A Q&A with Brandon Andreasen, assistant head of audio, and primary front-of-house engineer for Michael Jackson ONE. He oversees the mix of the show, including CueStation programming, and the maintenance of the FOH sound system. He started working on the project in November of 2012, a few weeks before load-in began.
Q. How is ONE the same or different from other Cirque du Soleil shows?
Like other Cirque du Soleil shows, Michael Jackson ONE pushes the envelope of artistic performance and technology. The show is a melding of concert, theatrical, and circus disciplines. It has the amazing acrobatics that Cirque du Soleil is known for, but also has an incredible cast of dancers performing all of Michael’s signature choreography. From a sound standpoint, the show feels more like a concert compared to other Cirque du Soleil shows. For instance, we don’t have any artists on theatrical body mic set-ups. The show is mixed like a Michael Jackson concert would be mixed, but with added system components like surrounds and seat speakers to provide a unique way of experiencing Michael’s music that can only be heard in our theater.
Q. What are the biggest challenges in running the show?
I would say the biggest challenge in running the show is that the majority of the audience already knows Michael’s music. They’ve heard these songs countless times and have an expectation of how each one should sound. It has to be perfect, and it should be for Michael’s legacy. He was an amazing artist. We have to make sure our system is performing flawlessly every show, so we can make sure we give the audience a unique experience. We have a fairly large and complex audio system, and each member of our crew works hard to make sure everything runs smoothly. As a side note, readers might normally expect RF on a show this size to be a challenge. But thanks to James Stoffo’s RF system design we have had very few wireless issues.
Q. How does the system work since there is mostly playback, and very little live (one singer and one guitar)?
The FOH console, a Meyer Sound Dmitri system, is locked to time code generated by the playback computer. This ensures that the Space Maps and other routings handled by DMitri line up precisely with the studio tracks. The live performances are then mixed with the tracks. Our guitarist plays three separate custom guitars on several songs throughout the show, and our singer uses both a headset and handheld vocal microphone at different points.
Q. What do you hear in the seats/speakers VS the surround system?
One way that Cirque du Soleil describes the show in its marketing is “immersive.” The speakers in each seat definitely help to create that immersive experience for each audience member by placing Michael’s music right next to you. The rear seat speakers support the other surround systems at times by helping to lower the image, and at other times they stand completely on their own with unique content like thickly layered background vocals or sound effects. One of my favorite things you can hear in the seats is this really great guitar riff throughout “Scream,” which is actually a sample Michael used from a Sly Stone song. There is also a center seat speaker in the back of the seat in front of the audience member. This is primarily used to lower the image of Michael’s voice and make it sound like he is singing right in front of you.
{ SOURCE: Live Design | http://goo.gl/Y9EjDq }
