KF Series For Iron Maiden's "Matter Of Life Or Death" Tour
Audio isn't usually a matter of life or death, but leave it to Iron Maiden to be the exception, with the veteran metal band's current "Matter Of Life Or Death" world concert tour driven by EAW KF760/761 line arrays, as well as EAW SB1000 subwoofers and KF750 loudspeakers. (Interesting note: In 2005, Iron Maiden celebrated its 30th year as a band.)
ML Executives is the sound company for the tour, and for the U.S. leg, they provided the house control and monitoring system while Brantley Sound of Nashville supplied the house sound system featuring EAW line arrays and loudspeakers. The tour kicked off in Europe, followed by dates in the U.S. before moving along to Japan and then returning to Europe, ending with two shows at London's Earls Court in late December.
Michael Hackman, a true line array specialist with more than a decade of experience in the genre, is the ace line array technician for the tour, backed up in the U.S. by Brantley Sound's Joe Calabrese and John Roberson. The rig they hand off each night to Iron Maiden's long-time FOH engineer is finely tuned and optimized, with Hackman noting, "this EAW line array system does a great job in terms of coverage, and also in reproducing the specific sonic signature of Iron Maiden in concert."
The tour is also notable because it's the first handled by the new U.S. (Miami) offices of ML Executives. Gary Marks, owner of the company, graciously provided us with the tour's loudspeaker system rider:
MAIN FLOWN ARRAYS
40 x EAW KF760 Line Array Elements
12 x EAW KF761 Line Array Elements
24 x EAW SB1000 Subwoofers
GROUND STACK/FRONT FILL
16 x EAW KF750 Loudspeakers
VOCAL INFILLS
6 x EAW KF300 Loudspeakers
Note that the KF750's, stacked atop the SB1000 subs on each side, were added only at the request of the band to provide them with additional "feel" of the house sound, with Hackman adding that the KF760/761line arrays are easily capable of delivering complete full-range coverage at the desired sound pressure levels at any of the arena venues on the tour. The entire system is processed using XTA DP226 signal processors, and Hackman uses the XTA WLAN "Walkabout" to do remote EQ.
For monitoring Iron Maiden uses 6 x EAW KF850 cabinets, 3 per side for vocals and 6 more full-range cabinets (3 per side) for band fills. Lead singer Bruce Dickinson uses dual 2 x 15-inch-loaded monitor wedges for vocals downstage and 6 EAW SM200 monitors on top of the set.
Here's a photo look inside the tour and system. Big thanks to Joe Calabrese of Brantley Sound for the great band and crowd images!
