TEXAS

Montague to create. In total, he had five camera operators looking after a range of Blackcam Robotics tower lift cameras. “At FOH on the long lens, we have a very talented newcomer and all-rounder, Mike Flood. The standard long lens at FOH is great for him as he’s a musician in his own right, meaning he was very quick to learn the sequences and parts of each song,” commented the Director. In the pit there was Rod Williams and Gordon Davies, both on remotely operated tower lift cameras, both tracking, with Ant Barrett remotely operating the two Camera Corps Q-Balls both on separate Blackcam Robotics tracks stage left and stage right. Gareth Manicom was manning a Blackmagic URSA Broadcast camera on the upstage track and dolly tower lift. “It wouldn’t be fair to mention the camera department without mentioning Ray Gwilliams who is the disguise Systems Designer and Technical Director,” stated Montague. “Ray brings so much touring experience and expertise, problem solving and racking the live cameras during the show. Technically, he is the glue that bonds the department together and we’re lucky to have him.” Also aiding the team in the build of the LED screen were Technicians, Freddy Debaillie, Patrick Vansteelant and Daan Govaerts. The Director went on to give his opinion on the Blackcam Robotic System used during the tour. “It’s a camera system which certainly engages both sides of the operator’s brain as it allows the camera to move on multiple axis and creates visually beautiful shots,” he commented. “It’s also a system which uses less space in the pit, allowing the barrier to be slightly closer to the stage and also, without an operator physically tracking with the camera, allows for a better viewing experience for the prime front-row seats and for the band.” Another interesting aspect to the remote system was that for the show a bit of software had been written to allow both camera dollies on the pit track to ‘see’ each other, allowing the operators more time to concentrate on building the video cut rather than having to think about collisions – essentially creating a safe bubble around each camera.

FOLLOW YOU FOLLOW ME Another of the FOH crew playing a vital role in the look of the show was Xander Ballet of WICREATIONS. Prior to the show, TPi spoke to Ballet behind the large automated video screen to discuss all the moving parts up in the sky. There were 23 moving objects in total, including 12 video screen sections, five lighting pods and six FX trusses – all of which was made possible with 56 automation hoists, with the entire stage having been pre-programmed and operated within WIMOTION software and controlled via its own control desk. “I operate the show from FOH right next to Roland,” explained Ballet. As timecode was non-existent in the Genesis camp, Roland cued the moves, which were then operated manually by Ballet. The automation specialist spoke candidly about the intimidating nature of this show, especially as the production was coming into this one after such a long time away from the road. “We had a really good rehearsal period at the end of last year and then the long load-in we had in Birmingham made it begin to feel natural again,” he reflected. This show also marked a sea change for WICREATIONS, which also provided the rolling stage for the show, rather than just automation. The stage was 18m wide by 11m deep and was flanked by two offstage band platforms as well as an upstage light shelf. The entire stage, complete with handrails and staircases, could then be packed away in 12 bespoke set carts with the goal of creating flexibility along with a quick and easy stage setup. The entire project was a noteworthy one for WICREATIONS as it marked the first time the team could utilise the WIMOTION CLOUD COLLABORATION. In advance of coming onsite and during lockdown, the WI team collaborated in the WICLOUD with various expertise profiles, among them the video content designers and programmers, Ellie Clement and Ray Gwilliams. While looking skyward to the roof, it only seemed right to speak to Head Rigger, Stephen Armstrong about dealing with this large production. “The major issue from a rigging point of view was the flown weight of the upstage scenic elements including the video and lighting wall,” he began. With a wall that weighs 25.5 tonnes and a mother grid that housed five automated lighting pods weighing 23 tonnes, this was far from a light production. With all its elements, total flown show weight was 83 tonnes, hung from 134 rigging points – 48 of which were two-tonne SWL chain hoists.

“Most large arenas in the UK, Europe and North America have a roof load limit of 50 tonnes. With the addition of other flown elements, such as audio hangs, the show weight was over some building limits and so engineers were consulted and approved rigging plans that were put into place.” For certain venues, there was no other option but to reduce the size of the mother grid and in some cases take out the automation elements of the rear wall. Aiding Armstrong out on the road were fellow riggers, Mike Fowler and Tom McKay

The production team; lighting crew; automation technicians; the audio team, the video department and the carpentry department. Armstrong. “All three of us worked on the Phil Collins’ shows previously so to keep ‘Team Rigging’ together was great.”

