Technical Support

Metropolis Technical Support

A key ingredient to the Metropolis act is the support provided by Entertec - A Hertfordshire based dedicated professional audio company. They supply every single Metropolis gig with a professional sound engineer, crew, a substantial PA system and transport / event logistics.

This is a considerable package we include, when many bands still believe turning up with a PA system in 'the back of the car' and having a band member uprooter it whist playing is an adequate option. Obviously the differences to some one who is not in the events industry are sometimes not immediately apparent. Also many bands do not tell the client what they bringing by way of technical support either. This article is designed high light the differences so the client can make an informed choice.

Below are a list of some of the benefits of the technical support we include and several case studies where employing some one technically minded has been essential to make the event go ahead smoothly.

• A full range PA is bought to the event which is capable of amplifying the whole band. Many bands only supply a system which is capable of taking vocals. This means that the Metropolis audio quality is comparable to that of any touring act performing at large venues.

• The engineer can mix the sound to the acoustics of the room and monitor sound level accurately if there is a sound limiter. This then keeps the venue happy and guarantees the best sound possible.

• Every musician is given monitoring so they can hear themselves and the rest of the band well. This in turn brings the best performance out of the musician because they feel comfortable.

• Equipment is maintained and tested before it leaves the warehouse to it guaranteed to works when it arrives. If for some reason something does breakdown there is always enough spare gear on site to make the event happen with out a hitch.

Case Study 1

We performed at a wedding recently which was hosted at a private house in Cardiff. The owner had had the electrics upgraded for the day however the electrician hadn't done it correctly so there was not enough power available to run the whole event. Every time the kitchen put their ovens on when we were sound checking the power tripped. We carry miles of spare cable and were able to run power from a house near by. This meant our part of the day was able to go ahead with out a hitch.

Case Study 2

Recently we were performing at another wedding and the generator was not running at the correct voltage. This meant that our lighting system did not operate. The only option we were left with was to run considerable length cables to a near by shed which had power to run a swimming pool. In both of these examples the client was unaware these things had to happen but it meant the day ran slickly and smoothly from their perspective.

Case Study 3

Over Christmas we performed at a venue in London and about 2 minutes in to our first set the power went, leaving only the drums playing! Our engineer found the fuse board and reset the power. It turned out the venue turned on all their fridges after our sound check any the system couldn't cope. He was then able to advise exactly what need to be turned off to make the rest of the evening run smoothly.

Comparatively speaking we do not use a lot of power. However, when its coupled with everything else need to run an event sometimes it is a problem.

Case Study 4

We were booked to perform at a very exclusive wedding in a venue which essentially a conservatory in London. Many of these venues were never designed for live music and as result often have noise limiters and which can cut the power if the decibel level is exceeded. We had to work to a strict, very low noise limit. The engineer was able to advise the musicians how loudly they could play and then meter it too.

Having some one technically minded to assist our performance is essential. The 'back of the car' PA systems simply don't allow this to happen. An event such as a wedding is one off and needs to be as perfect as possible. However, as it is a one off many of the problems and challenges do not become apparent until your actually on the event. Being able to deal with these challenges and having some one there exclusively for this purpose in our eyes is essential.

Metropolis - The Ultimate Party Band , Corporate Event Band and Wedding Band in London.