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| RG Jones News Bites: |
The Return of the Orchestra 2008
RG Jones provided full touring system for the latest tour known as The Orchestra: Electric Light Orchestra Part II.
The new line-up consisted of Kelly Groucutt (bass guitar and vocals) and Mik Kaminski (violin) from the original group. They're joined by strings' arranger Louis Clark (from behind the scenes onto the stage), Eric Troyer (keyboards, vocals and occasional guitar), Parthenon Huxley (lead guitar and vocals) and Gordon Townsend (drums).
The legendary ELO concert at Wembley during the late 70's remains one of the most outstanding concerts in history. But despite the absence of Jeff Lynne, the band took to the stage to a rapturous welcome from sell-out audiences performing time-less classics delivered by exceptionally talented musicians.
RG Jones Project Manager Simon Hodge specified a system comprising of 12 x Martin Audio W8LC's, 12 x Martin Audio MAW8LM and 8 x Martin Audio W8LX subs. Control was based around a Digidesign 48channel Profile System for FOH and a Yamaha M7 for monitors. Monitor-wise there were no wedges on stage, as all band members wore in-ears. RG Jones are supplied their new Sennheiser EW300G2 6CH in-ear system
Sennheiser have pushed the limits with G2, the second generation of the successful evolution wireless series. Many new features have been added including automatic frequency scanning and a very compact design for the bodypack in-ear receivers.
Designed for rugged live work, the extremely compact SK300 G2 receiver is easy to use with the SR300 transmitter which features a backlit LCD display. Transmitter and receiver feature nine frequency banks with up to 12 directly accessible presets each. The receiver is fitted with a special Focus Mode which allows onboard mixing of two mono inputs.
Importantly, this UHF system uses band E: Range 830 - 866 MHz, so you will always have a frequency available throughout Europe (except Greece).
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April 2008
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The National Bikesafe Motorcycle Show 2008
BikeSafe is an initiative run by Police Forces around the UK who work with the whole of the biking world to help to lower the number of motorcycle rider casualties. By passing on their knowledge, skills and experience, police motorcyclists can help you become a safer more competent rider. They help you to increase your ability and confidence, so you can get even more enjoyment from riding your motorcycle.
This year, the show was held at the Metropolitan Police training ground in Hendon. RG Jones were commissioned to supply a comprehensive zoned paging system across the whole ground. A main system was required to cover the site for general announcements which included a replay facility and two high gain radio microphones with a talkback package for mobile commentators, enabling them to walk freely around the entire site.
Project Manager Andrew Williamson explained how he met the communication requirements "The commentators wanted to be heard clearly across the whole site, and also needed to be able to speak to one another and back to our FOH engineer at control, Graham McGarrick. There were times that they would be over 500m away from control so I needed to source a system that consisted of high-powered radio mics, including a high-tech talkback system and a radio microphone aerial mast that was tall and powerful enough to receive a clear and consistent signal."
Further systems for local replay and radio microphones for commentary were also required. The Air Raid FMX Stunt Jump Team were jumping through fire on the Athletics Field, so RG Jones put in a system that could interface with the existing in-house system to save on costs.
The Met Police Driving School were demonstrating their driving skills at a skid pan demonstration. A system was set up in the boot of the car in order for the driver to commentate whilst driving. However, the driver was reluctant to use the microphone during the demonstration and saved his dialogue for the end, as he said he wouldn't want to be held accountable for any bad language!
In additional to this, London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service rein acted an accident; and trade stands filled the 300m long field in the middle of the site trade selling clothing, accessories and refreshments.
A stand alone system ran a demonstration for the new bike test which will be enforced later on this year, as part of the campaign to improve the safety of motorcyclists.
The main system was a horn-based loudspeaker system, and for Health and Safety reasons we clamped these to the lampposts in order to lift all cables away from the general public. We fitted the speakers using a self-propelled boom (cherry picker).
