Urban Audio Productions (UAP) has consistently delivered packages ranging from sound and lighting equipment rentals to full-service production.
From supporting emerging bands in intimate venues with compact desks and IEM systems to providing complete touring packages for established acts, UAP span diverse locations and venues, relying on Shure wired and wireless products for audio consistency.
UAP provides audio solutions across industries, from high-profile corporate projects such as the TED global conferences to some of the most prolific songwriters, including providing full touring audio solutions for artists such as Ian Brown, Steve Vai, Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott.
Since 2011, Dan Lewis, Technical Director at UAP, has steered the sound engineering for Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds as Front of House engineer, and previously as system tech for three Oasis world tours. Most recently, for the Council Skies World Tour, Steve Weall has joined the journey with Gallagher as a Monitor Engineer after previously supporting the likes of Louis Tomlinson, Rudimental, Jungle, and Anderson Paak with Shure gear.
The Shure kit for the shows specified by Lewis and Weall included Beta 58 microphones, Beta 91A kick drum microphones, Beta 98 instrument microphones for the toms, 16 channels of PSM1000 in-ear personal monitoring systems utilising the new P10R+ packs, AXT 600 Axient Spectrum Manager and P9HW hardwired body packs.
Lewis remarked: “Using Shure kit provides a comfort blanket for reliability, good performance, and audio quality – it is the go-to preferred set-up across the industry. As a rental company, the full Shure ecosystem makes it the complete package – Wireless Workbench, Spectrum Manager, and a rechargeable battery solution make for a suite of products that seamlessly work together very well, which is a big positive.”
Weall further emphasised: “In the past I have used a selection of wireless gear, which has brought about challenges, switching everything to Shure was my preference, as it allows for a seamless experience for all.”
When specifying the Noel Gallagher show, there were 16 channels of RF equally split – eight channels of K10E and 8 channels on G10E. This specification of split frequencies gives the flexibility to tour the world without issues. P9 hardwire packs were added as backups for the backing vocalists and static musicians.
Weall noted: “Dan and his team are extremely accomplished at supporting us on the road, but should we get stuck at the other side of the world, we have the confidence we can get assistance when Shure is the industry standard, and universally available.”
Wireless Workbench software proved to be especially beneficial in the US, managing around 44 channels of wireless across the three acts on tour with remarkable ease. Weall added: “It would have been extremely difficult to manage without Wireless Workbench. With nearly 30 shows on the US run, I found it very reliable and consistent – especially when on multi-band bills, where I take it upon myself to ensure everyone’s wireless works. The cloud features were helpful and stable.”
Lewis commented, “I’ve known and worked with Stuart Moots, Director Pro Audio at Shure, for a very long time, since he was our local rep, and he still supports me to this day. It’s refreshing to have a company where I can pick up the phone and speak to someone knowledgeable straight away.” He continued, “The team has such a depth of knowledge, and it is a one-stop shop, which we really appreciate. We’ve had a few enquiries with detailed questions to a number of the Shure team members over the years, and they have always been very amenable, responsive, and helpful.”
Stuart Moots, Director, Pro Audio at Shure added: “It fills me with immense pride to acknowledge the support that the team at Shure and I have provided Dan throughout this tour, and many other projects, underlining our longstanding partnership. It’s great to see Urban Audio’s growth and dynamism as high-profile shows demand flawless execution and delivery, night after night. It’s testament to Shure’s unbeatable quality and dependability that helps Dan and Steve focus on their job and ensure the show’s sound is nothing short of spectacular.”
Lewis concluded: “With rental equipment, you want something reliable, robust, and easy to use, and that is precisely what we get with Shure, which is why I am happy to buy more. We do a lot of both corporate and touring work, and the kit crosses over seamlessly.”
