World-renowned Japanese DJ Towa Tei, most renowned as a founding member of seminal New York club trio Deee Lite, started his latest 10-location, 10-stage Japanese “DJ Tour� with an album release party dubbed “Motivational Special – Big Fun Release Party,� held at Air Tokyo Daikanyama on February 13th, 2009. Special guests from Japan and around the globe made appearances and performed in front of 1,200 enthusiastic spectators. Electro-Voice microphones helped ensure the event sounded superb.
Electro-Voice endorser and recording engineer Mr. Osamu “Shu� Imamoto was the event’s head audio engineer. EVI Audio Japan and Mr. Imamoto’s working relationship began when Mr. Imamoto was appointed recording engineer for the nationwide club tour for Nobuchika Eri/Sony Music (Mond Grosso producer Shinichi Osawa). For Towa Tei’s “DJ Tour,� EVI Audio Japan asked Mr. Imamoto, one of the industry’s most talented young engineers, to try the new PL series microphones
from Electro-Voice.
EVI AUDIO JAPAN: Tell us what kind of sound you like as an engineer.
Mr. Imamoto: I like what I call “dimensional� sound, especially when heard at an event in this kind of venue. By this I mean sound that does not over-emphasize highs or lows; sound that is fresh, clear and well-rounded. I picture it like a coke-bottle!
EVI: In what application do you opt for EV microphones?
Mr. Imamoto: EV microphones always sound great through PA systems, so I normally use them for live events. I myself am not a sound reinforcement equipment expert, so I rely upon EVI Audio staff to give me expert advice; EV mics come most highly recommended and they always sound excellent.
EVI: What is your impression of PL Series mics , having used them for the first time?
Mr. Imamoto: The microphones were carefully selected prior to the tour. The musicians loved the sound of the PL Series; we had no complaints whatsoever when testing them. We worked closely with EVI Audio Japan to spec the right mics for each onstage application, and have consistently good audio quality on all our inputs. Using EV mics means we have one less thing to worry about on stage – they are easy-to-use and they deliver the goods.
About Osamu “Shu� Imamoto
After graduating from Nihon Kogakuin College, Osamu “Shu� Imamoto started his career at Aobadai Studio, where he participated in many sessions as a second engineer. In 2000, Imamoto acted as studio engineer for Shinichi Osawa from Mondo Grosso. Having established his expertise as a DJ/club sound expert, he then toured Japan and the world with Shinichi Osawa. Imamoto has also worked with producer Steve Dove, mixing Dove’s productions for bird, Ken Hirai, and Mika Nakashima.
In 2005, Imamoto became a freelance engineer, and has since worked with Mondo Grosso, Towa Tei, m-flo, Hajime Tachibana (The Chill), LISA, bird, Soul source Production, Miho Fukuhara, immi, ravex, TIGARAH, and AYUSE KOZUE.
Electro-Voice Equipment List
2x PL84
2x PL80a
2x RE510
