Adlib supplied an L-Acoustics “racks-and-stacks’ audio solution plus a full support
package and crew to Years & Years recent UK tour which saw the chart-topping
rising star synthpop trio from London playing a series of sold out theatres and
arenas.

Adlib were brought on-board by production manager Steve Down. Two of their most
experienced regular engineers, Sam Proctor and Hassane Es Siahi were tasked to
ensure that band engineers Pablo Campanara (FOH) and Harry Bishop (monitors)
received impeccable support.

Due to the variety of venues on the itinerary, Pablo specified a system with great
flexibility, so an L-Acoustic’s K1 / K2 package, which in the largest iteration – as
used for Wembley and Birmingham – comprised of 12 x L-Acoustics K1s a side with
4 x KARA downs for the main hangs and 12 x K2s a-side for the secondary / side
hangs.

The 18 x SB28 subs were ground stacked and configured as three 3-high stacks per
side, the first one directly below the main arrays and two subsequent ones at two
metres and then four metres onstage, mirrored left and right.

For the smaller gigs the K2 array became the main hang and the subs reduced to
two 3-way stacks per side.

For infill, on top of the outside sub stacks were four ARCS boxes per side
complimented with a single KARA element each side on the inside sub stacks. All
speakers were driven by LA8 amplifiers.

One of Adlib’s standard Lake processing / control systems dealt with the processing,
utilising three LM 44s at FOH, going to two LM26s onstage and a RedNet D16R
interface, distributing AES to all the amps with analogue backup.

The FOH and monitor consoles for Years & Years and their full monitor set up was
supplied by London based Hark Audio, the band’s regular supplier for some years.
Adlib was very happy to work in partnership with them.

The support package from Adlib consisted of a DiGiCo SD10 for FOH and a
Soundcraft Vi1 for monitors, plus a full line system and mics-and-stands.

Danish singer / songwriter MØ. performed for the whole tour with two other acts –
Mabel and Nimmo – also appearing at three shows each, and all three playing at
Wembley. Two of these had their own IEM systems, MØ. toured her own FOH
console … and all of them brought dedicated own engineers.

Audio wise it was a relatively straightforward set up – they know all the venues
very well, their nuances and the optimum set-ups, and the process flowed
extremely efficiently. “Lots of good people helped create a really happy working
atmosphere and it was good to be part of this,’ concluded Proctor.