latest news headlines

The Police Nab Sennheiser At The Grammys

There were no sirens or flashing lights, but the return of The Police to the stage at the 49th Annual Grammy Award Show, following a 21-year layoff, was certainly arresting. Just seconds into the telecast, with audience members still heading for their seats, Sting shouted into his Sennheiser e865 vocal mic, "Ladies and gentlemen, we are The Police, and we're back," and the band launched into "Roxanne," perhaps their best-known song. Stewart was on the HSP4-EW headset and an SK500G2 bodypack. Andy was on an e865 as well.

The Police were just the first of a succession of artists on the telecast using Sennheiser wired and wireless microphones, many of them also making use of Sennheiser RF in-ear systems. Beyoncé, Gnarls Barkley's Cee-Lo Green, Shakira, Rascal Flatts and a host of presenters and award winners benefited from the Sennheiser equipment shipped in for the show by RF guru David Bellamy's Soundtronics Wireless and the show's longtime production sound supplier, AudioTek Corp, or brought in by the artists.

Beyoncé, a longtime Sennheiser fan, treated viewers to "Listen," from the "Dreamgirls" film soundtrack, using the Sennheiser SKM 5200 wireless handheld with a Neumann KK 105-S capsule. Shakira brought along her Sennheiser SKM 3072 wireless handheld mic for a Bollywood-style performance of "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean.

Gnarls Barkley's appearance was something of a fashion non sequitur with the entire band dressed in pilot's uniforms as they performed a rather courtly rendition of "Crazy," complete with orchestra and choir, and Cee-Lo Green singing through his custom gold-plated Sennheiser SKM 5200 handheld with a Neumann KK 105-S capsule. Philip Bailey used the same combination when R&B legends Earth, Wind & Fire, six-time Grammy winners, took the stage for a special segment with Ludacris and Mary J. Blige.All three members of Rascal Flatts, taking part in an extended tribute to The Eagles, performed through the Sennheiser/Neumann hybrid wireless vocal mic.

Presenters, who included Jamie Foxx, Joan Baez, Seal, Reba McEntire, Ornette Coleman, Natalie Cole, Rihanna and David Spade, heavily favoured Sennheiser SKM 5200 wireless handheld mics. Over forty each of the Evolution Series e602II and e902 wired microphones, as well as ten e935 and four Neumann KMS 105 microphones and 16 channels of EW300IEMG2 units, were additionally on hand for performers.

Dave Bellamy of Soundtronics who handled the RF for the show commented: "Our company is heavily vested in Sennheiser wireless. In fact, it's the staple of our wireless inventory. During the Grammys, the Sennheiser wireless did exactly what it’s supposed to do." In addition to microphones, RF Grammy technician, Dave Rickmers from ATK AudioTek reports that he deployed a pair of A5000-CP antennas for the Sennheiser in-ear systems being used by some of the artists. "The antennas are circularly polarized, which is essential for personal monitors, and they're small enough that we could sneak them onto the stage. They covered the stage as well as the hall, which was good because some of the acts performed on the alternate small stage in the middle of the audience. The A5000-CP antennas provide a good combination of wide coverage and gain and are an asset to the ATK arsenal.

In a tip of the hat to "American Idol," this year's show included a competition, "My Grammy Moment," in which viewers voted on which newcomer would duet with Justin Timberlake during the telecast. Previews of the segment during the show and video clips online all featured the three finalists performing in the studio wearing Sennheiser HD215 headphones. Winner Robin Troupe's video submission is posted at www.Grammy.com.

In picture: The Police joined a stellar list of opening acts with their "reunited" performance at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 11, 2007. The five-time Grammy winning band, led by frontman, Sting, and Andy Summers on guitar both using Sennheiser e865s and Stewart Copeland on the new Sennheiser HSP4-EW headset kicked off the evening singing one of their biggest hits "Roxanne." Photo: Getty Images.

News Type:

latest news headlines

The Police Nab Sennheiser At The Grammys

7th March 2007

HEADLINES

news archive

search stories