With The Boy Who Played the Harp, singer, songwriter, musician and producer DAVE made history as the first British rapper to debut three consecutive albums at UK No.1. As a pioneering force in grime (an EDM subculture originating in 2000s London) since he was just 16 years old, his latest record explores themes of faith and fame, the impact of which sold out UK/EU arenas and produced an elevated live show featuring guest appearances from James Blake, Tems, Kano and Stormzy.

Production Managed by Paddy Hocken Productions, the tour was serviced by Skan; a powerful PA system design, production-wide communications, and the production IT rack, while Hz Audio supplied the control package and mix crew.

Impactful Dynamic

Skan Systems Engineer Finlay Watt explains that consistency is key with any PA, but for DAVE's dynamic sound, moving from delicate, intimate moments to high-energy numbers, the audio design, facilitated by Skan's Matt Vickers, needed to keep up.

"DAVE 's music has a very distinct tone that naturally ebbs and flows," begins Fin. "It can feel gentle one moment, and then hit quite hard the next, but whatever he does, it's always impactful. The system we have in place manages the expectation of his show; his fans can be very loud, yet with the slower songs, the crowds are respectful, partly I think, because it's such a spectacle."

The d&b audiotechnik PA system features GSL main hangs, KSL side hangs, XSL rear hangs, Y10P front fills, and SL subs. All flown boxes utilise d&b's ArrayProcessing (AP) technology for increased accuracy and enhanced venue coverage.

The system design also carries boxes of KSL as delay arrays, acting as extended coverage, which is particularly important given the show design's large, automated overhead screens (featuring guest vocalists when they don't appear in person), positioned in front of the main hangs. The system is driven by d&b's D90 and D40 amplifiers

The delays are also useful for FOH Mixer Charles 'Chaz' Bidwell, as they help to maintain the same experience and image while the screens obscure the main hangs.

Charles, who has worked with the artist for the past nine years says. "DAVE has some low-energy tracks in the set, but what doesn't change is that the bass in his music is always impactful. Essentially, we're briefed to keep the show sounding as close to the record as possible," he explains. "While accounting for addition of the four-piece live band."

Having mixed on Skan rigs at festivals, he adds: "On this tour, we treat our control package like it was a festival, integrating our own control while using Skan's PA infrastructure. The d&b system they delivered has been great, as has working with their skilled team."

Audio Crew Chief Joachim Dewulf oversaw the Skan team, which is completed by PA Techs Tobia Piatti and Brooke Paterson and Comms & Radio Tech, Eiran Simpson.

While the overall setup was straightforward, the stage's diamond shape posed challenges to the audio crew, particularly for the strategic subwoofer placement beneath it. Joachim furthers: "During rehearsals we came up with a good, workable solution for some initial challenges regarding the subs and the long cable runs we need for the delay system, but we worked together, adapted quickly, and efficient cable management became key for us."

By integrating amplifiers directly onto rolling subwoofer carts and designing a streamlined cable bridge, the team also reduced setup times. "By creating a cable bridge, everything is kept out of the way during the show and also makes our setup and teardown smoother," Brooke emphasizes. "The amps live on top of the sub carts, and the cables roll with the subs, which ultimately makes our workflow much easier and reduces the number of cases we need to handle. Importantly, it also keeps things simple on stage."

Mixing Conscious Hip Hop

Alongside Charles, the Hz Audio crew comprises Monitor Engineer, Megan Collier and Radio Technician, Harry Dilloway. The control package consists of Allen & Heath dLive consoles. Megan runs a S5000 & DM64 which accommodates four I/O expansion cards; DX Hub, FibreACE, DANTE & MADI with remote DX boxes in Backline & RF worlds. She routes these inputs via Tielines to FOH, which consists of a S7000, C1500 & DM32. The FOH console utilises three I/O cards; FibreACE, DANTE & AES (which feeds the SKAN drive rack).

"It's a digital infrastructure from source to output," adds Charles. 'Most companies still use copper stage boxes, we prefer the DX's as it becomes digital at source, which is easier for cabling & troubleshooting."

In keeping with the streamline aesthetic, monitors are positioned under the stage, where Megan says she has the mixes 'dialled in': "They're so close to the record; DAVE produces a lot of his work himself, everything we use is deliberate and very specific. As engineers, we're lucky to get the record producer's input with the live show, often using similar studio settings to gain consistency."

Their digital signal chain from stage to FOH allows for flexibility, particularly when integrating live guest vocals. She continues: "We get stems, via MADI, from playback. So, when a guest vocalist comes in, we can mute the recorded vocal and bring in the live one seamlessly.”

Also in monitor world, Harry manages wireless systems and in-ear monitoring: "The radio mics, wireless systems for guitars, and the in-ear monitors on stage are all Shure Axient, which is really sturdy. A challenge I find with operating under stage is that you miss the human cues or the in-person artist reaction. As technicians, we can rely heavily on that, but our setup has made it feel quite natural."

Skan's team, both on-site and beforehand during prep at its Surrey HQ, has also helped the Hz team to feel confident going into the tour. Charles adds: "Skan has made a potentially complicated dynamic straightforward for everyone. Now, when I see a Skan branded box, I know we're going to be in for a good day!"

A safety backbone

Serving as the central hub for the entire show, Comms & Radio Tech Eiran has implemented and managed the comms coordination across all departments using Riedel Communications Artist digital intercoms, SmartPanel interfaces, Bolero wireless belt packs, and Motorola digital two-way radios.

"It's a high-pressure role as there is a lot to juggle," he admits. "Comms are becoming increasingly vital in live production, particularly on shows involving automation and pyrotechnics, as we have here. It's critical to keeping everyone free from danger and fully aligned across all teams.

"If the comms system goes down, everything is affected, but that can't happen because safety cues are non-negotiable. Like the monitor team, I operate from beneath the stage, but it actually works to our advantage in some ways; it keeps the crew out of sight for the audience, maintains that clean stage aesthetic for the artists, and gives us a comprehensive, multi-view of the show thanks to our advanced screen views."

In closing, Crew Chief Joachim adds: "The integration between both audio companies has been really smooth, and we've worked very well together."

Fin agrees: "I've liked working in between everyone; the Hz team are all great engineers and there hasn't been a single problem; we've had total respect and lots of communication. On a personal note, we're always well looked after by [Skan Account Executive] Chris Fitch, and Jay Roome, Operations. Plus, it's been nice to introduce people to the Skan ways, because there's a lot of specific methods. Everything, from packaging to cable management, and even labels... if it's Skan, it works wonderfully."

Photo credit: Timmsy & @theobatterham-21