Amy Shark is currently on the road with her Cry Forever national tour and as usual, Matt Landers is mixing audio FOH but for the first time with an SSL L500.
“We’re going for a sound that’s essentially the record with the added impact of a live band,” explained Matt. “The show dynamics are important and I pay attention to keeping that feeling right. Most importantly the vocal needs to be clear and sit on top of the mix with a nice layer of fx to create richness and depth.”For the east coast shows, they’re touring a d&b KSL system from Eighth Day Sound. Qudos Arena main hang per side was 20 x KSL-8, side hang 16 x KSL-8, flown sub 6 x SL Sub, ground subs 8 x SL subs and 8 x Y10P for lip fill.
“Back in 2019 I used the KSL on Paul Kelly, Matt Corby and Amy tours and the performance and consistency from venue to venue, indoors or outdoors was important to me,” said Matt. “The KSL delivered each show especially in venues with sensitive perimeter noise compliance or acoustically challenging venues. There are a couple of other great PA systems out there but I like the KSL and the way my mixes translate on that box. The rear rejection off the hang is incredible and has multiple benefits. The SL sub is a monster as well.”
This is the first tour that Matt has used the SSL L500 console saying that in the downtime last year he spent a little bit of time on the Avid S6L and SSL L500 as he had very limited use of these consoles and wondered what all the fuss was about.
“I’d been using DiGiCo for a long time but was keen to learn a new product while we were sitting idle,” he explained. “I had multitrack recordings of a few artists so I’d spend time getting a show file up and running and a standard show template. During this time evaluating the console features, workflow etc. I gravitated towards the L500 because of the sonic footprint for the most part plus the uncluttered surface and general layout of the console made it pleasing to operate. There are a couple of features on the DiGiCo that I couldn’t achieve on the L500 but I’ve made workaround solutions. The SSL has definitely unlocked a new level for sonic quality for me which you’d expect from a console with an SSL badge. The routing and layout options are plentiful, oh and the faders are delicious. The SSL buss comp is at your disposal as a plug-in style insert which looks after my drum busses.”
Matt says that he is still using some outboard because he likes the instant visual and tactile function plus it sounds pretty good. His Band Buss has an API2500, a classic and helps glue the band mix with a bunch.
“Vocal buss has the SSL Fusion which I lean on the HF comp to control the top of the vocal,” he added. “The master buss has the Neve MBP via the Cranesong HEDD which is an AES insert. The Neve limiter alone on this device is very good and I use the comp as well. I haven’t been using the stereo field editor function on the MBP as there seems no need with the L500. The stereo imaging, depth of field and summing of that console is incredible.”
Matt’s main vocal rev is coming from a Bricasti M7 and all the other FX are coming off Waves Multirack via a MGB. This is a bit of a hangover from the DiGiCo days and the SSL has some decent FX and dynamics plugin options but he still likes the H Reverb, Reel ADT and the H Delay.
“I also run an analog 500 series channel strip for the main vocal consisting of a Neve 511 preamp, Neve 545 primary source enhancer and the Empirical Labs DocDerr comp/eq,” he said. “I’m taking a split of the vocal input and running copper up the core into the Neve pre. I hit the console via a local XLR socket into the insert return which I move to the top of the signal flow on the channel.”
Matt comments that the objective for any show for him is connecting the artist with the audience. A fairly standard answer but the audience want to feel connected to the artist and share those intimate moments and vice versa.
“Even though it’s an arena show this can still be achieved,” he insisted. “On the flip side, the bigger pop-rock numbers need to move air and create that overwhelming excitement of a large concert experience. Accentuating those moments adds to the vibe of the show and keeps the audience drawn in. If there’s pyro going off it usually means it’s a big part of the song or moment in the show. I want that chorus to hit just a little harder to create further impact when the pyro hits.”
For Amy’s vocal, he uses a DPA D:facto on a Shure Axient handheld saying the D:facto is a top-shelf vocal mic that he has used with other artists with great results for many years now.
The drum kit mic up is a Shure package of most of the usual suspects. He spot mics the cymbals from underneath and there’s a mic over the top of the kick drum pointing at the snare for the classic smash mic position giving the open drum kit sound which glues the kit sound together.
Boz Boaro is mixing monitors on this tour on his favoured DiGiCo SD5. The SSL stage rack (ML32:32) is utilised with built-in split outputs into the SD rack plus he’s taking a Madi stream off the SSL preamps. Boz uses some Waves outboard as well for dynamics and FX. Boz is in the top league of monitor engineers in Australia, according to Matt, and delivers a great show each night but also a wealth of knowledge and approach that adds confidence for the artist’s performance but also for Matt knowing everything is under control down there to the finest of detail.
Everyone is on IEMs; Shure PSM1000 for the RF and Shure P9HW for the band’s hardwired IEM. There are also two d&b B22 onstage for side-fill as Boz likes to use these to add direct impact onstage. It tightens up the IEM sound and feel on stage.
“Like most pop shows these days the artist spends a lot of time in front of the PA on a thrust or standing on the lip of the downstage, so there’s the obvious task of keeping the vocal loud and clear in the mix vs having feedback issues,” remarked Matt on the gig. “I don’t want to sacrifice the impact and SPL of the show because the main vocal mic is in front of the PA. There are a few tools and system deployment that help control this. Having the KSL-8 cabinets (80°) on the bottom of the hang keeps the mains off the thrust. The Neve Primary Source Enhancer also helps plus never taking your finger off the main vocal fader is usually a hot tip.”
