Solotech RF technician Éric Marchand is currently on the road with the band. "I've been working as a touring wireless specialist for the last six years," he says. "A major tour uses so many frequencies these days, and production designs have become so demanding, you don't want to leave anything to chance."
The tour employs 10 channels of Shure Axient wireless for backing vocals and the horn section, plus four dual-channel Shure UHF-R bodypack systems on all guitars and bass. With the exception of Justin's vocal microphone, Shure gear was specified for the entire band, dancers, and much of the backline crew, who were covered by 26 channels of Shure PSM1000 personal monitors, with 24 of them running through a single pair of antennas using a series of four Shure PA821A wideband antenna combiners.
The production design of the tour is a demanding one. The concept was a completely bare stage with a huge video projection screen behind; the performers make their entrances from beneath the stage by elevator platforms. It was mandated that nothing interfere with the audience line of sight, severely limiting the options for antenna placement. A secondary "B" stage located beyond the FOH mix position offered another wireless reception challenge.
"The arenas we play are always sold out, so there was no way I could bring cables and antennas out closer. It was crucial to get good line of sight to the B stage, for both the receive antennas and the transmit antennas for the IEMs. So we designed the system to cover everything from antennas discreetly hiding in plain sight on stage. The actual wireless racks, along with me and my scanners, all live under the stage."
This tour is Marchand's first time using Shure Axient. "A friend of mine was out with Bruce Springsteen for Solotech last year. That was all Axient, and he told me it was great," says Éric. "Plus, I've been trained on Axient, so I was excited to use it."
(Jim Evans)
