ADLIB Audio’s Andy Dockerty is passionate about many things in life. One of them is stimulating young people to take an early interest in the art and science of production and technical ‘backstage’ elements at a practical and professional level. “Schools very much target ‘the performer’ in their courses” he says “But for every performer, there’s probably 6 or 8 backstage and technical staff engaged in making their performance happen”.
Dockerty always loved live performance when at school. He wasn’t talented in any of the traditional onstage disciplines to be onstage ? drama, dance, singing, music - but still really wanted to be involved, which is why, he reckons, he eventually found himself twiddling knobs on a sound desk.
He’s still frustrated now by drama and music department’s lack of priority regarding the technical skills needed to support a production, and he thinks it’s unfair that young people without the acting, dancing or singing skills still rarely have the opportunities available to explore the performance environment.
ADLIB is determined to do it’s bit in the local community (Merseyside ? and beyond) to ensure that next generation of budding techies, lighting and sound designers, get the opportunity to use good quality and well thought out equipment..
ADLIB has completed the installation of systems in several local educational establishments, the most recent of which is at St Julie’s RC High School in Woolton Village. This and others in Liverpool are great examples of ADLIB’s carefully devised philosophy of trying to engage youngsters to think about a technology and a production orientated career. Supplying the right kit for this is vital. “The aim is not to overwhelm with technology” explains Dockerty, “But to install exactly the right amount of good quality gear to wet their appetites. Also to encourage them to want to use it and then to get to want to get to know more”.
Gill Hull, Head of Music at St Julies, visited Speke City Learning Centre, who’s multi-purpose space ADLIB kitted out last year with a full audio, lighting and AV system.
Located in one of Liverpool’s most deprived areas, SCLC’s studio and performance courses and facilities have been a massive success. It’s also a feeder establishment for all the South Liverpool Schools.
ADLIB’s has also recently completed installations at Gateacre Comp, St Hilda’s and St Margarets Schools in Liverpool ? always applying the set of principals in mind.
Last year, St Julie’s ? lacking the facilities themselves - staged their Teen Idol contest at the City Learning Centre. After this, Gill Hull could clearly see the benefits of embracing the full potential of technology and proposed a system similar to the one they’d used there. She contacted ADLIB via Speke City Learning Centre and entered into a discussion about what they could do for St Julies. Dockerty put a sound design and spec together, and Hull then put the idea to Headmistress Sister Ann Marie. She agreed that it was a good plan of action, and that they should move forward.
It’s an all girls secondary school with over 1000 pupils including the 6th Form. Dokerty came up with a proposal, based on the wide variety of performances ? from drama productions to singing live bands, singing festivals to musicals, plus other events and activities - that needed accommodating in their theatre space.
St Julie’s finished shows are produced to an extremely high standard. Hull wanted equipment onboard that would support them staging shows with good production values, and some students have also gone on to pursue professional acting and singing careers.
The main room is a square shape, configured in sunken lecture theatre style, with a flat stage area at the bottom of seating tiers. It’s actually orientated as a diamond, the seating effectively wrapping around 2 sides and the stage/performance area around the other two. The control room is at the tip of the audience ‘point’ of its two sides of the diamond.
There’s a pair of ADLIB AA1221 full range speakers fastened to the wall each side, one above the other, and a pair of AA81 enclosures for delays plus one AA 15HL sub per side. Adlib also supplied four wedge monitors which can also be used for infill speakers as they wish.
The supplied a standard selection of Shure and AKG mics including four new Shure (type??) radio systems. “We’ve never recommended cheap radio mics to schools” explains Dockerty. These can be expanded up to 16 channels, “which they will definitely want to do“ he underlines, speaking from experience. On top of the four headset radio mics, there’s 2 Shure hand-held mics.
The mixer is an Allen & Heath GL 2200, “A self explanatory analogue board” says Dockerty, adding that it offers a decent amount of technology but is still relatively simple and is an excellent “learning board”. They deliberately avoided the route of programmable scene changing desks as Dockerty asserts, it’s simply too much technology at this stage. “If their abilities take them beyond wanting to use their basic analogue boards, then Adlib run an open educational invite to their site to allow schools to get a feel for professional production qualities from Adlib’s set up and staff.”
Continuing on the analogue theme, a BSS Opal EQ is used for the main system and a dbx 231 for the monitors. There’s two dbx 1066 compressors and a TC M1 multi-effects unit, plus mini disc and CD/cassette player.
The amps are all QSC RMX 2450s, and the system processor is a dbx Drive Rack PA
Prior to ADLIB being confirmed for the project, St Julies put the bid out to tender, from which ADLIB emerged as the most expensive. However, they decided to go with it anyway ? as they thought it would yield the best quality and service. They’ve not been disappointed confirms Gill Hull. “A lot of people would have fallen at that hurdle” says Docherty. “And that’s where the mistakes can happen ? it doesn’t always pay to go with the cheapest option”
ADLIB is undertaking training for all Drama and Music department staff using the equipment, and will babysit the theatre’s first full scale production, scheduled for early April. This features the 6th Form Singing Group.
Gill Hull is herself looking forward to getting to grips with the new technology on site, “Before this, we didn’t even have a sound system, and we were completely in the dark ages when it came to producing shows. All that has changed thanks to the foresight of the School and the excellent advice, planning and practical solutions offered by ADLIB”.