Adlib handles Hozier’s tour of UK and Europe

Liverpool-based production specialist Adlib has kicked off a busy 2016 touring season with a number of top artists including Hozier, for which they provided audio, lighting and crew for the recent UK and European tour.

Hozier has had incredible global success with the release of single Take Me To Church and debut album Hozier, which has been certified gold and platinum in the US.

Adlib’s sound team of Sam Proctor and Terry Smith worked closely with production manager Sue “Duchess” Iredale, tour manager Jake Ryan Foley and FOH and monitor engineers Gavin Muddiman and Darren Dunphy.

An L-Acoustics K2 system was specified for all the UK shows, and for the two largest European venues, Amsterdam Heineken Music Hall and Brussels Forest National, Adlib supplied a larger K1 system. All the shows were sold out and highlights included three back-to-back performances at London’s Brixton Academy.

The standard audio configuration for the larger UK shows was 12 x K2 speakers a side with 8 x SB28 ground stacked below, together with four ARCS2 a side for infills and four KARA across the front of the stage for lip fills. The system was picked to provide plenty of volume and an even, clear sound for each of the rooms, which were modelled using Soundvision software.

The speakers were all powered by L-Acoustics LA8 amplifiers – 12 per side – and signal was distributed via AES with analogue backup on one of Adlib’s digital return systems. This featured four Lake LM44s at FOH and two LM26s onstage, running via a Focusrite RedNet D16R connected via a TAC4 fibre multicore.

The Avid Venue Profile FOH console was also supplied by Adlib, and Hozier toured their own stage package, including IEMs and a compact Yamaha CL1 monitor desk.

Adlib supplied one of their MP3 subs as well for a bit of air movement behind the drummer, powered by a Lab.gruppen PLM 20K amp and run into their monitor system.

Completing the setup was a full support package – opening for the UK dates was Irish girl trio Wyvern Lingo – which included another Profile console onstage. Both Avids were fitted with Firewire cards so the show could be multi-tracked each night. Wyvern Lingo also had their own IEMs, which dovetailed with a full Adlib line system onstage.

The challenge, explains Proctor, was adapting to the acoustics of the different venues, but Adlib saw K2 as the ideal solution, being a powerful and lightweight box to get around any potential weight issues, and also capable of being closed up to ten degrees for tight focusing that avoids balcony edges and other obstructions.

Phil Kielty, Adlib’s client manager, commented: “Duchess trusted Adlib to deliver a stunning live show for Andrew (Hozier) and we pulled out all of the stops to ensure that both audio & lighting met the relevant briefs. Seeing the live show, the raw talent of Andrew, the band and also Wyvern Lingo was so incredibly refreshing. It sounds clichéd but they really have created a genuine touring family … and we are lucky to have been part of the experience.”

http://www.adlib.co.uk