Entec's Will Wright project managed and co-ordinated all the prep work for the lighting department and Mark 'Magic' Ellis-Cope did the same for all the sound elements.
Entec's account handler Noreen O'Riordan commented, "When Richard Ames requested that Entec quote for both sound and lighting equipment, I knew that this would be a show ideally suited to our equipment inventory and skills. Having one supplier really benefitted the logistics of a four band arena tour - without any tech or rehearsal day."
Will created a production design based on the requirements of all artists, two of which - The Drifters and Dionne Warwick had their own LDs in Al Johnstone and Debbie Fowler respectively. Simon Honnor was asked on-board to light Mary Wilson, while Will himself operated the board for Roberta Flack.
Lighting fixtures were designed to work in pairs or groups as this enhanced the general texturing and patterns that could be created, with 16 x Clay Paky Alpha Spot QWO 800 Spots on the back truss and eight Martin MAC 700 Washes. They were joined by five bars of 6 PARs in a nod towards the vintage warm tungsten looks that would have been the norm in the 1960s and 70s.
He added two strings of ACLs for retro rock-out and anthemic looks, "paradiddle flash moments" as he calls them - on the back truss.
The mid-truss featured a third string of ACLs together with two MAC 700 Spots and four QWO Washes.
Moving forwards to the front truss, this was loaded with another five bars of 6 PARs, eight QWO Washes and six QWO Spots, plus four 8-lites long the front rail for illuminating the audience.
Sixteen ETC Source Fours also graced the front truss as all the artists required specials, an old-skool lighting look that has withstood the test of time beautifully.
The chosen backdrop - after some deliberation agreed on by all - was one of Entec's P-light starcloths.
For control, the console was an Avolites Tiger Touch with a Payback Wing.
Working alongside Will were Entec technicians Simon Chandler-Honnor, Jonathan Dawson-Butterworth & Steve Kerwick.
Audio was specified by Entec's head of sound Mark 'Magic' Ellis-Cope, who worked closely with tour production manager Chris Gadd and tour manager Richard Ames.
The system comprised 14 x d&b J8 and four J12s per side for the main hangs with side-hangs of 10 x d&b V8 per side.
The loudspeaker arrays were designed using d&b's ArrayCalc simulation software, particular attention was focused on using d&b's new array processing for all of the arrays which optimises every speaker cabinet in the system to get a fabulous, smooth and even coverage across all the auditoriums.
Sixteen J-SUBS were arrayed on the floor, d&b Y10ps and Y7ps were used for in and out-fills.
The FOH console was an Avid Profile 96-channel looked after on the road by Geoff Curtiss. Two Yamaha PM5D monitor consoles were set up either side of the stage, as one act specifically wanted to be mixed from stage right. Entec's own Kevin Smith did the majority of the monitor mixing utilising a combination of 14 d&b M2 wedges, a Y-SUB for the drummers plus eight channels of Shure PSM1000 IEMs which were split between all four acts and backing bands.
Entec also supplied a full mics-and-stands package including a selection of Audix, Shure, AKG and Neuman KM184s and six channels of Shure UR4 handhelds for the vocalists.
All the radio elements were powered by Fischer Amps rechargeable batteries, which is saving substantial battery disposal at each gig and is one of Entec's ongoing initiatives to ensure the gig
