Yoiking in Exeter

The autumn's been a bit weird with dates at Exeter Phoenix. My initial perferences on 15 dates have withered away, through various reasons - double bookings, performer illness, and other cancellations - almost nothing. Indeed the booking for last night's CMN tour by Norwegians Adjagas and the Icelandic Lay Low has been on (on monitors), off, back on (still monitors) and then changed to baby-sittting FOH with the touring engineer, Eivind Steinholm.

When they arrive over an hour earlier than we expected them, I'm still in the process of connecting up FOH, and although the monitors are in situ and plugged up, and nothing has been tested. Eivind is rather happy with this, as the mic plot is different from the advance info we've received (this is more common than you'd think). And he brought his own mics - helps the vocalist avoid colds and other infections. Lawra and Inga from Adjagas use Shure SM58, and Lovisa Sigrunadottir from Lay Low has her own Beyer M88 (not seen one of these for many, many years). Indeed, we have long discussions about how these are now normally seen as kick drum mics rather than put to use on vocals. I reminisce about how I remember Phil Collins being an endorsee in the days when the mic was new!

He also brings Sennheiser E906 for guitar and bass cabs, and an Audix D6 for the kick drum. I haven't actually heard one of these in action, but have read good press reports and have seen them specified by engineers and bands I admire. It gives a great sound that sits well in the context of world music. No major thumps or clicks, so beloved of rock engineers. Must investigate further, as it sounds as if it would suit the styles of music I like to work on.

Eivand is a skilled engineer and seems able to get the sounds he needs quickly and efficiently. No long thumps on the drums, he seems to know how to get what he wants as the musicians play their instruments. Its woth noting that Adjagas' drummer has replaced the top cymbal of the hi-hat set-up with an African shaker and has a tambourine frame set as a second snare. The glockspiel is miked from underneath.

First on is Lay Low, "sometimes a person, sometimes a band". After a solo number, Lovisa is joined by a band - playing drums, various keyboards and a banjo. Her voice reminds me of someone - Regina Spektor? Emiliana Torrini? can't quite put my finger on it.

After an interval (where the band help with the change) it's over the Adjagas to yoik away the evening. The stunning chants of the Sami people from the area in Norway inside the Arctic Circle are accompanied by guitar, bass, drums, trumpet (with effects including the KAOSS 3 pad) and yet another banjo.

The sound is fabulous, probably the best I've heard at the Phoenix over the past 3 years - everything clear, with lots of definition and not too loud.

The highlight for me was when there was a problem with the banjo - the swopping around the band had damaged the pickup. The solution involved getting Lay low's which was already de-tuned ready for travelling so lead yoikist Lawra Somby produced some traditional unaccompanied yoiks - exhilarating and beautiful...