LIVERPOOL, U.K. – Adlib Audio provided sound equipment and crew for Irish alt rockers The Script on their recent U.K. tour. Adlib's Richy Nicholson provided FOH mixing duties, and is now on tour with the band in the U.S.
"They are a great band to work for," Nicholson said. "Totally into their music, very knowledgeable and informed about the technology and what it can do, and all have brilliant personalities." Ian Quinn is serving as tour manager and Colin Rogers as production manager.
In creative terms, Nicholson's sound departs from a traditional pop sonic aesthetic, accentuating their coherence as a band with a very full sound, with well balanced and clearly heard, but not overbearing vocals.
The U.K. touring system was L-Acoustics V-DOSC, chosen for sound quality and flexibility, since the tour included a variety of venues ranging from student unions to the London showcase at Hammersmith Apollo.
For the majority of shows, the PA had to be ground-stacked, which entailed a bit of on-the-spot improvisation by Adlib's crew, which included James Neale and Marc Peers.
In its largest configuration, the main hangs consisted of 10 V-DOSC boxes with 3 dV-downs plus six ground-stacked subs per side and four ARCS as front fills.
Nicholson chose an Avid VENUE Profile for FOH console, running a ProTools HDX system, multi-tracking each show so it could be played back through the console the next day to tweak the system with the band playing "virtually" live. It also offered the band an opportunity to listen to their previous show through the PA.
A standard Adlib system control rack included two Dolby Lakes for all the processing and EQ, and everything was powered via LA8 amps. Systems tech James Neale fine-tuned the setup in each venue using SMAART software.
Monitors are mixed by Paul Moore, who is now using a Soundcraft Vi6 console. Adlib sent a Vi6 to be used with band rehearsals before the tour, and after a bit more exploration, the crew chose it as their regular desk.
The band members all use Sennheiser G3 IEMs. For some onstage air movement and atmospherics, two ARCS and an SB28 sub per side were positioned upstage, plus a dV-SUB for drummer Glen Power.
Adlib's Marc Peers looked after all things in monitor world, including the microphone package, which was primarily Sennheiser with a couple of Shures.
Nicholson noted that Sennheiser was "extremely helpful at rehearsals in demonstrating their new E965 condenser mics with cardioid settings for lead singer Danny O'Donoghue – which has now become his current mic of choice."
The wired version of the same model is also being used by the other three band members, and Sennheiser have assisted in ensuring that they have the right kit to work on the relevant frequencies in Australia (their first stop after the U.K. tour) and the U.S.
Colin Rogers, the band's production manager, credited Adlib for keeping the tour "hitch-free. All of the Adlib team are among the most down to earth people I've met whilst touring, nothing is ever too much trouble for them," he said. He also credited Nicholson as "one of the best up-and-coming FOH engineers in the U.K."
The Script tour until November in the U.S. in support of their second album, Science & Faith, which includes their single, "For The First Time."
Arena dates for the U.K. and Australia are already confirmed for 2011.
For more information, please visit www.adlibsolutions.co.uk.