MUSICAL BOX Prior to the house lights coming down, the audiophiles in the audience could not miss the sheer number of black boxes hanging in the ceiling. “Yes, we get a few of those comments,” chuckled Audio System Designer, Ben Phillips, who outlined from the beginning of our conversation that although there were numerous boxes in the air, it had nothing to do with SPL – “It’s all about coverage.”

Phillips has worked several times with the Genesis camp, including back in 2017 with Phil Collins’ solo tour. “We’d been working on the design for this one for the best part of a year before we moved into LH2 last year.” Although the plans had been in place for a long time, Phillips explained how they were very conscious of the current situation in the industry and understood how they would need to be flexible with the inventory. “We wanted to make it easier for everyone in what has been an incredibly difficult time.”

The PA in question – as is the preference of FOH Engineer, Michel Colin – was an L-Acoustics K1 system provided by Britannia Row Productions. The main and side hangs comprised 10 K1s and three K2s with a rear hang of 12 K2s. There was also a flown central hang of two A15s and nine KS28s. Fills comprised eight A15s, four A10s and four X8s. On the floor, 24 KS28 subs were deployed. There was also a notable delay setup, with both an inner and outer system boasting eight K1s and three KARAs, and an audience truss delay of two A10s per side. “Production has always been very generous in terms of not limiting what we can have on the audio front,” enthused Phillips, adding that the audio quality has always been held in high regard in the Genesis production. “We want to ensure that each member of the audience has the best possible sonic experience.”

The designer pointed to the central hang as a case in point for this goal. “It’s a seated audience, but if you were just to have front fills, as soon as people stand up, the sound would only make it to the first few rows, so it was vital that we had that central hang for those in the middle of the floor.”

Despite aiming for the most coverage, Phillips explained that due to the size of the show, he had to be very conscious of weight over the stage. “There is a lot of video, lighting and automation, so for that reason, we needed to keep our weight as low as possible.” One weight-saving solution was to fly the LA12X amplifiers and LS10 for each array. “Traditional amp racks were quite heavy, but these days they are really light and by flying the amplifiers, it saved us weight rather than having long lengths of heavy speaker cables that are full of copper.”

Overseeing the mix on his trusted Avid S6L, Colin spoke about what it has been like helming the sound for the milestone tour. “I’ve worked with Phil Collins for nearly 20 years and even mixed for Genesis last time they were together in 2007,” he said. “This history meant they had confidence in my way of working and made it very smooth during the build up to this show.”

He went on to highlight some of the things he had to consider when mixing such a heritage

act. “You have to preserve the original songs. In modern mixes, you find there is a lot more low end than the original vinyl, so you want to toe the line. That said, the core of the band is keyboard, guitar and drums, so in that sense it’s simple to get your head around.”

The Engineer gave his two cents on his control setup. “The S6L is a great console and very clear for me to use,” he explained. “I don’t have to work too hard to find various elements of the mix.” He also made use of numerous Waves plug-ins to enhance the mix.

“One of my go-tos has been the F6 FloatingBand Dynamic EQ.” he stated, emphasising his use of the S6L’s onboard EQ. “There’s no timecode on this show, so it’s all very much live,” he added. “Although it’s a very digital setup, it all has a very analogue feel.”

On the other end of the audio chain and manning the band’s on-stage mixes was Alain Schneebeli. The Monitor Engineer was also using an Avid S6L and, like Colin, had amassed over two decades working with this wider production. “The setup on stage is similar to the last Genesis tour apart from being one fewer drum kit, two backing singers as well as an acoustic set in the middle of the show.”

