Amy Grant, a renowned figure in the Christian music industry for over four decades, continues to captivate audiences with her sold-out shows and performances. With 18 Grammy nominations and six wins, she has undoubtedly earned the Queen of Christian Pop music title.
Her ongoing tour is set to resume this fall with a jam-packed schedule before embarking on her highly anticipated Christmas Concert tour. This tour is known for selling out all 12 Nashville, Tennessee, shows at the iconic Ryman Auditorium alone. Before the tour's kick-off, Church Production had the opportunity to interview Mark Kimmel from CTS AVL in Brentwood, Tennessee Mark has been a part of the tour since 2016 and has held the position of A2, serving as the monitor engineer since 2020. Mark shared, "Obviously, the tour, initially planned for about 40 shows, had to be cut short due to COVID. However, we bounced back and resumed in 2021."
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During every performance, Mark stands on stage left behind a Yamaha Rivage PM3 console (which they also have at the front-of-house position). They also utilize Yamaha's RPIO stage boxes, loaded with what Mark referred to as "Lots of Silk." SILK is a hardware feature on Yamaha's Rivage consoles, developed in collaboration with Rupert Neve Designs. It provides the ability to enhance audio quality with either a red (air) or blue (warmth) coloring effect. Many engineers have found that incorporating SILK on various audio channels gives their mix a magical boost, improving clarity and depth.
Mark enjoys the pressure of being a monitor engineer, and the opportunity to develop trust with the band.
Sharing the I/O box means one engineer sets analog gains while the other can use digital trim to compensate. However, introducing SILK preamps can complicate matters because it is a hardware feature operating at the input level. Mark explained, " Joe Hutchinson, the front-of-house engineer, comes from a mastering background where he is used to using SILK more sparingly and precisely than others might in a live setting. We are mindful of how and where we use it, and we work together if it becomes too audible in the artist's ears."
Mark heavily utilizes the Portico Stereo Buss Compressor plugin to address this issue on their consoles. This plugin also has a SILK emulator, allowing them to delve into the SILK side of things without relying solely on the actual SILK preamp. Mark applies this technique to keys and guitars, allowing them to be more judicious with SILK without affecting the other console.
The stage patch for the band includes six channels of Shure Axient wireless with KSM9 capsules provided by CTS. However, Amy prefers using her DPA d:facto 4018 capsule. Mark explained that Amy's choice is influenced by her dynamic vocals. The DPA capsule offers better rejection, reducing stage volume bleed, particularly during softer moments when conflicting sounds from drums and cymbals can be an issue.
To ensure the band can hear themselves clearly, Mark utilizes eight Shure PSM1000 wireless packs and one wired Shure P9HW for the keyboard player. He shared that one of the significant challenges encountered from a monitoring perspective is the influence the PA system in each venue has on the band’s experience each night. Since the tour focuses on theater spaces, they encounter varying sound systems due to different venue sizes and ages. Mark elaborated, "Where they position their subs, the amount of PA they have, and the room's reflective properties all impact what the band hears on a daily basis."
Every day during soundcheck, Mark and the front-of-house engineer must navigate these challenges. Mark mentioned that during soundcheck, the entire band comes on stage, and they typically play cover songs together, allowing him to adjust Amy's mix as well as the other band members' mixes based on the room's acoustic characteristics. A combination of room and ambient mics in Amy's in-ear monitors helps prevent isolation. Because many churches also use in-ear monitors, we wanted to know what Mark does for his room mic configuration for Amy Grant. Mark shared that he sets up an AKG C414 in the omni pattern beneath an Audio-Technica AT897 shotgun. The shotgun is aimed mid-house, while the 414 is positioned facing Amy. He places a pair of mics off stage left and another pair off stage right near each proscenium side. Mark can mix in the combination of mics as needed, especially in dry rooms, to add ambiance and create a stronger connection between Amy and the audience.
For the A2, mixing monitors presents a unique challenge compared to the FOH engineer. The A2 develops a close relationship with the band and must deliver consistent and reliable mixes night after night. Mark finds joy in this pressure and the opportunity to develop trust with the band, ensuring he provides them with what they need each night.
"We usually have a Fan Club event at 4:30, where fans hear Amy and the band perform a few songs. That's all the preparation we need for the show."
—Mark Kimmel, CTS AVL, Brentwood, Tennessee
Inquiring about a typical day on the road with a different venue each night, Church Production asked Mark to walk them through the process. He explained that the crew usually loads in around 10 a.m. and completes the setup by noon. Soundcheck takes place at 4 p.m., during which the band arrives, sets up their gear and dials in their sounds. Amy joins them later to do her check with the band. Mark added, "We usually have a Fan Club event at 4:30, where fans hear Amy and the band perform a few songs. That's all the preparation we need for the show." Afterward, the crew packs up and leaves, typically finishing everything by midnight.
When asked if he had any advice for church engineers (Mark is an engineer at his home church), he emphasized the importance of always being visually available and not getting buried in the console. He observed that engineers who are visually accessible and responsive to the needs of the band gain trust and make a lasting impact.