Continued Andrew "The weather on Friday set-up day was atrocious, with relentless wind and rain. Four exhibitor's gazebos were lost to the wind, ripped beyond repair and the IAM trailer had to be caught as it made a bid for freedom across the field! Hats off to our team of engineers on site, whose professionalism and determination ensured that everything was safely in place for the grand opening on Saturday morning".
Control was based around a Yamaha DM2000 as specified by FOH engineer Graham McGarrick. "At first I wondered whether this desk was a little over the top but because of the communication, zoning and music ducking requirements I actually ended up using every input".
The client was blown away with the results and a glowing report quickly followed "When I turned up to brief the team on my vision for 'PA Heaven' I didn't hold back on my requests and they seemed happy to oblige, nothing seemed to faze them. It wasn't until I turned up on Friday did I realise what a professional outfit these people are. They were all out in the horrendous weather and were smiling away as they busied themselves getting the many systems ready. It was all secured and tested, ensuring that I was happy with the project as it was unveiled.
Over the weekend of the show I was absolutely amazed with what they had achieved. All the separate PA systems working in harmony with all the people being able to talk to all the right people at the right times too. It was all just so much more than I had expected. All the engineers were fantastic, helpful and enthusiastic and the mixing desk wouldn't have been out of place in the Rolling Stones' recording studio!
I have nothing but admiration for the staff from RG Jones. I found them so friendly and capable I would not hesitate in employing them again for the next show and to recommend them to others.
Thank you most sincerely for what you did".
www.bikesafe.co.uk
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April 2008
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New Software Hits The Spot
The playback requirements on larger events are increasing, and yet less and less time is available for on site preparation. Director and Senior Project Manager of RG Jones, Andrew Williamson and RG Jones FOH engineer for the UK Athletics Peter Key, knew they had to come up with a solution.
RG Jones latest recruit is the new computer-based audio playback machine, SpotOn.
"The beauty of this software is it's flexibility", explained Peter "we have gone for a complete package that is capable of playing four simultaneous stereo outputs - that's like having four independent players in one unit! You can set up a list of audio files onto the touch screen and configure those to play any audio file straight off a virtual button. No more frantic searching, the button will be on the touch screen in front of you. It is also very easy to import files from a variety of sources including WAV, BWAV and MP3 files at 44.1 or 48kHz sample rates. It imports material in the same way you would a computer file, rather than having to record in realtime".
SpotOn has been attracting a lot of attention and radio stations see it being used in self-op studios. David Markie has developed possibly the ultimate sound play-in tool for the TV and radio studio.
Our SpotOn package is now available for dry hire.
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February 2008
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RG's Back On The Road With A Perennial Blues Man Who Refuses To Lie Down...
Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for….it's The Return of The Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes! Wait a minute, isn't that Chris Rea standing in the middle playing guitar and singing in a voice that sounds like a well used ashtray? Yes, it is, and The Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes is the name given to a new(ish) band that Rea has put together to present his latest take on the music that has inspired him to become the artist he is today.
The more attentive of you may have spotted that the last Chris Rea tour was touted as exactly that, the last Chris Rea tour, and was the vehicle for an unprecedented live album that centred around his 11 CD magnum opus 'Blue Guitars' together with a selection of Rea classics. In the sleeve notes, Chris stated that it would be the last tour he would do as 'Chris Rea', and that his next project would involve a new band, with a new name in which he would be the singer and one of the guitarists. At the time, the band was to be called The Fireflies, and the next time Rea would be seen in public would be as a member, playing his music written for the band.
What began life as The Fireflies was soon to turn into something else altogether. Band members came and went, ideas formed and tried and either dumped or expanded on, but what became apparent was that The Fireflies was not the right shop front for what was actually being created, and what was required was actually two bands. Ever ambitious and determined to be true to his musical roots, Rea wanted to present his take on two eras of music that formed a central part of his development - the early heroes of the electric guitar from the early 1960's such as instrumental bands The Ventures and The Shadows, mixed with a dose of 60's cool and manifest as The Delmonts!, and a more serious homage to the blues heroes of the late 60's and early 70's, with BB King and Peter Green amongst the familiar references, and coming to life as The Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes. The recorded result is something special to behold and extremely desirable, coming in the form of another 'earbook' like Blue Guitars and containing 3 CD's packaged within a sumptuous book full of 60's iconography. The really authentic touch however is the inclusion of a 12" heavy vinyl version of each of the CD's, bringing back all the nostalgia of owning vinyl albums that the digital generation has so effectively diluted.
