Led by vocalists Michael Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs, Fitz and The Tantrums combining multiple musical styles into their high-energy live performances. ‘Each show is a kaleidoscope of sound and a non-stop dance party demanding fan participation,’ says FH engineer Aaron Glas. ‘Each band member is a force to be reckoned with and you just can’t take your eyes of Fitz and Noelle.
The American neo soul/indie pop group has been touring the world using a Soundcraft Vi3000 digital console and Realtime Rack. The past two years’ tours have been in support of their 2013 album, More Than Just a Dream. ‘The production design for the show is fantastic, where the album art is recreated live with video content into an enormous set piece,’ Glas adds.
Matching the visual impact of the performance, Glas is using the Vi3000 and Realtime Rack to good effect: ‘The Vi3000 shares a Compact Stagebox with the Vi1 at monitors, so it’s really efficient. We don’t have the need for an analogue split or analogue snake, and it’s worked very well.’
While the eclectic nature of Fitz and The Tantrums’ music is one of their distinctive qualities, it also poses a series of challenges for Glas and the sound team. ‘The band can change vibes quickly: they’ll move from an old Motown sound to an electronic synth-y feel, and I need to be able to switch instantaneously to keep the sound consistent for the audience,’ Glas explains. ‘The snapshots on the console help me with that. I also make changes on the fly right along with the set list and even during different verses and choruses within the same song.’
Prior to becoming the FOH engineer for Fitz and The Tantrums, Glas handled monitor duties for the band, and notes that audio quality is the main reason he has chosen Soundcraft consoles for both roles: ‘Soundcraft consoles always sound incredible compared to other digital consoles out there,’ he says. ‘I’m also really enjoying the Realtime Rack. Universal Audio makes the best-sounding plug-ins and now I have an entire library at my disposal. Being able to set it up with the touchscreen and make changes on the fly is a tremendous advantage.’
Another challenge is the differences in vocal range and style between the band’s two lead singers: ‘I have to keep up with their dynamic ranges and movements of Fitz and Noelle on stage,’ Glas says. ‘That’s where a cool plug-in chain comes in handy. Before using the Realtime Rack, I had an analogue plug-in chain with a series of compressors and EQs. Now I can achieve the same result – or better – with the plug-ins.’
More: www.soundcraft.com
