latest news headlines
Metallica Tours with Massive JBL VerTec System
Maverick Rock Gods Metallica completed the European stadium leg of their ‘Madly In Anger’ world tour using one the largest ever touring JBL VerTec line array systems.
The system was supplied by UK-based rental house SSE, totalling 128 VT4889 elements. These were split across two identical systems - Black and Blue – that leapfrogged across Europe, ensuring the band’s gruelling itinerary was serviced by the very best of production values throughout.
Metallica’s sound engineer, ‘Big’ Mick Hughes, has been working with the band for 20 years. He’s the longest serving member of the crew, which also includes monitor engineer Paul Owen – a mere ‘pup’ on the team with 17 years under his Metallica belt!
Big Mick first heard the VerTec system whilst in Japan engineering Slipknot, and immediately realised its potential for stadium work. He used it again in Australia when Metallica played The Big Day Out in January 2004, and decided that was the system he wanted for the Euro stadiums.
The standard configuration for this six-week section has been two main hangs of 18 VT4889s, two side hangs of 12 elements each and a centre cluster of 4 for front centre fill. With 180 feet between stacks, the VerTec has impressed everyone in terms of power and coverage, which has been so uniform that they didn’t need any delays. The five elegant VerTec hangs are so subtle and blended into the stage set that they’re almost imperceptible to the eye – remarkable for the enormous volume of noise produced!
Big Mick mixes using a Midas XL4 console. Metallica’s VerTec system is processed by BSS Omnidrive Compacts under wireless SB2 control with Lake Contour system equalisation. The Omnidrives contained the new Thiele crossover filters, which Big Mick thinks enhances the VerTec sound yet further. Amplification was Camco and Lab.gruppen.
Big Mick likes many things about VerTec, a major advantage is the low-mid bass which is great for guitars and drums. He also thinks its tenacious high end is absolutely perfect for the megawatt maelstrom of sound required for metal bands. “Mixing Metallica is more about capturing latitude,” he explains. “The sound needs to be powerful and raucous with a hard edge to bring out specific sonic details . . . and, of course, good vocal pressure is essential.” He’s finding it no effort at all the get the vocals over Metallica’s extreme sonic thrash barrier.
No delays means a quicker set up and get out for everyone, and the compact size and weight, and extremely easy rigging capabilities of the VerTec are all practical advantages for large shows.
Big Mick collaborates closely with his FOH assistant Scott Minkley, who also rates VerTec highly in both practical and aesthetic terms. In Europe they’ve been working with two teams of five audio technicians from SSE, who’ve also supplied one complete set of monitors and control, plus the two complete VerTec systems. (The other control and monitor set up has come from Michigan-based Thunder Audio, the band’s US tour sound vendors). Paul Owen is also VP of Thunder Audio, and is about to invest in a large quantity of VerTec for his own hire stock. “It seems a universally good choice of system to have available,” he says.
The Metallica tour returns to the US and continues until the end of November, when it will end after 21 months on the road.
6th July 2004
HEADLINES
news archive
search stories
FOOTNOTE: Select the news type you require in the red band above; this will enable you to see the current news stories from that section
© 1999 - 2012 Entertainment Technology Press Limited News Stories