The entire band was all on Shure PSM1000 with an additional d&b audiotechnik V-SUB for the drums. As for microphones, eight Shure Radio Axient Radio systems were deployed – four with sE Electronics and the others with DPA capsules. To close, Schneebeli gave his final thoughts on the latest run. “It has not been too challenging, especially as I’m surrounded by a great team and everyone on stage is great.” Phillips agreed: “I’m eternally grateful to everyone involved. We were not all match fit after such a long time away, but Genesis has always been a band to make an impactful production and I think we held up that tradition.” THE LAST DOMINO? For a tour that seemed to have all boxes ticked as far as COVID-19 protocols, it’s such a shame that the last few dates in the UK were cut short in 2021. Thankfully the band returned to finish what they had stated, showing off this stunning production for a multi-day residency at the 02 Arena after a jaunt across the Atlantic. The Last Domino? certainly kept the band’s reputation of stellar production alive. www.genesis-music.com www.woodroffebassett.com www.negearth.com www.annavalley.co.uk www.britanniarow.com www.treatmentstudio.com www.wicreations.com www.brianyeardley.com www.csuk.coach www.the-eventsafetyshop.co.uk www.freightminds.com

AN EVENING WITH TEXAS AT LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL

Armed with three decades of material, Texas and their crew return to the touring circuit with a two-hour set boasting acoustic storytelling, stand-out production and comedic audience interaction.

Words: Jacob Waite Photos: Lorraine Connor & TPi

To celebrate the release of the band’s 10th studio album, Hi, and three decades since the release of their debut album, Southside, Texas and a rejuvenated touring crew traversed the length and breadth of UK, Ireland and Europe. TPi joined the camp eight dates deep into the mammoth campaign at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall to unearth the crew’s stories, reveal the touring tech involved, and gauge a unique insight into life on road.

“Having a consistent three-month tour is a blessing after such a difficult few years,” Production Manager, Dan Woolfie began. Having earned his stripes touring the world with Blossoms, Woolfie was parachuted in to oversee Texas’ latest campaign. On arrival, he met with Tour Managers, Derek Birrell and Mickey McElhone; FOH Engineer, Alex McNutt; and Guitar Technician, ‘Kato’, to assemble a team featuring Monitor Engineer, Mike Prosser; Playback and MIDI Technician, Joe Crouch; Lighting Designer, Edd Croft of Mangata Collective; Adlib Lighting Technician, Tom Kaye; freelancer, Harry Merrison; and Adlib System Technician, Max Taylor. Woolfie’s suppliers of choice included Texas regulars in Adlib, Stagetruck, Beat The Street, and Bittersweet Catering. “All of our suppliers are fantastic and have worked with the band on several other campaigns. Getting the lighting and sound equipment from Adlib has been particularly helpful,” he stated. “We share a long history of working together and their support and technicians are great.” The production – dubbed by Woolfie as something akin to “an evening with Texas” – saw the band support themselves with a show split in two parts. The first saw the band play the entirety of Southside with a stripped-back stage design interspersed with tales from the band. Following a brief intermission, the second half of the set was ramped up with three decades of deep cuts, hits and new material backed by increased production values. The crew loaded into each venue at 9am, with lighting first, followed by staging, audio and backline. “There is no segregation between departments on this tour,” reported PM Woolfie, who doubled as a drum technician for Cat Myers. “Everyone pitches in to get the gig rolling and there’s a really good vibe on site. The entire crew is multiskilled, adaptable and can fill in if required.” Operating with “common sense and caution” when it comes to mitigating the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic, the crew were tested daily. According to the PM, the only real challenge was the economy of space at certain venues, particularly during the theatre dates. “Thankfully, we’ve managed to make everything fit on oddly angled stages with the sightlines remaining unobstructed,” Woolfie remarked. Edd Croft of Mangata Collective handled the lighting design, based on an original concept by Matthew Button. “This has been a different kind of challenge for me, taking a pre-existing design and shuffling it about a little, but the team has been welcoming and receptive to new ideas – particularly the addition of a new floor package,” he commented. The rig boasted a backline of GLP impression X4 Bars, Ayrton Diablo and SGM P6 lighting fixtures situated on the floor and in the air, along with Martin by Harman MAC Aura units chosen for sidelight. A drape was erected halfway upstage during the first, acoustic section with the fresnels peaking over the top in addition to side light. The dynamic backlighting fixtures were hidden until the second part of the set. For control, Croft harnessed an MA Lighting grandMA3 compact, as well as his personal grandMA2 command and fader wing operating on grandMA2 software. “The band wanted the first section of the show to look more like a practice room, so I chose static, tungsten lighting, while the