Berry Goodman’s Wedding Tour 2021 saw the one-man show visit wedding halls across Japan; these were seen as the perfect settings for the release of his latest love song, There Can Be No Other Life. The plan was to move around 13 prefectures in a one-box van, loaded with musical instruments and PA equipment.
Therefore, the artist’s production management office, Arigato Music, set out to purchase a small PA, both for this purpose and for use as their own equipment.
The criteria was that the PA rig needed to be easy to carry and fast to set up in any venue so that Goodman could go live immediately. Since it also had to take into account the space constraints of each venue, a self-powered loudspeaker system, which displayed great sound quality, was the obvious solution. After reviewing their options, Martin Audio’s Blackline XP12 was considered the perfect choice.
Blackline XP12 is a 12-inch, 2-way self-powered portable system which can be operated with low mains power, and embodies Martin Audio’s signature sound. Furthermore, the system has easy portability, and the audio connection is made simply by linking the power supply and the XLR cable.
For the performance held at The Beach Yokohama on June 26, a mobile stage and DJ booth were set up with a capacity of 120 people, and a small digital mixer and wireless mics were installed at the side of the stage. The sound check was able to start within an hour and a half of load-in.
MSI JAPAN Tokyo’s Mr. Kuroda, who was in charge of mixing, reports: “This was the second venue to use these speakers. Unlike the previous occasion, which was horizontally wide, the second venue had a lot more depth in the vertical plane. And although this place was awash with glass, making reflections quite strong, I was able to control it in the mix.
“The set list included songs that require a certain amount of volume, so I was trying to create an environment that was easy to listen to in the front rows while audiences towards the back could experience a similar atmosphere. I think the Blackline XP12 did a great job in this respect.
“Although the available mains power supply was limited at the venue, the Blackline XP12 fully satisfied both volume level and sound quality.”
