STEVE MILLER’S BINGO, 2010
Thanks to its close association with Milwaukee’s Clearwing Productions Inc, Entec was awarded the contract to supply both lighting and sound for American blues rock legend Steve Miller’s hugely successful UK and European tour in autumn 2010, showcasing his 16th studio album, Bingo!
Production manager Brett Enzensperger was looking for an operation that could deliver a competitive production package for sound and lighting, and Clearwing identified the perfect solution. Said Brett: “I asked Clearwing’s Gregg Brunclik who I should use for production in Europe, and Entec was the clear choice. Gregg knows the standards I expect from a rental company, so I knew that Entec would fit the bill and the service has been superb. Noreen O’Riordan not only co-ordinated the sound and lighting kit, but also sourced buses and catering, which saved me a lot of time and a large phone bill!”
The sonic dynamics on the Bingo! Tour were matched by an exciting visual presence with lighting designed by Norm Schwab of Lightswitch – operated by Randy Garber from a grandMA full-size Series 1 desk – and a guitar-orientated stage set by Rob Roth. The stage ambience was designed such that the music remained the main focus with the lighting balanced between theatre and practicality.
Uplit with PixelLine 1044 LED battens, the main set drape featured a constellation of guitars, some of them edged in small LEDs plus two other set drapes that curved up from stage right and left, also inlaid with guitar cut outs/pictures, laced with twinkling LEDs for which Entec supplied a 10V power supply. The central scenic element was a 4ft high guitar headstock with Neoflex LED strings.
The set trusses were made from two spans of Minibeam that were rigged with Vari*Lite VL2500 Spots and Martin MAC 700s on drop arms. The upstage lighting truss was 40ft of double hung pre-rigged truss with 10 bars of PARs, plus MAC 700 washes and a VL2500 Spot in a straight line. The front (A-type) truss contained VL2500 Spots on drop arms, Source Four profiles and four 4-Lite Moles. A floor package included PARs on vertical stands, MAC 700 washes and additional VL2500s.
AUDIO ABRACADABRA
Sound was a collaboration between Entec (racks and stacks) and Clearwing (control). Systems tech Liam Halpin headed Entec’s sound crew and worked closely with Clearwing’s head of sound, Thomas Martinez, to ensure that FOH engineer [and Miller’s manager] Scott Boorey had everything he needed.
Liam configured Entec’s d&b J-Series array, Q-Series side hangs and J-SUBs daily, subsequently fine tuned and time aligned by Thomas. Scott used a Midas H3000 for his mix, while monitor engineer Steve McCale preferred a Digidesign (Avid) D-Show Profile. The monitors were all in-ears, primarily the band’s own Sennheiser SR2000s. Only one d&b M2 wedge was requested for the keyboard player. The set up also included a ProTools HD recording facility.
Liam Halpin and his ‘number two’, James Kerridge, echoed the lighting department’s comments that the tour was a fun and enjoyable experience.
