Countryman Microphones Help Keep “In the Mood” Upbeat
E6 Earset and B3 Lavalier microphones deliver the gain, audio quality, and reliability essential for a travelling musical
New York, NY – February 2018… As a celebration of the 1940s Swing era, In the Mood aspires to promote the memory of one of the most significant times in American history and continues to inspire audiences of all generations. For over two hours, this big retro show holds audiences enthralled with its singers, dancers, period costumes, fine orchestral arrangements, vibrant vocal performances, choreographed dance routines, and shear American pizzazz. To ensure all the vocalists and dancers can be heard clearly and with a quality that accurately articulates the performances, E6 Earset and B3 Lavalier microphones from Menlo Park, CA-based Countryman Associates are an integral part of the equipment setup supporting the show.
Bud Forrest is the show’s Creator, Producer, and Musical Director. He is responsible for the entire touring show, including casting, contracts for performances, the selection of music, and rehearsals. Comprised of the String of Pearls Orchestra and the In the Mood singers and dancers, the entire production is Forrest’s concept. His choice of Countryman microphones reflects the need for high-quality transducers that deliver the musical quality he requires while simultaneously being small (so as not to detract from the period costumes), and reliable. He discussed his use of the Countryman E6 Earset and B3 Lavalier microphones.
“In the Mood tours approximately 20 weeks per year—one tour in the fall and one in the spring, and rehearsals are underway for the next tour—our 24th year. 2018/2019 will be our 25th Silver Celebration Tour, including a 4th tour of Australia,” Forrest reports. “Presently, we’re using four Countryman E6 Omnidirectional Earsets and two B3 Lavaliers. Our swing dancers wear the B3s in their hair and the vocalists use the E6 Headset mics. The show uses four Sennheiser EM 2050 twin receivers and we have eight EK 2000 beltpacks as part of our system. Like our Countryman mics, we chose Sennheiser because we can always rely on them—and they work so well with the Countryman microphones. These products create a great wireless system.”
“With thirteen musicians on stage and vocals in three wedge mixes on stage, high gain before feedback is very important,” Forrest added. “The fact that I get plenty of gain with the Countryman mics plus amazing sound quality is what keeps us going to Countryman. Considering all the movement of the dancers and choreography occurring simultaneously throughout the show, that fact that I know I can rely on these Countryman mics for consistently great sound is a tremendous benefit. Equally important, reliability is of the most importance to myself and the performers. I am the only audio technician with the show, so once it starts, it’s up to my gear to perform. This is yet another important reason why we use Countryman. We can always rely on our microphones!”
For a travelling show such as In the Mood, capable and responsive customer support services are a crucial consideration. In this regard, the show’s Production Manager and Sound Engineer, John Nocera, gives Countryman Associates a high grade. “Countryman’s support is terrific,” he said. “The company is very responsive, and its outstanding customer service is what keeps In the Mood loyal Countryman customers.”
Before shifting his attention back to the business of the show, Forrest offered these parting thoughts regarding his experience with Countryman microphones, “Our Countryman mics are an integral part of our show and we couldn’t be happier with them. We are most proud of our performances at major performing arts centers such as the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Cerritos, CA, the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts in Clinton Township, MI, and the eighty performances we’ve done throughout New Zealand and Australia. Our Countryman mics delivered everything we expected and more throughout all these performances. With great sound, rock-solid reliability, ease of use, and excellent integration, we couldn’t have made a better microphone choice than Countryman.”
To learn more about In the Mood, visit the show’s website at http://inthemoodlive.com/