New York, NY (July 2, 2025)—In chess, it’s hard to best the queen, and when it comes to R&B tours jammed with talent and vocal theatrics, it’s even harder to beat The Queens. The co-headlining concert tour, currently on the road through October, has an all-star lineup, featuring R&B legends Stephanie Mills, Patti Labelle, Gladys Knight and Chaka Khan.
Chesapeake, VA-based Elite AV Elements is providing production services, with veteran audio engineers Louis McKay tackling the FOH mix and Courtney Gladney overseeing monitorworld. Michael Johnson from Elite AV Elements serves double duty as both crew chief and production manager for the tour.
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McKay and Gladney each spend their evenings mixing on DiGiCo Quantum 338 mixing consoles; main hangs on the production are comprised of L-Acoustics K2 loudspeakers for the main P.A. system, while d&b audiotechnik wedges are employed for stage monitoring.
The complex logistics of managing four headline acts with individual bands required innovative staging solutions. To ensure tightly executed set changes, the production incorporates a 40-foot revolving turntable on the stage, allowing the crew to set up one act while another is performing. This solution maintains the show’s momentum while accommodating the substantial equipment requirements of multiple full bands.
Stephanie Mills and her band are captured nightly with a phalanx of Heil microphones. “We are using Heil mics everywhere with Stephanie and everyone’s mind is blown by the sound,” said McKay. “Working with artists of Stephanie Mills’ caliber requires microphones that can deliver consistent, professional results night after night and we get that from Heil.”
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The tour’s comprehensive microphone package includes Heil Sound PR22s, Handi Mic Pro Plus, PR40s, and PR31BWs for drum applications, with vocals handled by RC37 capsules on Shure transmitters. Mills uses a custom gold finish RC35 capsule, while guitar amplifiers utilize PR31BW microphones and a PR40 on the bass guitar amp.
