Initially billed as a “reunion tour,” blink-182’s World Tour 2023/2024 marks the band’s 30th anniversary and first tour with original singer and guitarist, Tom DeLonge, since 2014. Given the significance of the tour, FOH Engineer, Charles Izzo and Monitor Engineer, Ray Jeffrey set their sights on a variety of DPA Microphones vocal and instrument microphones.
To ensure the band delivers unbeatable sound on stage throughout the North American and European legs of the World Tour, Izzo and Jeffrey selected DPA’s d:facto 4018VL Vocal Microphones for Singer/Guitarist Tom DeLonge and Bass Guitarist, Mark Hoppus. They also deploy DPA microphones across Travis Barker’s entire drum kit, which features the 4055 Kick Drum mic, 2011 Twin Cardioid mics for snare and hi-hats, 4015 Wide Cardioids for underheads and 4099 Instrument Microphones on all other instruments, including toms and the cowbell.
“When Charlie and I got the call for this, we had to start at the very beginning, and it was on us to figure out what microphone solutions would be best,” said Jeffrey. “From my experience with DPA’s reliability when I was on tour with Lorde, mixed with Charlie’s experience with the mics while working with the band Passion Pit, we decided it would be the perfect choice for blink-182. We initially brought in a few DPA mics and, once we realised Tom and Mark were extremely pleased, we went from there. Now, 95-percent of the mics we have are DPA.”
When it comes to vocal mics, Izzo and Jeffrey favour DPA’s d:facto for many reasons, including its clarity and durability. “For me personally, it’s such a natural-sounding microphone, and it really does pick up every nuance and characteristic of the vocals in a very clear, transparent way. It’s also very rugged” said Izzo.
“It’s the same for me,” said Jeffrey. “I feel like they’re very flat, transparent mics, and when you decide to add colour to it, you actually hear what you’re doing; they sound great.”
On the drum kit, the 4055 is especially favoured by the two. “In my eyes, it was never a question which kick drum mic we were going to use for this tour — it was the 4055 from the start. I used the 4055 with Lorde, and I knew from that experience that it was a great microphone,” explained Jeffrey.
“To me, the 4055 has such a big, bombastic character to it in all the good ways that you would want in a kick drum, and not in a weird, over-EQ boost way that you might find with other brands,” added Izzo. “It just sounds like a big, natural, round kick drum that is easy for me to control, colour and characterise however I want. The 4015s were also a great choice for underheads. It’s wild how great they sound — almost as if you’re standing directly in front of the drum kit when you listen to them. In terms of the 2011s, the snare just sounds so good with it. The attack and transient on it are unmatched.”
Last, but certainly not least, DPA’s 4099 instrument mics can be labeled the most multifaceted mic on-hand as the duo flag it as their “catchall” and use it on a variety of instruments when needed. “The 4099 might be the most versatile mic ever created,” said Jeffrey. “When it comes to sound quality, especially on toms, they don’t change the tune because they’re not heavy and weighing down the sound.”
Izzo added: “We have even had comments from our drum tech praising the mics’ lightweight construction and how they don’t get in the way or affect his job, and he is very particular.”
