Live Performance Exhibition: Lacuna Coil Showcasing Their Live Sounds
Hear Lacuna Coil's Fiery Performance in Cherokee, NC
Pump up the volume and unleash the dark side as Italian gothic metal powerhouse, Lacuna Coil, electrifies Harrah's Cherokee Hotel/Casino Resort in Cherokee, NC, on August 23, 2016! Featuring the smashing success of their latest album, Delirium, the band dazzled audiences with their powerful blend of melodic, dramatic, and dark tunes.
The posh Event Center, with a seating capacity of 3,850, provided the perfect setting for the event. Equipped with d&b audiotechnik J Series line arrays and a Yamaha PM5D front-of-house system, the stage came alive with fervor, delivering a heart-thumping performance to a standing-floor and pit area and two levels of theater seating!
Joe Iwan, Lacuna Coil's front-of-house engineer for nearly a decade, shares his insights on what makes this group stand out from other metal acts: "Out of all the bands I've worked with, Lacuna is the easiest band to mix in the world. They are genuinely great musicians who create perfect tones, and it's about letting it all breathe."
Iwan crafts each vocal with unique precision: "Cri [Cristina Scabbia] and Andi [Andrea Ferro] are two distinct singers. Cri has nearly perfect female vocal tonality that's not toppy, nasally, or harsh. On the other hand, Andi tends to require more control over his dynamics due to the dramatic differences between soft passages and screams, especially with new material."
Despite a treasure trove of successful metal albums, Iwan encourages maintaining the uniqueness of both the recordings and live performances: "Let the record be the record and the live show be the live show. Trying to emulate their records in a live setting is pointless."
In terms of microphones, Lacuna Coil currently employs Sennheiser handhelds and wireless Shure SM58s. Additionally, the band has been experimenting with Audix's RAD 360 wireless kit with the OM-5 capsule, which Iwan finds appealing due to its crisp, breathy characteristics.
Regarding guitars and basses, Iwan utilizes Palmer DIs in conjunction with SM57s on guitar cabinets. For bass cabinet, they're running an MXL V63 condenser microphone, which enhances bassist and producer/composer Marco [Coti Zelati]'s tone excellently. Drum sounds primarily belong to new drummer Ryan Blake Folden, with a Shure SM91 on the kick and Audix D6 on the out, a SM57 on snare top and Sennheiser e604 on the bottom, and various condenser microphones on hi-hats and toms.
Since Lacuna Coil isn't touring with a monitor engineer on this US tour, they collaborate with house monitor mixers for a combination of in-ears and wedges. Iwan reveals that, despite preferring wired microphones for the sake of their distinct sound quality, the use of wireless microphones during the show proves successful in capturing the energy of their live performances.
Cherry's Cherokee gigs were lauded by Iwan for their high-quality rigs and outstanding staff engineers, making it an attractive venue for both the band and fans alike. Don't miss your chance to witness Lacuna Coil's breathtaking performance, combining raw power with a unique atmospheric touch!
Website: Lacuna Coil
The Event Center, equipped with state-of-the-art audio systems, resonated with the heart-thumping sound of Lacuna Coil's music, creating an unforgettable entertainment experience. Joe Iwan, the band's front-of-house engineer, carefully manipulated the microphone levels to showcase each singer's unique tone, enhancing the dramatic and dark qualities of their music.
