Features

Frankfurt, Germany became the capital of the pro audio, lighting and music technology world as Prolight + Sound (5 to 8 April) and Musikmesse (7 to 10 April) came to town. It definitely sparked some controversy, as this year’s fair launched a new concept where PL+S would begin two days before Musikmesse. Previously run concurrently, the two 4-day shows would only overlap for two days, leaving some manufacturers scurrying to decide whether they would have to run two separate exhibits or pick one show and hope for the best.

When recreating a vintage vibe, looks are everything. A Beatles cover band loses a lot of the visual impact if the Ringo portrayer is playing a Simmons hexagonal electronic kit, John has a Flying V, Paul plays a Steinberger headless bass and George is shredding on a B.C. Rich Warlock with demon graphics. The same applies to theater, where even the smallest anachronisms can spoil the scene, shattering the illusion that the director is trying to project, especially in a period piece.

From January 21 to 24, the 2016 Winter NAMM Show welcomed a record number of exhibitors and registrants to Anaheim, CA. And while entire sections of the rest of the country were snarled in blizzards and ice storms, the sunny skies of Anaheim shone on, as a record 1,726 exhibiting companies (including 409 new exhibitors) brought the entrepreneurial spirit to life. Meanwhile, this year’s NAMM netted 101,736 registrants — a 2 percent increase over last year’s record-setting event.

Nashville’s not just where tours start anymore. It’s become a major performance destination.

Nashville has become the main hub of music touring in the U.S. The metro area offers everything from the lights and the LD and the sound systems and the system techs to the buses and the drivers. Oh, yeah, and there are a few guitar players, too. Ironically, what it wasn’t for the longest time, was a place where touring acts came to perform. As the local weekly put it, “There was a time — and not all that long ago — when it seemed like almost every big tour or vanguard emerging artist skipped Nashville.”

Here’s the factoid that sums up Nashville nicely: When we started putting this sponsored section together in November, Nashville ranked 20th on the list of fastest growing cities. Today, in February, as we went to print, it rates fifth. Any one calling Nashville home there will not be surprised by this meteoric rise, pointing to the good (opportunity) and the bad (occasional L.A.-like traffic snarls). And who is living there? Why, production companies and live event personal, of course. Among the dreamers and those in our business seeking a piece of the explosive growth, plus an affordable place to live and raise a family. It’s not just country music propelling this growth – rock, metal, pop, and everything else imaginable is increasingly based or starting tours out of the Music City. In addition to that, there’s this: 70 percent of the North American population is within a 12 hour drive, making it extremely advantageous to warehouse here.

Audio professionals are not easy people to buy gifts for. If they’ve hung out in the right circles, they probably have all the Mini Maglites, Velcro cable wraps and Swiss Army knives (in every configuration) they’ll ever need. With that in mind, here are some essential — and highly useful — items any sound reinforcement pro would appreciate. Simply tear out this page, use that Sharpie on your lanyard to circle what you want and leave this lying around where the right person can find it. So in no particular order, we present the official 2015 FRONT of HOUSE gift selections for the well-accessorized sound tech — whether yourself or someone on your crew.

PARIS — In what became a real-life Friday the Thirteenth, coordinated terrorist attacks on November 13, 2015 at the Bataclan theater (a popular Parisian music venue), and also at a local stadium claimed the lives of 129 innocent people — including the band’s merchandise manager and the venue’s lighting tech. Another 350 were wounded with nearly 100 in critical condition, so the death toll could rise in the days to come. Meanwhile, major stadium concert cancellations by U2 and the Foo Fighters followed in its wake. The incidents mark the worst terror attacks in French history.

Nothing is as simple, basic and essential in the live event arena as the amplifier, and no one powered the business quite as well as Pat Quilter. He founded QSC Audio, proved that clean, reliable amps are possible, and he did it with genius, hard work and an astounding work ethic.

Production/Tour Manager Traveled the World with  Queen, Madonna  and Others

When speaking of the earliest days of what we now call “live event touring,” those who lived it often refer to it as “the Wild West.” That makes Chris Lamb, who is still never without boots and a cowboy hat, one of the original cowboys.

Six Regional Audio Providers Make it to the 2015 Parnelli Ballot

The readers of FRONT of HOUSE have voted, and we have six finalists in the Parnelli Awards Hometown Hero category for the hardworking death-defying audio companies that cater to five U.S. regions and Canada.