Glass Animals and their long-standing audio team recently embark on their biggest and most ambitious touring campaign to date – A Tour of Earth, complete with lasers, a giant inflatable Saturn, and a purpose-built touring space station. If that wasn’t impressive enough, everything on stage is performed completely live, without any track, timecode, or click; the band builds their own backline and programmes their own Ableton sessions, fusing sounds from their self-produced records in the live environment. MIDI is so integrated into this setup that the show is just one button press away from coming to a shuddering halt, as TPi #284 discovers.
Solotech’s Europe and UK control system was built around DiGiCo consoles. Specifically, a Quantum 5 console for FOH Engineer, Matthew Kettle, and an SD12-96 console for Production Manager and Monitor Engineer, Simon Lutkin. The chosen PA system was an L-Acoustics K Series, scaled according to the venue.
The European leg of the tour featured L-Acoustics K2 line array cabinets for the main hangs, with KARA II enclosures as side hangs. Larger UK venues were equipped with L-Acoustics K1 as the main arrays, with K2 used for the side arrays. A varying number of KS28 subwoofers were deployed on the floor as well.
The Solotech touring crew consisted of Systems Engineer Mark Pantlin, PA Technician SR Matt Benton, and PA Technician SL Ashley Burrage-Galicia. However, the success of the project required close coordination between multiple departments. From the initial booking phase to the final preparations for showtime, around 20 team members were involved. This included sales teams, technical project managers, asset coordinators, and technical specialists who managed everything from securing equipment to coordinating logistics. The warehouse team meticulously prepared and checked the equipment, while freelance touring crew members ensured smooth on-site operations.
Solotech Project Manager (Audio) – Live Productions UK, Jamie Skey, commented: “Each department is crucial to the success of the delivery, as their collaboration ensures that every detail — from equipment readiness to real-time problem-solving on tour — is handled professionally and efficiently. Without this collective effort, the project would lack the precision and reliability that clients depend on.”
According to Skey, witnessing the project evolve from preparation to performance is incredibly rewarding. He elaborated: “It begins with meticulous planning, where every detail is considered to ensure nothing is left to chance. Watching all the moving parts come together — logistics, equipment, and the coordination between teams — is like seeing a complex puzzle slowly form a complete picture. Then, when it all culminates in the performance, there’s a real sense of accomplishment. It’s a blend of pride and excitement, knowing that the months of preparation have paid off, and that we’ve contributed to delivering an unforgettable experience for both the client and the audience.”
Audio Technician, Valentin James, concluded: “We keep the hire package as simple as possible. For monitoring, we use an SD12 console with 10 PSM1000 in-ear systems, sharing an SD Rack with the FOH Quantum 5. This setup is reliable and easy to source globally. Most of the inputs, including all RF, guitars, lead vocals, and Ableton lines, come from the band’s own rack and are routed through a DD4MR on the Optocore loop. This streamlined configuration makes deployment efficient and dependable — simply connecting two fibres and loading the show files ensures everything is in place.”
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