The following article about the sound technology used by Andy May during Francis's 2023 "Tunes & Chat" tour appeared on ET Now on 5th December, titled "Anecdotes and Acoustic Guitars: Yamaha DM3 Mixes Francis Rossi Tunes & Chat UK Tour".
"Following successful spoken word tours in 2019 and 2021 to promote his autobiography, in 2023 Status Quo's Francis Rossi set out to do something a little different. Bringing anecdotes and acoustic versions of well-known songs to intimate venues throughout the UK, Francis Rossi Tunes & Chat has been the perfect task for the Yamaha DM3 digital mixing console.
Featuring Rossi with studio collaborator/guitar technician Andy Brook and a pair of electro-acoustic guitars, the two-part, 101-date tour visited 400-600 capacity theatres in many of the UK's provincial towns and cities.
Long-term Status Quo front of house engineer Andy May was asked to mix the shows, but his Yamaha PM5D - a veteran of many Quo tours - was obviously over-specified for this one. Instead, he chose a Yamaha DM3, which packs a lot of technical punch into a tiny footprint, perfect for mixing on house PA systems in smaller venues and travelling in the luggage hold of a tour bus.
"With the book tours, Francis found that he liked playing theatres, where audiences are smaller and closer," says Andy. "Quo had previously also done the Acquostic tours, but they featured a bigger production with strings and other instruments. There seemed to be a demand for a show which combines conversation with stripped-back, acoustic versions of the songs."
Having seen the DM3 at an event he was doing with Yamaha, Andy persuaded the company's Tom Rundle and Tom Blood to let him trial one. "I immediately liked the way it looked and navigated," he says. "It's very easy to use; with multi-layer consoles you can get bogged down, but I was up and running within 20 minutes."
The trial was so successful that Andy purchased his own DM3, which was used on the tour. "I figured that by the time we'd rented one for six months, I might as well own one," he smiles.
Used with a Yamaha Tio1608-D2 I/O rack, the show featured 12 input channels: Rossi and Rook's vocal channels each with a choice of headset and handheld mic, plus spares. For the guitars, inputs comprised a DI from the piezo pickups (via effects pedals) and miked up combo amplifiers. On top of this was playback for the start and end of each half of the show. Andy also created monitor mixes on a pair of small wedges.
"The monitors were actually quite loud, because that's what Francis is used to. It can interfere with the house mix a tiny bit in certain moments, but if they're happy, they play better and it's a better show. So, I worked round it," he says.
Keeping everyone happy was the Yamaha DM3, which dealt very well with a wide variety of venues and house systems.
"As a compact live console, it's amazing," says Andy. "The sound quality is great, all the effects sound beautiful, it's flexible, completely reliable and the operation is really transparent. The display is great, when you're looking at the home screen you can see everything in the channel, where all the auxes go and so on. You can quickly and easily expand the EQ view and copy/paste is really straightforward. I'm also doing a multi-track recording of all the shows. It's a brilliant little thing."
The tour concluded in late November, with thoughts now inevitably turning towards Status Quo's 2024 touring commitments, bigger venues and Andy's long-serving Yamaha PM5D.
"It still sounds good and I've certainly got my money's worth out of it," he muses. "But I like the look of the Yamaha DM7. It might finally be time to give the PM5D a rest."
Revisit the December 2023 event list
Adding to their collection of alcoholic beverages, Quo added a blended malt whisky which was made available for sale on 8th December. The following press release was made a few days before the whisky went on sale.
"Introducing: Status Quo's Piledriver Blended Malt is a limited edition whisky bottling celebrating fifty years of the band's acclaimed 1972 album Piledriver.
The 7-Year-Old Blended Malt whisky was specially chosen by Francis Rossi and Status Quo, under the tutelage of famed ex-Edrington blender Max Mcfarlane, to celebrate this impressive milestone in the band's history, while capturing the spirit of this iconic musical era.
With delicate notes of Oloroso sherry cask, rich marzipan and a slightly higher ABV, this whisky is equally suited for a night rocking out with old pals or spending a quiet one with your favourite records.
Limited to 500 bottles. Onsale: Friday 8 December, 10 am: https://caskadedrinks.com/products/status-quo-piledriver "
Revisit the December 2023 event list
Leon headed to the Netherlands for a couple of gigs guesting with the Belgian Quo Band on 8th and 9th December. The second of these gigs was at Comeet in Someren and some excellent photos from the gig can be found here.
Revisit the December 2023 event list
The following article about Rhino's new "Just Sayin'" album appeared in MetalPlanetMusic on 11th December.
"John 'Rhino' Edwards: 'Just Sayin'' album features guests from Quo and Muse!" Status Quo's bass player, John 'Rhino' Edwards, will release the album 'Just Sayin'', on 1 March 2024 through Molano Music, again produced by long term collaborator Mike Paxman.
Francis Rossi plays the guitar solo on the forthcoming single 'Never Too Old' and contributes backing vocals, he also co-wrote 'Can't Count Me Out' and 'Tried & Tested'. Andrew Bown from Quo co-wrote 'Never Too Old' and features on several of the album's tracks. John's Quo colleagues are not the only guests to feature, Chris Wolstenholme of Muse takes on the bass duties on 'My Side Of The Road'.
Some of the new material received an airing on recent UK and European dates, with the band featuring Status Quo rhythm section colleague Leon Cave on drums, and Craig Joiner of Romeo's Daughter.
The whole album offers some searing musicianship - and a side order of sizzled sacred cows for good measure - as he takes cheerful aim at some of this modern world's stranger preoccupations. Rhino is never afraid to ruffle feathers and some of the songs on 'Just Sayin'' take on subjects in areas into which others fear to stray.
You are free to disagree but he'll want you to listen to the songs before you do. Despite tracks like 'The PC World', the album is by no means a polemic, he's happy to segue from the topic of people being afraid to speak their mind, to the joys of life in a tin can on 'Caravan Man'! "It's a fun ride, from caravans to Evening Primrose, via a few rants, and of course songs about drinking - I am 'Rhino The Wino' after all. Plus amazing musicians - what's not to like?"
Having been a member of acts including The Climax Blues Band, Space and Dexy's Midnight Runners, Rhino was invited to join Quo in 1986 and has been there ever since.
This, his third album, represents a great chance for fans to connect with one of British Rock's great talents. As a child he trained on the classical violin which, as he jokes, "Came in 'kin handy when it came to joining Quo!" These days, Rhino is an engaging and enthusiastic performer who is not quite content to let the music do all the talking. He's got plenty of opinions of his own, y'see - 'Just Sayin''...
TRACKLISTING
On the seventh anniversary of the passing of Rick Parfitt, Dave Ling paid tribute to him in a lengthy article in the UK's Classic Rock. The full article can be enjoyed here.
Revisit the December 2023 event list
Francis made a guest appearance in "The Kemps: All Good" spoof documentary on 29th December. The doco was based around a comeback by the Kemp brothers from Spandau Ballet, with Francis making a few appearances during the last ten minutes or so of the hour-long show. He persuaded them to form "Spandau Quo" to perform a New Year's Eve gig in London! It was a funny spoof and Francis acted well (and noticeably amped up his South London accent for the role!).
Revisit the December 2023 event list
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