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Sennheiser Mics the Choice for 2007's Top-Grossing Tour - The Police
The 30th anniversary reunion tour of The Police is poised to be the top-grossing concert tour in history. It has already taken the legendary band through Canada, the United States, Mexico, South America, and Puerto Rico, and will continue to round the globe in 2008 with dates in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, China, Japan, the USA and Europe. The band relies on Sennheiser vocal microphones, wireless guitar systems, and G2 wireless personal monitors to convey every nuance of the songs their dedicated fans have memorized note for note. The band's sound engineers rely on Sennheiser's unrivaled system of global support to ensure that each performance is glitch-proof.
Frontman Sting began using the evolution e 865 wired vocal microphone on tour even before Sennheiser officially introduced it in 2001. The first electret condenser microphone in the evolution Series, the e 865 is both fidelity worthy of Sting's renowned voice and has the ability to handle his intense SPLs. For backing vocals, Andy Summers is using the same vocal mic, while drummer Stewart Copeland is using a Sennheiser HSP 2 headset microphone paired with an evolution wireless G2 bodypack. Although some consideration was given to using a standard vocal mic, Copeland and his engineering team decided on the Sennheiser headset as it allowed the drummer the freedom he required during the show along with a very good sound clarity.
The Sennheiser SK 500 G2 instrument transmitters on Sting's bass and Andy Summers' guitar send some of the most memorable riffs in the history of music through the air to Sennheiser EM 550 G2 true-diversity twin receivers. The most golden-eared listener would be challenged to find any sonic elements lacking, even when set against Copeland's hard-wired drum kit, where Sennheiser and Neumann again play an important role. Neumann KM 184 small-diaphragm condensers are positioned at overhead locations on cymbals and various percussion instruments, such as bells, as well as on the snare bottom. Sennheiser MD 421s pick up the tympani.
Of course, top-tier monitoring is required to put on a show with the dazzling technical perfection and emotional punch for which The Police are known. Monitor engineer Ian Newton commented, "The Sennheiser evolution wireless ew 300 IEM G2 personal monitors have provided a faultless performance throughout the tour. I'm using the Clair Bros helical antenna with the Sennheiser AC 2 antenna combiner for them." Although the band relies mainly on ear monitors and would be able to perform with them alone, Newton complements them with stage wedges and a ButtKicker on Copeland's drum stool to raise the on-stage SPLs so that the music not only sounds right to the band but feels right as well. Ian also added "the support we receive worldwide from Sennheiser has been first class and is a very important part of working with the products."
According to Billboard's figures, the 30th Anniversary Tour has been incredibly well-received by both fans and critics alike. Playing to more than 1.8 million people worldwide, the tour has grossed in excess of $212 million as of mid-November and continues to garner stellar reviews.
In picture: the 30th Anniversary Tour of The Police was the top-grossing tour of 2007 - and poised to become the most successful concert tour in history. (photo: KS M Management Inc.)
2nd April 2008
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