Robbie Robertson (left) and Elvis Costello performed with Audio-Technica’s Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF wireless system. Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images.
For the ninth year in a row, Audio-Technica microphones were selected to outfit the internationally televised VH1 broadcast of the 21st annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which premieres tonight, March 21. The ceremony was held on March 13, 2006 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The 2006 inductees are Black Sabbath, Blondie, Miles Davis, Sex Pistols and Lynyrd Skynyrd, as well as Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss.
Audio-Technica supplied more than 60 mics for this event. Its Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF wireless system was used with the AEW-T5400 handheld microphone/transmitter for frontline vocals during performances by Kid Rock and Johnny Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd for the Lynyrd Skynyrd medley, as well as Leela James, Solomon Burke and Marc Broussard for the Wilson Pickett medley. The 5000 Series was also used for the New Orleans tribute that featured Elvis Costello, Robbie Robertson, Buckwheat Zydeco, Geechie Johnson of Wild Magnolias and Allen Toussaint. James Hetfield of Metallica utilized the hardwired A-T AE5400 during the Black Sabbath tribute.
Other microphones on the event included the AE5100 (hi-hats, ride cymbals), AE3000 (toms), AE2500 (bass-guitar amplifiers), AT4050 (guitar amps, overheads), AT4051 (hi-hat), ATM23HE (conga, timbales), ATM35 (toms, sax, trumpet, trombone), and ATM35cW with AEW-T1000 UniPak wireless transmitter (saxophone).
Mitch Maketansky returned as audio coordinator this year, organizing and assigning all the inputs and microphones for the event. Recording specialists Effanel Music, the company responsible for both recording the program and mixing the broadcast, deployed its remote truck with Grammy Award winner John Harris as lead engineer, mixing the event’s audio on-site, and Jay Vicari acting as mix engineer for the broadcast.
For more information, visit www.audio-technica.com and www.rockhall.com.
