Chris Pou, FOH and production manager for the iconic 80s rock cover band Electric Avenue, dives into the vibrant world of 80s music. He shares insights on the essential reverb techniques that defined the decade's sound and reveals his innovative Waves LV1 fly rig for seamless touring. Pou discusses the nostalgia of 80s fashion and personal anecdotes from live gigs, including challenges amidst pandemic travel. The conversation captures the essence of keeping the spirit of the 80s alive while navigating modern audio production.
Chris Pou emphasizes the critical role of stacked reverbs in recreating the signature sound of 80s music productions.
The discussion covers the innovative use of the Waves LV1 platform, showcasing its portability and versatility for modern sound engineering.
Pugh shares entertaining anecdotes from touring with Electric Avenue, highlighting the unpredictable nature of live performances and travel challenges.
Deep dives
Struggles with Healthy Eating
The conversation highlights the challenges of maintaining a healthy diet while juggling work and family responsibilities. The host shares struggles with finding convenient, nutritious food options, often resorting to fast food due to time constraints. There is a humorous remark about trying to balance a healthy lifestyle with indulgent choices like cheeseburgers and fries. The discussion also touches on the practicality of batch cooking and using a chest freezer to prepare meals in advance.
The Role of Reverb in Music
A guest on the show, Chris Pugh, discusses his role in mixing and production management for an 80s synth-pop band called Electric Avenue. He elaborates on the use of various types of reverbs in music production, emphasizing the importance of stacked reverbs to create a rich sound. Pugh explains his approach to using both traditional hardware and digital plugins to achieve the desired 80s sound, highlighting a preference for short and long reverb combinations. He shares insights into how he manipulates decay times and pre-delays to craft the final sound, contributing to a deeper understanding of audio engineering.
Mixing Techniques and Equipment
The discussion dives into Pugh's mixing techniques, including the tools he uses for audio processing and how they shape the final output. He mentions the importance of using various channel strips to bring character to different instruments while maintaining a consistent sound. The conversation also covers the significance of hardware and software integration in live sound, with Pugh detailing his setup that balances analog and digital equipment. His focus on impulse alignment in mixed signals reflects a thorough understanding of audio technology and its real-time challenges.
Transition to Modern Audio Technology
Pugh shares his experience transitioning from traditional audio mixing to utilizing software-driven platforms like LV-1, emphasizing the importance of portability and versatility in modern sound engineering. He explains the advantages of using layer two and layer three protocols, highlighting how his selections optimize sound quality while minimizing complications in live setups. Through his exploration of various digital tools, he demonstrates a commitment to staying updated with current audio technology trends. This evolution in his approach illustrates the necessity for sound engineers to adapt to changing technologies while maintaining high audio standards.
Memorable Corporate and Private Events
The podcast recounts memorable experiences while working with Electric Avenue, particularly focusing on their involvement in corporate and private events. Pugh relays a story about performing in Hawaii, involving unexpected travel challenges due to canceled flights yet managing to arrive at the venue on time through creative solutions. He emphasizes the exciting nature of these gigs, from performing at upscale events to working with talented musicians. These experiences highlight the dynamic nature of the live music industry and the joy of blending work with exciting travel opportunities.
In Episode 269, it’s time to break out your best dayglo shirts and leather jackets, dig out a slap bracelet or two, and get your 80s on, as Chris Pou, FOH and production manager for 80s rock cover band Electric Avenue, joins Sean and Andy to talk about what it takes to recreate those classic 80s sounds (spoiler: allllll the reverbs). Chris also digs deep into the Waves LV1 fly rig he built to tour with, how he decided on that platform, and what it takes to build it and keep it rock-solid reliable on more than 100 shows a year. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.
Be sure to check out the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!
Also please check out and support The Roadie Clinic, Their mission is simple. “We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the touring lifestyle.”
The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.
Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:
1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”
2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there
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