Live sound at Nacho’s Dick’s last concert
It’s not easy to keep the Kitarshokak news blog up to date…
On June 20th, I had the pleasure and opportunity to provide live sound service for Nacho’s Dick’s last concert. The singer, Aitor, is leaving the band and was the only original member. The band members are considering continuing with another singer and a new name, thus a new beginning. The concert was in Amurrio outside the Biderdi bar.
Sound tech who usually works with them couldn’t make this job, so they suggested if Kitarshokak could do the job. I considered it a bit because, to be honest, it’s not something I’m trained in, but it’s an environment that appeals to me and one I enjoy, and it broadens my overall knowledge of the comprehensive musical services I provide. I like to have a global perspective, diverse experiences…on a macro level and also on a micro level, in detail if possible, so I can help, advise, teach…under almost any premise in the musical field. Also, a couple of years ago I had the opportunity to do another concert with three bands, and I took a big risk in pursuit of a great sound, and I succeeded with one band. But since I was not conservative, I ran into a big problem because the singer sang very softly and everything came through his microphone, causing constant feedback issues. It seems that we learn the most from our mistakes. I had a thorn in my side and it was a way to get it out or try it too, a small-big challenge.
For this, I also had to bring my equipment, which, while not state-of-the-art, is quite handy and capable of delivering a wide frequency spectrum. A 12-channel XLR Soundcraft Spirit mixer was the mixing console, just what was needed, no more, no less. The speakers were 1″ and 12″ EVs plus 1×15″ Musicsons, all driven by a Dynacord L1000 power amp. With these, I create a three-way system on each side, which I really like how it performs, especially for small gigs like this one. I brought practically all the microphones that live needs it with me, except for the vocal mics, which the band brought, and the monitor speakers and in-ear systems, which they also provided, although I also brought RCF 310s just in case.
We were running short on time, but little by little, we put everything together like a puzzle. Finally, six mics for the drums, one mic for each guitar, a DI for the bass from its amp, and three vocal mics, exactly 12 channels busy.
We did the test, and it sounded promising. Honestly, we did a lot with a little. I helped them adjust the amps a bit, EQ’d the output a bit, and it was great! The mix between what was coming out and what they had in was a great match. We were ready to go.
The live went very well, and before I knew it, we were almost done. With a bit of experience with the band, there were aspects I’d fine-tune, and obviously I’d do the same with my own, always constantly improving. While the concert was playing, I wandered around the audience to see how it sounded, and suddenly, a guy approached me and asked where the band was from. I told him the band was from Bilbao, and I was from Eibar. He told me it sounded great and that he was the resident lighting technician at Santana 27, and that his name was Gontzal. I was very happy with the sound, but that also confirmed it, coming from someone with so much experience. The previous thorn was being removed.
When I finished the concert, I spoke with the band, and two of them told me: one that he’d heard it better than ever (and we only had two aux only on the mixing desk!), and the other that they’d sounded better than ever. He’d gone outside to listen to the rehearsal and thought it was the best sound they’d ever had. Maybe it was the excitement of the moment? The fact is, I was super happy with everything that had happened there, and it motivates me to keep learning, taking risks, failing, improving… and enjoying it when something sounds so fulfilling, like it did this time.
And a concert like this doesn’t start and end on the day of the concert; it starts beforehand, checking that all the equipment is in good condition, etc. as you can see in the last picture.
