How do Arena Concerts work?

[bdl2009]

This may be dumb, so bear with me..

Now, I know how my own gigs go.. Mic the amps, drums and so on... and I have been to quite a few 'mid sized' shows of like 3-5000 people where all the sound guys have done is exactly what we do for our own smaller shows, but how do they do it for HUGE stadium shows?

The reason I ask is because I was recently at Billy Talent/AOF, and they didnt have a SINGLE amp on stage. I thought it was just for the affect of having a huge clean looking stage, and they most likely had their amps behind a curtain, but is there any other way that they could have set this up? And after I thought about this for a while, I dont remember seeing a single amp on Metallica's stage either, and they played in the round, so there was no curtain.. everyone plug into a DI then into the PA lol..

Thanks guys n gals


I accidently posted this in the wrong forums, meant to go in performance anxiety..

[Hack]

With today's tech, you can put the amps anywhere you want, backstage, under the stage, wherever. That empty stage look seems pretty popular these days, and with in-ear monitors and wireless set-ups, it's pretty easy to do.

Some guys like to have a wall of huge amps, and then play through one small one stashed away somewere.

It is, after all, all about the video, right?

[genereaux]

Well, I THINK I can offer some answers, in that I've spent 20something years of my adult life setting up live shows. Though I don't know that I'm 'clear' on the question.

"How do Arena Shows WORK?" No one knows; we just accidentally make it all happen in the nick of time every time....

"Where/what do the guitarists plug in to?"
Well, I've done a number of Metallica shows, so we'll use them (and them being in the round) as an example; So, that Metallica stage was probly 6 foot (give or take) tall. Not just so it can be seen from the 'nosebleed' seats, but also because there is a whole 'world' down there. Including (but not limited to), the 'backline' guys (drums, gtr, bass techs), the stage manager, wardrobe people (yes, even Metallica sometimes has wardrobe people), the monitor guys, lighting/dimmer beach guys etc....
Amongst all those folks, would also be things like amps, extra guitars, towels, beer, water, fingernail clippers, cabinets and what-not.
So, more likely than not (I haven't done a Metallica show for 5 or 6 years, so I can't say 'exactlys' or 'specifics'), Kirk, James and Rob (or Jason) are all have wireless guitar transmitters. The receivers living under the stage near the amps and appropriate techs. The amps/cabs are mic'd to the PA (and, yes; are sometimes also DI'd straight to the mixing board as well).
Meanwhile, back onstage- the players are hearing their rig through their 'in-ear' monitors (though,10 years or so ago, we used to just strap wedge monitors to the underside of the metal grate stage decks).

Essentially, that's it. There ARE some players that even run 'iso-cabs' (isolated) which is a speaker(s) in a 'box' (usually a road case looking box) with the mic and then close the lid. So, the signal almost doesn't really hit 'air' til the PA.

WHY a clean stage? Well, there IS a visual aesthetic to it I suppose (if you're into that sort of thing). As Hack points out, with wireless technology (be advised; the whole 'Digital TV' thing has screwed up gtr, mic and in-ear wireless frequency assignments and, by order of the FCC most 'older' wireless units will be illegal to operate after June 2010) for both gtr signal as well as monitor feeds, there's no NEED (per se) to have gear onstage.

Personally, I'd still rather have a bunch of amps and stuff looming behind me.....

sean

[Slashfan90210]

The guys in Metallica will put their amps on stage if it's a forward facing one, even if it is only two sets amps between James, Kirk and Rob. When they play in the centre of the arena (in the round as you put it) the amp cabs will be under the stage where the techs will operate the pedals since there is just too much movement, although I know Kirk tends to do his own wah.