I provide band PA in Devon for festivals, functions and wedding receptions. I provide full production services (advice, equipment and engineering labour) or can freelance for other people. I have £5M of public liability insurance (PLI).
Table of Contents
Band PA for Festival Stages
Festival stages require particular skills from the technical crew:
- Good advance preparation
- Adaptability, because things change, timings alter, and bands bring different gear
- Fast changeovers, to maximise performance time
- Experience, to get a good sound quickly
- Manners and professionalism, to keep the artists happy
- Tolerance for all manner of weather conditions
- Endurance!
I provide a complete band PA solution including all sound equipment. I can provide lighting on top or recommend a lighting provider for more advanced setups.
Festival stages often have very diverse artists. Consequently, I need to discuss your requirements before accepting a booking. However, most acts are likely to be fine unless they have very high stage volume (loud rock, metal etc.).
It’s not a problem to feed DJ acts through the PA. However, it’s not very practical for a DJ to play during a band changeover. This is because some of that time is needed to sound-check, and it can also make communication difficult.
My normal maximum is a four floor monitors (foldback) but more are possible. I can also provide in-ear monitor (IEM) mixes if the acts bring their own wired IEM amplifiers and earpieces or wireless IEM kits. Acts can remix their own IEM feeds with a phone app.
See also minimum and maximum event sizes. Get in touch for chat and a quote.
Band PA for Function Bands
The following requirements are critical for function bands:
- Being reliable and efficient
- Turning up on time and helping everyone keep to schedule
- Communicating with the band and venue staff
- Keeping up appearances for the sake of the event hosts
- Getting a good mix so that everyone has a good time!
I work with some bands who just hire me in for their bigger gigs. I can also work with bands who are simply coming from out of the area and can’t bring a PA rig with them.
See also minimum and maximum event sizes. I’d love to talk to you about your gig.
Wedding Receptions
Requirements for band PA for wedding receptions are similar to function bands, except that the event is usually longer, there’s background music to play and there’s often a call for PA for the all-important speeches.
Quite often I’m employed directly by the bride and groom, sometimes just because they’re selecting all the contractors themselves and sometimes because the reception includes performances by the family and guests. Other services can be combined, such as lighting, disco sound, and projection.
Let’s have a chat. See also minimum and maximum event sizes.
I often use iPad control so I can leave the sound desk by the stage
Choir Concerts
PA for choir concerts can turn out to be more involved than first expected. Often the wide performance area means good foldback is required. Since choirs often practice without a band, it can be a surprise how much amplification is required for the choir to match the live instruments.
If you’re planning a choir concert and need a PA system, have a chat with me early on. I can provide free advice to help.
Band PA Frequently-Asked Questions
Do you bring all the PA equipment for band PA?
I can, yes. Microphones, stands, cables, mixer, monitors and PA speakers.
Can you help us run our own band PA?
Yes, I can mix on your PA system for you, call or email to discuss. I can also explain any changes I’ve made to your configuration to help on future gigs. On digital sound desks that can be saved as a memory.
How good is your band PA gear?
I own well-maintained equipment that is typical or better than competing PA companies might send out on a job of the same size and cost. For example, many of my microphones are Sennheiser Evolution 900-series, complemented by other industry-standard choices from Shure, Beyerdynamic, Neumann etc. My radio microphones are mainly Sennheiser’s contemporary digital EW-DX series. My Nexo PA system combines their current Plus-series point-source speakers with their controllers and amplifiers for a very full and detailed sound. Not only that, but things like my cables and mic stands are premium and tour-grade, reducing faults and let-downs. Full kit list here.
How long does it take you to set up?
The first part of the set-up time is the equipment load-in, which could be 5-10 minutes on a simple, easy load or sometimes up to an hour when there are locked doors to negotiate, long corridors and lifts involved.
The second part of the set-up time depends on the size of the band, how easy the venue is to rig and how neat things need to be. A small act in an easy room could be 15-30 minutes. A large band could be 1-2 hours. If there are long cable runs or a faraway mix position or the cabling needs to be very neat (corporate jobs, smart weddings), this can add an hour or more, sometimes.
The third part of the setup will be the sound check with the band, and the time needed depends on the size of the band, how ready everyone is and event constraints. Some festival sound checks are pretty cursory, using existing settings. Singer-guitarists can be a few minutes. Four/six-piece function bands could be 15-30 minutes to get the basics done. I usually work fast to get something usable and then refine the mix either in sound check or the first couple of performed songs.
I can hire a stage technician to reduce set-up, derig and changeover time, but this naturally adds cost.
We have a big gig and aren’t confident about our PA volume and quality. Can you help?
I can also help you with your larger or more prestigious gigs but adding my PA speakers to your own mics and mixer, giving you more power and a more refined sound, leaving you to enjoy playing! This is also cheaper than if I were to bring the whole PA system.
Can you work with the in-house PA in a venue?
Sometimes! And this could save some costs. To do this, I need to be 100% confident that whatever I’m going to use is not only suitable but also working properly and guaranteed to be available. This involves some advance liaison and/or knowing the venue. If there’s any doubt, I usually insist on bringing a complete rig because load-in time is too late to make up for missing gear.