The North American leg of pop idol Enrique Iglesias’ world tour (with co-headliner Pitbull) picked up on Jan. 27 with two packed nights at the 13,000-capacity Don Haskins Center in El Paso, TX, before embarking on a long list of arena dates.
But maybe the “pop” designation isn’t entirely correct. Enrique Iglesias has been providing a high-energy show for the dizzying array of fans around the world, and at least one person knows exactly what type of show it is.
“People tell me it’s a pop show, but I say when I’m mixing it, it’s a rock show!” Brad Divens laughs. “I don’t know how the previous FOH engineer mixed it, but I like drums to have a fair amount of impact in the mix. I like to hear everything, and the fact you can hear everything and Enrique’s vocal makes for a powerful mix.”
Divens generally from the world rock, and says he didn’t really know what to expect when he got this gig, “but it’s been really enjoyable to mix on so many different elements.” The band is made up of two guitarist, bass, keyboard, drummer, a percussionist, two backup singers, and Iglesias. “Maybe the most challenging part is getting the audio over the girls’ screaming! I’m probably at 101 or 102 dB, but the audience is at 107 and 108. You can’t compete with that — if you tried, you’d hurt somebody. But again, with the L-Acoustics K1, it’s never been an issue because of the clarity that comes out of those speakers.”
In the System
The L-Acoustics system he’s referring to is a K1/KARA system with 14 K1 speakers per side for the main arrays and four KARA elements for downfill, each supported by an array of six K1SB subs flown beside them. The typical setup also included L-Acoustics K2 for the side arrays, with 12 K2s L-R, along with two hangs of 12 KARA for upstage. For front fill, there are usually eight KARA elements, positioned around the custom curved stage. The stage also featured a 56 by 8 foot thrust (LxW) that cuts through the audience to FOH. Eighteen SB28 subs were also strategically placed around the stage front, run in cardioid mode in an L-C-R arrangement.
Sound Image provided the audio system for the U.S. tour leg, and Adlib supported the tour’s overseas shows.
The system ran all digital with AES out of the Avid Profile FOH console chosen by Divens and into the Lake LM44 control rack. The FOH Avid Profile was running maximum DSP and 96 channels of stage rack.
The signal from the console was sent to stage via Dante protocol where it was zoned and distributed by Lake LM26s feeding AES signals into the L-Acoustic LA8 amplifiers.
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Divens, who hails from McConnellsburg, PA. (“a two-stoplight town”), now calls Hagerstown, MD home. He’s been playing guitar and bass in bands since he was 15, with notable success. With various bands (including Souls at Zero) on various labels, he released five albums. He ended up in L.A. trying to make a band called Back Alley Gators and when their album project was shelved, he wondered what he was going to do next.
“Every time we did a record, I was in with the engineer,” he says. “Along the way, I was also doing odd jobs for sound companies.” So in 1997, when he got a call from the manager of Agnes Gooch to be tour manager, he said, “Why not.” When asked if he could also mix the band, he said, “Sure.”
What followed is one of the most eclectic resumes in the business: Linkin Park, Cyndi Lauper, Slayer, Garbage, HIM, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, Mötley Crüe, Counting Crows, Jane’s Addiction and now Iglesias — one of the biggest Latin pop artists of all time. When pointed out that’s a pretty wide breadth of styles and genres he shrugs, saying, “I like doing different types of music.” Indeed.
“Some people have a niche with a certain type of music, but I think a lot of mixers would prefer to work with a wider variety of genres but get pigeon-holed. I have had the luxury of picking my gigs. I think it’s cool to do Cyndi Lauper right after Linkin Park.”
How Divens’ current gig came about is a musical curio: Iglesias’ musical director, Carlos Paucar, reached out to him through Facebook (of all things!), saying they were interested in trying out different engineers, and would he be game for a trial spin around the knobs. “I had done a webinar for Waves where I discussed how I handled mixing recorded and live tracks together with Garbage, and since there’s a bit of that with Enrique’s show, he asked me to mix a couple of shows,” Divens recalls. He then laughs and wondered how he got the gig at all because the first two shows were not typical: one was a record company promo for 100 people, and the second was a rich guy’s private birthday party that had him mixing from a faraway corner.
He obviously impressed.
On this tour, he’s behind his console of choice since 2007, the Avid Profile, which he appreciates for the “clean slate” factor. “I like the fact that I can make it into any kind of console I want with plug-ins,” he says. “Right now it’s a combination SSL and API. That’s the beauty of the desk: the preamps don’t lend real color for the sound, so you can make it whatever you want it to be. And it works flawlessly with Pro Tools. I’ve taken tracks mixed back through this desk and released the recordings to people! I like the way it sounds, and I like that I just turn the knob until I hear what I like.” There are a lot of talkbacks running through his board, making for a total of 64 inputs.
This show only had two days of rehearsal, so he really appreciated the virtual sound check feature, which he certainly put to good use.
The show is “very visual, very dynamic.” Right up to the moment it isn’t: At one point, Iglesias and some of the musicians make their way to the “C” stage for an acoustic set. He has to use an entirely different set of inputs for that, and admits it’s a bit challenging mixing that set from behind, but says it makes for an emotional moment. “Then they go back on the main stage and pick it up again.”