But how to approach this as a live event? The answer is actually quite simple - five excellent musicians, a series of backdrops and some appropriate audio techniques. Standing in front of a shimmering silver backdrop that looks like it's been pilfered from the Southend Gaumont circa 1961, The Delmonts! open the show with nine instrumental numbers, featuring Robert Ahwai on lead guitar with all the requisite twanginess expected of the genre. It's forty minutes of pure fun, but it is soon the turn of The Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes, heralded by the disappearance of the silver curtain and an illuminated sign appearing from the blackness. The sound of Rea's harmonica a crunchy blues riff and that voice are more certain indicators that we're moving on into familiar territory, and The Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes take us through some of the new material along with choice pieces from Blue Guitars and Dancing Down The Stony Road. Stainsby Girls is the point where we cross the line to classic Chris Rea. So three shows in one really, and the audiences certainly seem to appreciate that they get their money's worth.
As for the audio, the challenge is to present each section faithfully. The Delmonts! , if we were to be completely true to the time, should sound pretty awful, as live sound technology was all but non-existent in the early 60's. Artists relied on underpowered guitar amps and hopelessly inadequate cinema systems to get themselves heard. It wouldn't be appropriate or acceptable in this day and age however to present a show sounding that bad, and it's more about employing techniques and equipment that emulate the sounds of the time to give a feel of authenticity. RG's endorsement of Digidesign Venue consoles makes this more than possible, as the vast range of plug-ins available covers everything from vintage compressors and spring reverbs to the very best of modern signal processing technology, all faithfully reproduced down to the finest control detail. The sound of this show is all about fine detail - with the quality of input from the band being as high as any engineer could wish for, the opportunity to creatively employ the resources available to shape the sound to the era is both challenging and exciting. Critical listening and fine tuning of the Synco W8LC line array goes a long way to forming the basis of getting a great, but genuine sound. Some mic techniques that would horrify many rock 'n' roll engineers go some way to generating an open sound, and for The Delmonts! set, copious use of spring reverb is essential. The Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes require a tighter, drier sound, where simulated tape compression plays a part, and the classic Chris Rea demands the fidelity and power expected from some of the defining music of its time.
The 2008 tour covers most of Europe, taking in The Balkans, Baltic states and Russia, and then into the UK where the highlights are sure to be The Royal Albert Hall, two nights in Newcastle and two nights in Birmingham Symphony Hall. It's a long haul, but whatever he might say at the time, it's unlikely that Rea is about to stop touring just yet. His creativity just won't let him, and with some of the ideas that have been floating around, just about anything is possible!
www.chrisrea.com
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Jan 2008
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LCD Sound Systems Tour
RG Jones provided sound equipment and engineering for the LCD Sound Systems mini tour around the UK. The band has been working solidly for a year doing festivals, and had been impressed by the Synco wedges. Fred Heuves from Synco Holland recommended their UK Synco partner RG Jones, to provide a complete system and experienced crew.
RG Jones Senior engineer Steve Carr led the crew and project managed the tour alongside Director John Carroll.
"We used a Digidesign Profile at the heart of it all with an XTA speaker management system for the PA. The PA consisted of Synco W8LC minis and the classic STS system with Martin Audio subs" stated Steve.
The tour began at Manchester Academy II, which had recently been renovated and was still under construction. It then crossed to Glasgow Barrowlands, a classic "club" venue, and it finished at the Brixton Academy.
