Mention The Rat Pack to anyone with a love of great music from the 50s and 60s, and classics like Volare, Fly Me To The Moon and New York, New York spring instantly to mind. Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin not only epitomised the cool and glamour of the era, they were also superstars with unparalleled lifestyles who captivated a global audience. Yes, they were film stars, showmen, comedians and playboys, but most of all it was about the music.
When London’s West End celebrates these unique performers, it’s also celebrating some of the finest music ever recorded. So it stands to reason that this West End show – Frank, Sammy & Dean – The Rat Pack Live From Las Vegas – needs to set the bar for audio reproduction higher than any other.
Chris Whybrow is the man tasked with designing the sound for The Rat Pack. Chris has spent a lifetime designing sound installations, be it for a string of award-winning theatre productions or working with stars such as Kaiser Chiefs, Gregory Isaacs, Coldplay and Dizzie Rascal. But with The Rat Pack it’s all about combining great sound with authentic style. And when you’re recreating some of the biggest classics ever to be recorded, you need to be certain the gear you’re using is up to the job.
“We’re using a lot of Shure microphones on this show,” says Chris, “but the star is undoubtedly the KSM9 handheld condenser. We needed mics that looked authentic, so we chose eight of the KSM9s. We have two in black, but the six main ones we use are in champagne. So yes, they look authentic, but it’s not just that. I use the KSM9s because they sound fantastic.”
“With the KSM9s I don’t need to treat the sound of their voices coming in to the desk – it’s pretty much just flat, natural sound. You don’t really have to put any EQ on the desk as they’re a very natural sounding microphone. We add some light compression, but nothing major like you’d find on pop vocals.”
“During the show the mics come in for a bit of abuse, so it’s good that the housing on them is really strong. The capsule is also shock-mounted, making it ideal for hand-held performance, especially seeing as they get thrown off stage every performance – after Sammy Davis Jr does Old Black Magic. At the end of the song he swings the mic around and lobs it off the stage and someone catches it. Well, that’s the plan – it’s been dropped a few times now but it still works!”
Chris has used KSM9s in some of his previous theatre designs – including Thriller Live, the show that celebrates the career of Michael Jackson, one of the world’s greatest entertainers – so he was already familiar with what they were capable of. But have the performers been impressed with them too?
“The performers love them, actually. Dean Martin especially loves them! They’ve been asking if they can use them when the show goes out on tour, but they won’t be – someone else designs the sound for the tour, so they’re a bit jealous about that!”
So after designing the sound for The Rat Pack, does Chris ever have enough of hearing these tracks? “I love all that old music – even after hearing it a lot. These tunes… well, they’re classics!”
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