Ellie Goulding’s recent high-profile UK arena tour saw Adlib providing DiGiCo mixing consoles and Sennheiser radio mic systems, along with an L-Acoustics K1/Kara loudspeaker system – plus new K2 elements as side hangs for London’s O2 Arena.

Adlib has served as audio supplier for Goulding’s live work for some time. Tony Szabo (KSE) was Systems Engineer for the K1 system as specified by FOH engineer Joe Harling, with whom Adlib has also worked on Lana Del Rey. James Neale on monitors and Production Manager Rebecca Travis were joined by Michael Flaherty and Steven Montgomery as audio crew members.

The main system for the two-week tour comprised 14 K1 elements a-side with four Kara downs as the main LR arrays, with side hangs of eight K1s and four Kara downs, together with a centre cluster of four Karas. Szabo initially suggested the centre cluster – installed conveniently on one of the lighting trusses for the European theatre tour preceding this arena run – to improve the front of stage coverage and increase the gain-before-feedback that would have been an issue if relying on covering that area with standard infill cabinets.

It made a signisicant difference to the quality, power and dynamics of the overall sound, and so they extended the concept to the larger spaces – the extra effort required in rigging each day proved worthwhile.. The system was designed to be adaptable so it could be individually tailored to each venue on the itinerary.

Front fills was provided two Kara and four Arcs boxes per side. The tour also used four Arcs2s, which were flown on their sides as an upstage hang to cover the 220°/230° seating angle. The subs were 16 L-Acoustics SB28 boxes, arranged in an LCR configuration.

As the largest arena, the O2 saw the front hangs increased to 16 K1s with the same four Kara down fills. Adlib had just taken delivery of its second batch of K2s, so the side hangs both comprised six K1s with 12 K2s underneath.

Using the K1/K2 combination gave an neat and streamlined array as the speaker width is the same, with the signature K1 sound packaged in a medium sized cabinet with wider dispersion and lighter weight. For delays at the O2, two hangs of V-Dosc boxes were positioned level with the FOH mixer position to cover the top level of seating. All the elements were driven by L-Acoustics LA8 amplifiers, with Lake LM44s at FOH as a matrix and LM26s either side of stage distributing signal to the amp racks via Dante – keeping the signal in the digital domain from the DiGiCo SD10 console at FOH to amp world.

At FOH, Harling had a Waves server interfaced with the DiGiCo SD10 to manage his Waves effects, and a DiGiGrid Madi-to-Cat5 interface, which was used for recording and playing back the show, primarily to provide a source for virtual sound checks. Adlib had bought two DigiGrid MGB interfaces especially for the tour to allow both Harling and Neale to record each performance.

Neale mixed the monitors using a DiGiCo SD7 console, with eight band mixes plus Goulding, all of whom used IEMs with their custom JH Audio moulds. Adlib supplied a Sennheiser EM3732-Mk2 radio system with SKM5200-Mk2 handheld microphones and MD5235 capsules which was combined with the band’s own mics, including Sennheiser SKM2000 handhelds. Goulding’s mic was fitted with a DPA d:facto II vocal mic capsule.

A four-way Sennheiser 2000 IEM system was provided for the backing singers complete with Westone UM Pro 20 IEM headphones.

The system was a match for Goulding’s lively and energetic performance, her animated band and for highlighting her vocal style. James Neale has worked with Ellie Golding since 2010 and also has a long standing and highly productive working relationship for and with Adlib. He reports that the service the Liverpool-based company was ‘excellent’.

‘We’ve been fortunate enough to work with Ellie Goulding for nearly five years now,’ says Adlib Director, Dave Jones. ‘She is an outstanding artist and multiple award winner with a growing fanbase worldwide plus a great team around her. The O2 show was a particular highlight for many fans and the industry alike – and it’s fantastic for Adlib to be part of such a passionate group of people.’