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ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, January 17, 2008 — In a high-profile tour that
demonstrates the versatility and unmatched performance of JBL Professional
VERTEC® line arrays, leading audio rental company Audio Analysts is currently
providing the live sound system for the Blue Man Group’s “How To Be A
Megastar Tour 2.1.” The world tour, which included a January 12, 2008
performance at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA immediately preceding this
year’s Winter NAMM show, is expected to continue through May 2008.
The Blue Man Group tour is a traveling version of the renowned theatrical
production show that combines music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to
create a unique form of entertainment. The main performers in the production,
the “Blue Men,” are silent characters who use a variety of unusual materials to
create musical tapestries that have also spawned three successful albums. The
production is also supported by a full live band that plays throughout the
performance.
Audio Analysts has provided the live sound
system for the “How To Be A Megastar Tour
2.1” since the tour began in September 2006.
Now in its fourth leg, the tour has already
played in countless venues throughout
North America, South America and Canada.
Audio Analysts, a longtime user of JBL
loudspeakers, has employed VERTEC line
arrays throughout the entirety of the tour.
Ross Humphrey is The Blue Man Group’s
dedicated Front Of House Engineer. Chris
Hoff leads the Audio Analysts crew as Crew
Chief/System Engineer, along with Matt
Fitzgerald, Monitor Engineer for Audio
Analysts, and Rick Procopio and Brian Post,
Audio Analysts’ PA System Technicians.
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According to Hoff, the unique nature of the production has posed some equally
unique challenges. “There are a lot of unusual instruments being used, including
several made of PVC material, so there are some gain before feedback issues that
you don’t normally see with conventional instruments,” Hoff said. “With the
VERTEC line arrays, we have good rear rejection and don’t have a lot of SPL
coming off the back of the boxes, so gain before feedback is not so much of a
problem as it would be with other line arrays.”
Audio Analysts’ system for the tour includes a total of 92 VERTEC enclosures, all
powered by Crown I-Tech amplifiers. The arrays are configured in a left/right
arrangement consisting of 16 VT4889 full-size line array elements per side and
additional left-left/right-right arrays of six VT4889 elements each for increased
horizontal coverage. Additionally, 32 VT4880 full-size arrayable subwoofers
provide extended low-frequency support. Two arrays of two VT4887 compact
line array elements provide near-throw, downfill capabilities for the system.
The system is easily reconfigurable to be scaled to the needs of each venue.
“The arenas that we play range in size from ‘A’ market to ‘B’ market venues, so
flexibility and scalability of the system is important,” Hoff added. “Sometimes
we don’t have the trim height that we have in other arenas, but with VERTEC we
can easily scale the system down with good results. We are using JBL’s new
VERTEC v4 DSP presets, which give us even more flexibility depending on the
size of the room and the array. Considering the style of the music and the way
the mix is approached, this has proven to be a very effective tool.”
“Blue Man Group is one of the most popular and unique live productions in
entertainment today,” said David Scheirman, Vice President of Tour Sound, JBL
Professional. “The deployment of VERTEC line arrays by Audio Analysts is a
good example of how many of the concert sound industry’s most innovative
system providers continue to benefit from VERTEC’s easy rigging and classleading
audio performance for demanding tour sound projects around the
world.”
For more information on Audio Analysts, please visit www.audioanalysts.com
or call 888-632-8855.
About JBL Professional: Headquartered in Northridge, California, JBL Professional is the world’s leading
designer, manufacturer, and marketer of professional loudspeakers for recording
and broadcast, musician, cinema, touring sound, commercial sound and
contracting applications. JBL Professional is the proud recipient of the 2005
Technical GRAMMY® award. JBL Professional is part of the Harman
International network of professional and consumer audio companies. For
complete product and company information, go to the JBL Professional website
at www.jblpro.com.
About the Harman Pro Group: The Harman Pro Group (www.harmanpro.com) is the world’s largest provider
of professional audio products and system solutions for commercial sound,
contracting, tour sound, recording and broadcast, musician, portable PA and
cinema applications. The Group is headquartered in Northridge, California and
includes industry leaders AKG Acoustics, BSS Audio, Crown International, dbx,
DigiTech, JBL Professional, Lexicon, Soundcraft, and Studer. The Group is part of
Harman International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE: HAR), a leading supplier
of high-quality, high fidelity audio products and infotainment systems for the
automotive, home and professional markets.
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