SD8 controls Take That tribute

News

Andy Barrett Jun 26 2009, 11:06am

Extensive Never Forget theatre show now on tour with Digico

After a successful initial UK tour a run in London’s West End, the Take That tribute musical, Never Forget, is now undertaking a further, far more extensive, tour of UK venues with the Digico SD8 console at front of house.
This is the first theatre production on which sound designer Richard Brooker has used an SD8, which he chose because it immediately addressed a range of the challenges that provincial tours inevitably throw up.
“As a sound designer, I have been quite faithful to established analog theatre consoles like Cadac,” he commented. “But, as associate sound designer on Mamma Mia, I was looking after a Digico D5T and was very impressed by it.
“I also designed a production of Jesus Christ Superstar in Spain last year, which used a D5T12. I got on fine with it and was very happy with the results, so when I heard about the SD8, I thought it sounded very interesting. At the same time, I was looking at ways to make the Never Forget tour cost effective, flexible and easy to move.”
Brooker paid a visit to Digico’s Surrey premises to get acquainted with the console and had the opportunity to take one on tour as FOH engineer for Elaine Paige.

“I loved it,” Brooker continues. “Sonically, the results were great and it convinced me that here was the solution for Never Forget. The only issue was making a console designed for live music work from a theatrical point of view. But it’s a very flexible desk and is working very well in the theatre environment. It does everything that I want.”
For Never Forget, Richard is utilising 54 inputs, via a stage DigiRack,10 matrix outs, 10 aux outs and a further 16 outs from an Aviom card for band monitoring. The system also uses a local 16 input mini rack and a few of the ins and outs on the desk itself.
“From a sound design point of view I’m proud that I was the first to spec the SD8 for a proper theatre show. And, as well as the ongoing UK tour, I’m hoping that the Spanish and Dutch tours of Mamma Mia! this summer will also take out SD8s. Watch this space!”

01372 845600