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Florence + The Machine’s witchy indie-rock tour has mesmerised audiences around the world. But what about the AV helping to tell this story of survival? Words Oliver Webb THE SCREAM
current US tour, both configured with 80° dispersion. Kleiner is accompanied by PA techs Anthony Dean, Sascha Stevenson and Lukasz Szatarow. “While achieving even coverage across the floor, we minimise the level on the thrust stage as much as possible,” he says. “This is important not only to reduce feedback from Florence’s microphone, but also to lower the noise in her in-ear monitors (IEMs). We do this while keeping the sonic image aligned with the stage perspective.” He adds that the production design’s large video screen and long thrust posed a potential threat to clear audio. “The video screen changes height regularly and its size and position can shade the acoustic summation points between left and right. This could result in poor frequency response towards the far
underline how long-term relationships contribute to a successful production. Kleiner explains how an outstanding show depends on three essentials – reliability, flexibility and consistency – that together shape an ideal listening experience. The system is designed around Cohesion CO12 arrays for the main and side hangs, while CO10 units handle the rear hangs. Low-frequency reinforcement comes from flown CP218 II+ subwoofers arranged in a cardioid set-up, supported by CP218 ground subs spread across the front in ultra- low-frequency mode. Front-fill coverage is provided by CP6+ self-powered speakers positioned along the front edge, as well as an additional CP6+ put at the tip of the thrust. Delay systems vary by region, with CO10 arrays used in Europe and CO12 arrays on the
have a lot of talent to work with.” Welch’s emotive vocals are heard through a DPA 4018V capsule, and Madix admits he tries to keep things relatively simple. “I try to use what’s in my desk,” he says. “It comes down to familiarity and workflow, and this desk integrates well with Pro Tools. I like how flexible it is – I build layouts for every song, so everything I need is right in front of me, but the goal is to automate as much as possible in the background so I can focus on her vocals. That’s always the priority.” YOU’VE GOT THE LOVE Alongside Madix, systems engineer Elad Kleiner has worked with the band since 2018, and is consistently brought back as a trusted systems engineer. His experience with the tour and deep knowledge of the speaker system both
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