Continued Carr "The band gave us the freedom to design the system and we handed over to the bands FOH engineer, Steve Revett. We also provided Protools Recording System which allowed us to playback the previous night's recording in order to set up the system for the next night without needing to pull the full band back on stage. The Academy is notoriously difficult with reflections bouncing off the large balcony. We installed a system at that enabled us to split the venue into different zones. This allowed us to fully control the system coverage to fit the acoustic environment and put the sound where it was needed, not back onto the stage!".
Steve was especially delighted as he had actually planned to pay to go and see the show - something he would NEVER normally consider!
www.lcdsoundsystem.com
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Jan 2008
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Farewell and Welcome to Eurostar
RG Jones were commissioned to provide multiple sound systems and crew to mark the last train out of Waterloo and the first train into St. Pancras.
In charge at Waterloo was Senior engineer, Steve Carr with the support of Mark Isbister.
Said Carr "The system comprised of L'Acoustic Arcs (chosen for their directionality in difficult spaces) commanded by a Digidesign D-Show. This desk is perfect for this event as there are so many outputs at your disposal and it's really easy to patch things on the fly as changes are thrown at you throughout the day".
It was a long day, open to the public and they weren't disappointed; Lilly Allen put on an amazing performance.
Over at St. Pancras, Director and Senior Project Manager Andrew Williamson had his hands full. The RPO were the main attraction with other stages providing talent from various choirs, bands and dancers from the capital.
Said Andrew "We provided an L'Acoustics system comprising of 12 XT's and SB115subs. Paul Stannering did an outstanding job mixing the show on a Digidesign Profile chosen for its exceptionally small footprint"
Ironic really, as the whole idea of the station is to create a large functional space where people aren't smashing into each other all the time as they rush to catch their train!
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Jan 2008
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New Year Celebrations - 2008
RG Jones were contracted to provide complete public address crowd control systems across London for the New Year Celebrations.
Horn-type loudspeakers are clamped to street lampposts providing coverage across the key firework viewing areas including; Waterloo and Westminster Bridge and the Embankment. Further systems were installed in Parliament Square, all street entrances to Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square.
RG Jones Senior Project Manager and Director, Andrew Williamson has been involved with this job year in and year out for as long as he can remember; "Due to the nature of the work in pedestrian areas, the majority of the rigging has to take place overnight to reduce risks to the general public. My crew were outstanding, having to work at speed in difficult situations, we were using a truck-mount boom for the overhead work and needed to put in a traffic management system to protect the crew and the hoists. Each year the requirements and the restrictions increase, the crew need to be diverse and thorough and not averse to wearing a full set of long-johns…it really does get very cold indeed!"
And so despite the rigours of long days, extremes of temperature, traffic management and the unavoidable road-rage attacks suffered as a result, the indomitable RG's boys and girls kept up their new year spirits - well done chaps, and keep up the good work!
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Jan 2008
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Glastonbury Festival to Glastonbury Abbey
Having proved that they can handle world's greatest rock festival stage, RG's went back to Glastonbury for the other great musical event to be hosted by Somerset's most alternative town, The Glastonbury Extravaganza at Glastonbury Abbey.
Run by Michael Eavis (of Glastonbury Festival) for over ten years, Glastonbury Abbey Extravaganza is the new format for what used to be the "Classical Extravaganza".
Set in the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey, there have been many memorable performances. This unique event has grown in stature over the years and is already a high spot in the musical calendar of the South West. It's a real occasion, with fireworks, lights, candelabra and picnics.
With acts ranging from old friends the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, to Corrine Bailey Rae, Paulo Nutini and Ray Davies, the three day event is a far more gentle affair that the Festival at Worthy Farm. It also seems to get the best of the weather too - Three days of fine sunshine blessed the event, and a crack team including Mark Edwards, Simon Honywill and new girl Laura Yensen delivered a seamless service for Dick Tee's production. In a ridiculous display of how confused the industry is about technology, both digital and analogue control systems were provided to satisfy the demands of artists old and new.
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October 2007
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RG Jones in Total Production Magazine
The September 2006 issue of Total Production magazine featured a fabulous four-page 'anniversary special' feature on '80 years of RG Jones'.
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September 2006
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