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[Panu Koskinen]

Hello,

A band I'm working for as a FOH/MON engineer has been booked to open for a world-known artist in a notably big arena production for one show. I've done this once before with the same band, but with a different main act. This time I would appreciate some input beforehand. 

Because the band I mix performs mainly in medium-sized clubs, I do monitors (all IEM's) from FOH.

Last time prior to the gig we were notified that no own equipment shall be brought in, and the supporting act (us) must perform with the equipment provided by the techs of the main act.  There was only one problem: There was no chance for me to mix monitors and FOH with the desk provided by the main act in the FOH position. I can't be in two places (FOH and MON) at the same time so I had to come up with something.

At the shop I packed basically everything so the only things I would need at the venue was a power outlet and an input feed to the main PA-system.

Arriving to the venue I met up with the main acts monitor engineer. I explained the situation and that I have a complete set of equipment with me and my role being a FOH and MON engineer simultaneously there would not be any other easier way than to use my equipment. He agreed after a short rundown of my equipment. Only thing we had trouble with was finding free frequencies for our IEM's from their IEM frequencies.

I then carried my X32-console beside the main acts Avid desk and setup everything onstage. We got a decent soundcheck (30 min) and a changeover with a very fast local stage crew, and had everything in order for the show. The show went well and everyone was satisfied.

Before, during and after the show every tech I talked with or saw was kind of weirded out by my actions. I couldn't tell if in a good or bad way.

Being a newbie especially in big productions, how do these things usually go down? Do the supporting acts have their own technicians and do they use their own consoles/tech or is everything usually provided by the main acts tech crew? What can you expect and/or request as a technician for an opening act?

From my understanding it is not uncommon for a supporting act to pay for a chance to open for a bigger act, and usually the circumstances when working with a bigger act require humbleness.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

thanks,

Panu

[Bob Leonard]

Never count on the main talent to provide anything unless you work that out well in advance. The exception being if the venue is providing the sound.

[Steve M Smith]

I don't know about large stadiums and arenas, but for the shows in larger theatres and mid size festivals which I have been involved with here in the UK, it's usually the event promoter who pays for the sound system.

And it doesn't matter if the band is a local pub band playing covers, playing the early evening opening slot or an internationally famous band headlining, they will get the same effort and attention to detail from us to get a good sound.  Anything else would be unprofessional.

It's in our interest as everyone knows that if the band sounds good, they get the credit, but if they sound bad, it's the sound crew's fault!

What has always surprised me is that the bands who bring their own engineer put him at FOH.  If I was in a touring band and had one engineer, I would want him on monitors and I would trust the local guys to do FOH.


Steve.

[Bill Schnake]

Hello,

A band I'm working for as a FOH/MON engineer has been booked to open for a world-known artist in a notably big arena production for one show. I've done this once before with the same band, but with a different main act. This time I would appreciate some input beforehand. 

Because the band I mix performs mainly in medium-sized clubs, I do monitors (all IEM's) from FOH.

Last time prior to the gig we were notified that no own equipment shall be brought in, and the supporting act (us) must perform with the equipment provided by the techs of the main act.  There was only one problem: There was no chance for me to mix monitors and FOH with the desk provided by the main act in the FOH position. I can't be in two places (FOH and MON) at the same time so I had to come up with something.

At the shop I packed basically everything so the only things I would need at the venue was a power outlet and an input feed to the main PA-system.

Arriving to the venue I met up with the main acts monitor engineer. I explained the situation and that I have a complete set of equipment with me and my role being a FOH and MON engineer simultaneously there would not be any other easier way than to use my equipment. He agreed after a short rundown of my equipment. Only thing we had trouble with was finding free frequencies for our IEM's from their IEM frequencies.

I then carried my X32-console beside the main acts Avid desk and setup everything onstage. We got a decent soundcheck (30 min) and a changeover with a very fast local stage crew, and had everything in order for the show. The show went well and everyone was satisfied.

Before, during and after the show every tech I talked with or saw was kind of weirded out by my actions. I couldn't tell if in a good or bad way.

Being a newbie especially in big productions, how do these things usually go down? Do the supporting acts have their own technicians and do they use their own consoles/tech or is everything usually provided by the main acts tech crew? What can you expect and/or request as a technician for an opening act?

From my understanding it is not uncommon for a supporting act to pay for a chance to open for a bigger act, and usually the circumstances when working with a bigger act require humbleness.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

thanks,

Panu

Panu, I have done this a few times when working with a Regional Act that opened for National Acts.  I always made arrangements to bring the mixer that I was use to using for the opener, M7CL-48, and taking a Left/Right line to use as output to the headlines board.  This way you only use two channels of that console and you don't ever have to re-patch the house system.  Next you will need your own lines to run from house to your mixer, this also should not be a problem.  Finally, put your bands in-ear rack next to you so you don't take up valuable space in monitor world.  As far as mics/DI's/cable, the company providing the PA should have all of this in place for you.  You should never have to do anything on stage except for verifying that your band is pinned to the system correctly.  This should all be easy to arrange by a simple call to the sound company providing the PA for the main act.  Make sure that you provide them with a written detail input list for your band so they can be prepared.  This is how we do it and it seems to work.  The key is communication and advanced notice.

