DALY CITY, Calif. — Stone Temple Pilots, reunited after an eight year hiatus, are currently engaged in a 64-date summer tour across North America with dual Digidesign VENUE systems for both FOH and monitors.
Front of House engineer Eddie Mapp is mixing the band on a D-Show Profile console, while monitor engineer Andy Ebert is driving a D-Show at stage side. Mapp, whose live credits also include Evanescence and Zakk Wylde, reports the VENUE system has been a major asset for the tour.
“I came on board with only a few days before the tour commenced,” he says. “These guys have a very large repertoire, but they’re really tight and totally professional, and I was able to just record a full-set rehearsal and use the VENUE’s Virtual Sound Check feature to work on cues and set up snapshots.”
Mapp, a Pro Tools veteran, is already conversant on the VENUE system, having trained under Robert Scovill at the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Science. “Robert brought one of the early VENUE systems to the Conservatory, and I was fortunate to learn a lot from him,” he recounts. “I’ve watched the system evolve, and Digidesign’s engineers have done an amazing job. They’ve created a system that’s exceptionally intuitive, and sounds great as well. VENUE is really the most powerful live mixing tool available. It does everything I need it to do.”
VENUE’s worldwide compatibility is also an asset, Mapp observes. “When I was on tour with Evanescence, it was great to know that anywhere we were in the world, we could count on VENUE consoles to be consistent. I’m able to carry my set on a small USB drive, plug in to any VENUE and be up and running immediately.”
He cites VENUE’s deep integration with Pro Tools TDM plug-ins as another important feature. “Being able to use the same plug-ins I’m familiar with and use every day in my own studio is extremely empowering. I can experiment with different plug-ins and settings at home and then translate them directly to ‘real world’ applications.”
The STP dates include several summer festivals, as well as a number of arenas in major cities. “We’ve got a great group of people out here who are ready to rock, so it should be a fun summer for everyone,” he concludes.
ACTION ITEM:
For more information, visit www.digidesign.com