The Mix of Mics
One thing that’s different from him is that there’s more percussion than he might normally mix for. But he mostly went with what they had in place, with Shure Beta 98 AD/C’s on the bongos and a Sennheiser e604 on the big drum. “There’s a bunch of wood blocks and cowbells, and I use AT-4050s on those,” he explains. “The key is mixing it in proper conjunction with the drums.”
They are using a Sennheiser wireless system with Neumann KK105 capsules. “We’ve ran into some cities where we needed to bring an RF person out, but we’ve had a minimum amount of trouble. Every day we have to walk from the A stage to the C stage to make sure there’s no dropouts,” but other than that, there are no problems.
Meanwhile, In Monitorland
Sitting stage left and mixing for the band is Eddie “El Brujo” Caipo. While born in the Los Angeles area, his family relocated to Lima, Peru when he was five, and was exposed to music through his parent’s restaurant/nightclub. “Needless to say, audio caught my attention, and by my teenage years, I was professionally mixing bands and recording with my dad.” For 25 years, he’s been mixing FOH, monitors, and in the studio. “I love all three,” he declares. “And although monitor engineering is challenging, you get to interact with the artist directly, building trust and making sure everything is okay when they hit the stage.” He’s been with Iglesias for two years.
Caipo’s favorite digital console is also an AVID Venue Profile. “I love the flexibility, the sound, and the company’s constant support worldwide.”
Everyone on stage is on IEMs. “We use Ultimate Ears. Enrique is on UE7’s and the band on a combination UE7’s and UE11’s. Our drummer has a drum thumper. And the only speakers that we use are two wedges on the C-Stage, when Enrique does the acoustic set and brings an audience member up on stage. This allows the guest to hear Enrique when he speaks to him.”
As far as what Iglesias wants, Caipo calls it a “utility” mix. “He is very specific as far as what he needs for cues during a song,” he says. “I use snapshots and the rest I run live. He uses a lot of click especially since he spends a lot of time on the runway and the C-Stage which can have over 200ms of delay from the P.A bleeding into his mic.” He uses a click as his rhythm section, and a pitch instrument like guitars or keyboards depending on which one is dominant during the song.
“We are using some cool stuff on this tour,” he adds. “We recently swapped snare mics to Telefunken M80-SH and Brad and I loved the result. It’s clear and it has a natural crack without losing body. For the band IEM’s, I am using Shure PSM1000’s. They sound amazing and they are rock solid RF-wise. Enrique is on Sennheiser SR-2050.”
As far as processing he is using a combination of McDSP, Waves and AVID plug-ins. “I’ve been a McDSP user for many years now and one of my favorite plug-ins is the McDSP ML4000. I use it for my IEM mixes. It sounds great! It keeps the mixes tight and punchy.” The acoustic guitars are situated with the M2000, which he says is “amazing and a classic” and helps him keep them warm and clear during lead parts and it takes the mud out during rhythm parts.” On Enrique’s Vocal he uses Waves SSL Channel and SSL Buss compressor. “I love the way it sounds on him and so does he.”
Adlib supplied the sound system and technicians for the European part of the tour, though Sound Image’s Mike Sprague is coordinating the worldwide tour.
Enrique Iglesias
Crew
Sound Cos: Sound Image (North America), Adlib (U.K./Europe)
Production Manager: Andres Restrepo
FOH Engineer: Brad Divens
Monitor Engineer: Eddie “El Brujo” Caipo
Systems Tech: Jim Miller
Monitor/Stage Tech: Chris Demonbreun
PA Techs: Brooks Jackson, Bryan Naumes
Monitor/RF Tech: Chris Sharp
Gear
P.A. SYSTEM
Mains: (14) L-Acoustics K1 per side
Fills: (3) L-Acoustics KARA per side as downfill; (4) KARA/side as front fill
Subwoofers: (6) L-Acoustics K1SB per side flown; (24) L-Acoustics SB28 as ground subs
Side/Rear Coverage: (12) L-Acoustics KUDO/side as side hang; (12) KUDO/side as rear/270 degree hang.
Amplifiers: (24) L-Acoustics LA 8 per side
FOH GEAR
Console: AVID Venue Profile (96 input w/5 DSP cards)
Plug-ins: Waves Mercury/SSL Bundles; Soundtoys, Cranesong, SPL Transient Designer
MONITOR GEAR
Console: AVID Venue Profile
Plug-ins: McDSP, Waves and AVID
IEM Earpieces: Ultimate Ears UE7’s and UE11’s
IEM Hardware: Shure PSM1000; Sennheiser SR-2050
MICS
Iglesias RF: Sennheiser SKM-5200 II with a Neumann KK105 capsule
BG Vocals RF: Shure UR2 Handhelds with SM58 capsules
Percussion: Shure Beta 98 AD/C’s (bongos); Sennheiser e604 (big drum); Audio-Technica AT4050’s (percussion toys and timbales).
Drums: Shure Beta 91 (kick); Telefunken M80SH (snare top); Audio-Technica AT4051 (snare bottom); Telefunken M80SH (snare #2); Neumann KM184 (hi-hat); Beyerdynamic TG-D58C (toms); Audio-Technica AT4050 (overheads).
Direct Boxes: Radial Engineering