Bill 

[Mike Appleby]

Panu,

This is Mike Appleby; former FOH engineer for Olivia Henken who appeared on the recent season of "The Voice". Throughout my tenure as Olivia's engineer she was invited by several festivals to open for national acts. At each festival, the last being an opener for The Charlie Daniels Band, the production company providing sound always provided everything for the opening acts...to include a monitor engineer. Most the production companies that I had the pleasure of learning from used an M7 CL touring console (digital of course) and already had the headliner dialed in. So, all the resources available to the headliner were also available to the opening acts. The production companies all had a pre-determined set of drum mics, guitar cab mics, direct boxes, and vocal mics set aside for the opening acts. If a band had their own FOH engineer, (like my case)  then the production company FOH engineer would step aside and let you play with their $30,000.00 console. You couldn't mess anything up because the headliner's sound check was already saved. The production company engineer would simply load up a template on the M7 and I would tweak it for a tight fit with Olivia and her band based on my personal knowledge of their likes and dislikes. I never had to worry about the monitor mix because the production company monitor engineer took care of them. Charlie Daniels has his own private engineer who goes everywhere he goes. I expected this guy to be really stuck up, but he turned out to be extremely cool and he took me to "school" during the show. I  left with a new respect for the real pros doing FOH.  Best wishes in the future!

Mike

[Tim McCulloch]

Charlie Daniels has his own private engineer who goes everywhere he goes. I expected this guy to be really stuck up, but he turned out to be extremely cool and he took me to "school" during the show. I  left with a new respect for the real pros doing FOH.  Best wishes in the future!

Mike

Charlies's FOH is Bobby Workman, and you're right, he's very friendly and helpful.  He's one of those guys that has a great balance between the science of audio and the art of mixing... and he'll gladly demonstrate any of his techniques if you ask. 

@ Panu-

If your artist is opening for an act of high national stature or who performs internationally things are pretty much as Mike and Steve indicate, at least in the USA, Canada, and Western Europe.

The equipment you will have at your disposal kind of depends on who is paying the bill, and directly or indirectly that is the promoter or presenter of the event.  In this situation the promoter is paying for production and that should include a FOH mixer and a monitor mixer with operator.  It should include a mic package of popular and common professional microphones, stands, and DIs.

Perhaps the reason you got the odd looks is that those people didn't perceive a need for you to bring your own console, and I'm a bit surprised the monitor situation wasn't dealt with promptly, but again that depends on whom is paying, and for what.

In my world of short runs and one-offs in 2000-7000 seat facilities, we see a lot of acts carry a complete package of monitor mixer, IEMs, mics and accessories and a mic splitter with fan out to the production snake.  IOW, they're completely self-contained except for a FOH console/snake, speaker system and amplification.  For acts that carry their own FOH mixer I'm content to repatch system drive or route support act consoles through the headline act's mixer if they desire or allow; it makes no difference to me but probably 90% of band engineers prefer the repatch.  We fully expect to provide 100% of any act's needs unless we're specifically informed otherwise.

I think the next step would be to contact whoever hired your band and find out who the production technical contact is (production manager, etc).  Let him/her know your band's needs and your concerns and allow the provider to offer a solution and see if it will work.

Have fun, good luck.

Tim Mc

[duane massey]

Communication. Read the contract/rider, but don't assume it is current, or is really the way it will be. Try to actually have a conversation with someone that is directly involved with the production.

In the mid 70's we were booked to open for Supertramp, and the contract was very specific: opening act was not allowed to use any of the audio system, other than 2 channels on the console. Opening act was to provide their own mics, monitors, consoles, etc. We made the drive to San Antonio, arrived at the venue before our scheduled time, and proceeded to wait for 3 hours while Supertramp did a sound check, followed by one of the players experimenting with a new effects unit onstage. We were finally allowed access to the stage, rushed in with all of gear, set up, did a monitor check, and then waited for the FOH guy to come back. When he did, he was dumbfounded: none of the opening acts on the tour brought in their own gear, they were allowed to use most of the existing equipment, and who the hell told us to do this? He was actually very nice, but we learned to always call and verify.

[Jay Barracato]

What Tim says goes to the root of my experience as a band tech.

This might seem obvious but it works to your favor: providers that are used to bigger shows, national acts with riders, and opening acts are IMHO more used to having visiting techs on their systems.


Nothing screams small time to me like the "nobody mixes on my system but me" attitude you sometime find in this business.

If you understand your role as an opener, and can establish your credibility with the technical crew during the advance, and have your part of the show well designed and up to professional standards, you will find almost everything can be negotiated to some degree.

I remember at least two shows where the production company had come up short a FOH board or channels, once due to weather damage and once due to a headliner refusing to share. Both were going to do what production companies do and rent one. In both cases they were happy when I said, in advance, don't bother I have one on my truck.

That is the give and take of having a plan and following through with the technical advance.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

[John Chiara]

I always approach it weighing the options on how to do my show while making as little "changes" for the house crew. I have an act where only the lead vocalist needs an in ear mix....the house crews can always handle that from the supplied monitor console and I can get by without extra setup at FOH. The whole show is set up for the headliner. I would make myself as easy to deal with as possible at every turn.

[Mike Appleby]

The most important thing that I have found over the years working with the "big boys" as a small time little guy is proving the production company with a stage schematic/template during the advance. Sometimes that means giving them a piece of paper the day of show or ideally, emailing the stage template well in advance. The nice part about working with the big boys is the promoters usually contract the same production company in a particular region for the summer festivals, so you get to develop a good relationship with them over time. The difficult ones to work with are the really big touring acts that have a dedicated production company that travels with them. It's like a box of chocolates and you never know what you are going to get. It's rare, but I do run into some FOH engineers that are so stuck on themselves that you can't even get within 100 ft of their console. To add insult to injury, they go out of their way to make you feel small time by giving you 50 sq ft of their prized stage, 5 mins to setup a mon mix, and 30 seconds to sound check. If that's not good enough, too bad. The last insult is the production manager saying "okay, now go over there, stay out of everyone's way, stay away from the tour bus, no...you can't meet the artist...and we'll send for you when we need you."  This is life at the bottom. I love it!!!

Mike

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