ADLIBBIN' AMY
Adlib Audio and sister company Adlite Productions are enjoying a hectic autumn season, including the supply of full sound and lighting production for the current Amy Winehouse UK tour.
FOH engineer Steve Pattison chose JBL's medium-sized VerTec line array as the main PA system, utilising various numbers of VT 4888 elements depending on the size of the venue. Subs are Adlib's double 18 folded horn DF3s, and the system is driven by the company's recently purchased Camco Vortex 6 amplifiers.
Monitor engineer James Neale has been immensely positive about his Yamaha PM5D - one of two purchased by Adlib for the busy autumn. Neale is taking full advantage of the onboard gates, compressors and effects, stating: "It's a very clever piece of kit with plenty of creative and practical scope." There's a Soundcraft Series 5 desk at FOH, and system control is BSS FDS-366 OmniDrive Compacts with BSS FDS 360s for EQ. Winehouse's mic is a Shure Beta 87.
LD Stuart Gray has framed the stage with three 5ft wide white legs upstage - arranged in columns, and decided on a very classical look, utilising plenty of Par cans. There are just 10 Martin MAC 500 moving lights, but they are used with great thought and impact.
Forty-eight Pars are rigged on the rear truss and 24 on the front. The MAC 500s are split between six on the back truss and four on the floor, and give the stage an element of separation, depth and contrast. It's a primarily beamy show and Gray is working with a new Avolites Pearl bought by Adlite for the tour.