get in the way or affect his job, and he is very particular,” adds Izzo.
In addition to their engineering for Blink-182, Izzo and Jeffrey have major experience in the industry, both with 20-plus years under their belts. Izzo has led FOH sound for artists and bands like Dashboard Confessional, Portugal The Man, Halsey and Logic, to name a few. Jeffrey has worked as monitor engineer for artists and bands like Lorde, Flume, Gogol Bordello, and Manchester Orchestra, among others.
For a full production report on this tour, see the April 2024 issue of LSi . . .
