sE mic used to capture voice of Desmond Tutu for U2s massive world tour
Monday 20th July 2009
Love them or hate them, everyone's got an opinion when it comes to superstar rockers U2. Whatever your opinion, no one can deny that there one if the biggest acts on the planet right now. And with 12 studio albums and some of the biggest tours the world has ever seen already in the can, there's just no sign of this Irish four-piece slowing down.
June saw them embark on their most incredible looking tour yet - the U2 360˚ Tour. Not only have they designed and constructed a ground-breaking set for the 44-date (and growing!) live extravaganza, they've also enlisted some of the planet's biggest names to promote global issues along the way - including Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu.
Renowned engineer and producer Alan Branch was charged with capturing this momentous spoken-word recording. Alan's already racked up credits with the likes of Blur, Jeff Beck, Chaka Khan, Depeche Mode… so which mic would be suitable for one of the most important recordings he's ever undertaken?
"That a very good question - and a question I asked myself when I got the call to organise the audio recording of one of the world's most famous clergymen by one of the worlds most famous bands!"
"The request was explicit - the reproduction of the recorded audio had to be of the utmost quality. U2 were about to embark on their biggest tour to date with a new and unique 360 degree stage crowned by huge video screens. Desmond's cameo speech would tell of the huge impact that aids and malaria drugs have had since U2 helped launch an aids campaign on their '05/'06 Vertigo tour."
"Add to this that we would only have Desmond for a few minutes, so the recording had to be faultless. So apart from the obvious tactic of using several mics at once as a failsafe measure, the Number One mic I would rely on was sE's Gemini II."
"Needless to say the recording went very well and Desmond Tutu is one of the kindest gentlemen I have ever met."
"I've already had the chance to test the Gemini II alongside many other mics, and I have to say that it's my 'go-to' workhorse microphone. It has never let me down, always capturing a great quality performance, and even inspiring vocalists to sing their hearts out."
"The video producer for the U2 show was over the moon with the quality of the recording. The Gemini II drew more than a few questions from the film crew, who weren't used to seeing large studio mics - especially dressed up as it was with the sE Reflexion filter and the chunky sE mic stand I used to minimise noise. Thanks sE - great job!"
