English pop star James Morrison has embarked on his “20 Years of Undiscovered” UK and Ireland tour, supported by 22Live and a Martin Audio WPC system, marking the 20th anniversary of his debut album.
The system comprises up to 24 WPC elements, 12 per side, flown on single points with four grids to allow flexibility in smaller venues, with boxes able to be ground-stacked if required. Low-frequency reinforcement is provided by 12 SXCF118 18in subwoofers, while fill is handled by four TORUS T820 elements for lip fill and four TORUS T1230 elements for in- or out-fill duties.
Paul Timmins of 22Live said tour manager and FOH engineer Yaron Levy wanted a natural sound for Morrison’s vocal- and guitar-led performance, having previously used Martin Audio with Simple Minds and Ocean Colour Scene.
He said: “From there, I designed a rig that would provide the necessary flexibility for the one-truck tour.”
Chris Wilcock, system tech at 22Live, said the WPC’s 10-degree rigging angles allowed him to design a tailored system for each venue, while its 100-degree dispersion suited theatre spaces with awkwardly placed rigging points.
He added: “The WPC performance is remarkable, and it’s versatile enough to fit into venues of varied sizes.”
He also highlighted Martin Audio’s DISPLAY software, citing its use at Cambridge Corn Exchange to reduce reflections from a glass balcony front while steering high frequencies back into the audience area.
Timmins said the 12-box WPC hang was well suited to the largest UK theatres on the tour. “You might open the PA up a little more than you would with a deeper hang, but that’s where the Martin Audio system excels – you get superb vertical coverage and consistency,” Timmins added.
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