Wilson Phillips onstage promoting their new album, California.
Wilson Phillips recently embarked on a promotional tour for the multi-Platinum vocal trio’s new album release, California. The group, comprising sisters Carnie and Wendy Wilson (daughters of Beach Boy Brian Wilson), and friend Chynna Phillips (daughter of Michelle and John Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas), made use of Sennheiser’s Evolution Wireless Series RF microphones and personal monitoring systems on the tour, which included select live shows and television appearances.
“They’ve been using the EW300IEM-G2 system since the beginning of May,” reports Jeff E. Adams, tour manager and occasional monitor mixer for the threesome. “We’re also using Ultimate Ear UE-10 ear buds.” Surprisingly, this was the very first time in their careers that the women had used personal monitoring systems. “I was a little worried,” Adams admits. “This was a big transition, but they all embraced it. They like it because they can hear themselves perfectly in their own ears.”
The transition to personal monitors was a hurdle for the vocalists, Knutson reports. “The first day it was shocking: They hadn’t rehearsed in 12 years.”
Initial trials with the EW Series vocal microphones demonstrated that the MD935 capsule on the SKM300-G2 handheld transmitter was the best match for the womens’ voices. That combination offered a warmer sound, according to Adams, and picks up just the right amount of background noise so that none of the vocalist needed any additional onstage ambience fed into their personal monitors.
Adams relates that with each unit requiring only one half-rackspace, he installed the three EW300IEM-G2 transmitters and four EW Series EM300-G2 microphone receivers into a portable four-rackspace case.
Wilson Philips were backed-up by L.A. band the Better Days, led by Carnie Wilson’s husband, Rob Bonfiglio, while sister Wendy Wilson’s husband, producer Dan Knutson, mixed front-of-house sound.
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