A mix of live music, storytelling and humour has enabled Robb Nash to explore issues of mental health awareness, addiction recovery and suicidal ideation with youth across North America. As the size and spectacle of the show has grown, Nash and his team have invested heavily in sound reinforcement to offer an enveloping live experience.

After a near-death experience as a teenager as a result of his own struggles, Nash dedicated himself to finding an avenue of positive emotional expression through music. Recognising an opportunity to spread a message of hope against the misunderstanding and shame surrounding mental health, he sought a larger impact for his work. ‘There’s an incredible connection between art and mental illness that drove me to do what I do now,’ he explains. ‘I realised this is something that could be shared with others to help them understand their own pain, and it was a moment that shifted my purpose away from simply being a touring rock artist.’

Remembering the ‘intervention-type’ presentations of his school days, he moved outside the box to design event that would speak to his audience on their level, and in a delivery medium that was both engaging and honest.

‘Live music is an incredible tool to get people involved, but in this setting you do have to win the crowd over because they are not showing up to the show as “fans” like a typical concert,’ he says.

‘We all remember those lame presentations from our school days – as well meaning as they can be, they often aren’t designed with the teenage audience in mind or presenting things to them in a way they can appreciate or understand.’

Initially visiting high schools, gymnasia and indigenous community centres across Canada, The Robb Nash Project has now achieved a level of popularity that sees it fill large concert halls. To date, the show has touched the lives of more than 800,000 people.

He and Steve Smith, VP of Program and FOH, take great care when selecting equipment to support the stage show: ‘Our needs often go beyond typical front of house requirements for live music because intelligibility and impact is so important to what we do,’ says Smith. ‘We want the power and impact of a live band presented in a way that is still accessible to a diverse group of tastes. Precise control of the sound quality is essential for delivering the message and it’s been very important to select the right gear for these purposes. We’re after the quality of a studio recording in a live setting, so we get the gear we need to achieve that.’

The band uses modelling amplifiers fed direct to the PA, resulting in an extremely controlled and consistent sound with a fairly quiet on-stage levels. When it comes to Jared Falk’s drums, Smith has been using the Mojave Audio MA-301fetVG large-diaphragm condenser microphones for overheads. Smith and Nash were introduced to Mojave Audio President Dusty Wakeman by mutual friend and Iron Maiden FOH engineer Ken ‘Pooch’ Van Druten. ‘Mojave was really invested in supporting what we were doing and helping us achieve the studio quality sounds we were looking for,’ says Nash. ‘He and Pooch recommended we try the 301s, and they were exactly what we needed.’

‘Bridging the gap between studio quality and live utility is something that we’re constantly exploring as microphone designers,’ Wakeman says. ‘We got dialled into the needs of Robb and his sound engineers very quickly and knew what would serve them best.’

‘Using larg-diaphragm condensers as drum overheads in a live situation can be tricky,’ adds Smith. ‘You want all that clarity and detail but it’s easy for things to become harsh at higher SPLs. What’s great about the 301s is they are super rich and clear without the need to add high-end to the EQ. The result when you feed that into a big PA is you get this incredible sound that really elevates the experience of the audience.’

Seeking to communicate with his audience on a more personal level, Nash makes time for one-on-one conversations with attendees after the show, including youth inspired by his music to perform their own on the stage, and sharing his time and knowledge with students in the classroom. ‘It really is about re-modelling behaviour for them, and teaching them that they can channel these feelings that feel insurmountable into something positive — art, music, performance, creativity,’ says Nash. ‘When you show them that possibility and see it spark something, it’s the most incredible thing.’

‘The Robb Nash Project is doing incredible, lifesaving work in a very moving and effective way,’ Wakeman adds. ‘We at Mojave Audio are thrilled to be involved in a small way of pushing that mission forward.’

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