Orlando, FL- Blue October, alt-pop Universal recording artists from Austin, have signed with LMG Touring for turnkey audio, video and lighting solutions on their thirty-six stop North American Approaching Normal Tour.
Blue October management approached LMG Touring based on positive word-of-mouth referrals from trusted industry contacts, “LMG offered a high quality, one-stop product with a competitive and affordable price-tag,” says Manager Paul Nugent. “Signing LMG was an easy decision to make. Our aim is to build and invest in relationships. They fit the bill.”
The tour kicks-off with the release of their 5th album, Approaching Normal. The five-piece zigzags from coast-to-coast, and throughout the South. Nugent adds, “When it comes to live shows, Blue October is all about creating an outstanding fan-experience. For us, it’s all about delivering a great night of entertainment.”
Performing for packed houses ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 seats, FOH engineer Travis Hatem says, “LMG exceed our expectations with the scalability of the equipment. The big effects and powerful sounds we are getting from gear that fits into a single trailer is impressive.” A touring schedule of sold out crowds across the continental 48 and Canada is demanding. LMG Touring director Steve McCale comments, “We put together a strong, yet compact system that includes video, lighting and wireless gear that is packaged and transported in a small amount of space, and still provides a very powerful look. This is LMG’s signature.”
“LMG’s Steve McCale came to Austin and worked with us on our pre-production planning. His suggestions and substitutions brought our ambitious vision in to practical terms that could be executed within a reasonable budget,” Nugent says. Specifically, LMG Touring provided a Panasonic 7700 professional video projector and dual Mac Pro media server that interfaces with a Hog 1000 lighting console to produce hi-end visual effects while being operated by a single technician. In addition, they furnished the tour with Sennheiser wireless gear designed to give great sound while working in super dense RF environments to accommodate a variety of venues without a hitch.
Hatem adds, “Blue October fans buy tickets and sell out shows because they are guaranteed a whole experience, not just good audio. LMG Touring’s ability to do things like replace large, freighted equipment overnight -- along with spot on dependability at every stop -- has been a huge contribution to our success.” Blue October’s engineers and management say they are not surprised by the accomplishments of LMG Touring and look forward to working with them on future tours.