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The Official Blues Brothers™ Revue Touring Company Turns to Shure


WEBWIRE

Touring Show Produced by Dan Aykroyd, Judy Belushi, and Paul Shaffer Relies on UHF-R® Wireless Mics and PSM®1000 Personal Monitor Systems



NILES, Ill., —The Official Blues Brothers™ Revue is a live touring performance that pays homage to Chicago’s rich history of blues, soul music, and gospel. Featuring the characters of Jake and Elwood Blues—created by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd in 1978 and featured on Saturday Night Live and in two subsequent iconic feature films —the show involves dancing, comedic acts, and an eight-piece band. Joining the production as tour and production manager was long-time Shure user Bill Girdwood, who made it an immediate priority to upgrade the show’s existing gear to more reliable, higher caliber equipment. Girdwood turned to Shure.

“When I came in during pre-production and rehearsals, the performers were using non-Shure products that weren’t up to the quality I felt Judy [Belushi] and Dan [Aykroyd] would want the show to run on,” said Girdwood. “I needed to switch to gear that sounded good and could support non-stop movement on stage. When I saw the flexibility and stability of Shure’s UHF-R® wireless and PSM®1000 in-ears, our production team quickly made the decision that this was the technology we needed to power performances.”

Running six channels of UHF-R with Beta58A capsules, Girdwood is able to master each production confidently and with ease, even in tour stop cities that have crowded RF conditions. The PSM 1000 is ideal for delivering pristine RF signal and audio mixes to the main characters-- Jake and Elwood.

“On the in-ear side, Wayne Catania and Kieron Lafferty—who portray Jake and Elwood—did not have positive experiences with other manufacturers. There wasn’t consistent, quality sound. Now, using the PSM 1000, dialing in and finding clean, clear frequencies is a piece of cake, making it that much better for everybody—my audio guys and the talent.”

With an action-packed program that has performers gliding from one side of the stage to the other, Girdwood has also benefited from the control and flexibility of the Shure gear. Shure’s UR3 plug-on wireless microphone transmitter enables Girdwood to mic Kieron’s vintage harmonica wirelessly, which is a big plus because he can move freely around the stage and even into the crowd, keeping the entire audience engaged.

The rugged design and frequency response of the Beta 58s helps prevent feedback. “This is a busy, cinematic performance. There’s foot stomping, hand clapping, and fast choreography that typically results in feedback and noise issues. I’ve had great success with Shure’s UHF-R/Beta58 combo. It’s dependable and sounds perfect, whether we’re on tour stop one or tour stop 15.”

Shure’s technology has proved superior not only to Girdwood, but also the show’s singers, dancers, and instrumentalists, comprised of respected musicians. “[The talent] like the end product. They like what they’re getting,” commented Girdwood.

The Official Blues Brothers Revue, which has been praised by critics for its infectious energy and rollicking fun, was noted by Girdwood as being a positive testament to the entire Blues Brothers brand. “This is a respectful show that pays tribute to blues and soul; the quality can’t be compromised. Bringing in gear that’s top-of-the-line was a requirement; between the quality and stability, the switch to Shure was the right choice.”

The Official Blues Brothers Revue will be touring North America throughout 2013. For more information, please visit www.bbrevue.com.



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