Police - PA system info?

[Funio]

Hello! I was wondering whether anybody here has any info regarding the PA system(s) The Police used during their career. There's a nice write-up in Mix Magazine regarding the PA gear used for the 2007-2008 reunion tour, but I haven't come across anything regarding the 70's/80's.

Thanks kindly!

[garyq]

The Syncronicity tour used Clair Brothers and the infernal S-4 speaker system with their hand made folding console as seen in the opening of the Sync video. GITM I think used the Tasco Harwell system (ouch) Kim Turner made me leave the Sound board area when I snuck into soundcheck at 14 years of age.. A former work associate provided pa for Zenyatta tour western Canadian leg and I am sure that was a martin P.A from Vancouver. I am sure that tour picked up gear regionally throughout..

That's my best guess.
GQ

[Dietmar]

I'm certain I've seen some stuff in magazines and when I find something I'll either post it here or send scans to you.

[Funio]

Thanks garyq and Dietmar, much appreciated!

Gary, I had a feeling that they didn't start hauling around their own PA until the GITM tour or thereabouts, when they had really "made it." Regarding the Tasco/Harwell system, I'm assuming the "ouch" was due to it supposedly being known as a brutally loud system? I wonder if there are any decibel rating floating around for any Police concerts from the 70's/80's - I've come accross several accounts (mostly from '79 and '80) of them being quite loud in concert! What was up with the Clair Bros S4 system, was it unreliable? What made it "infernal"?

[roddswett]

For me the big question is how Stewart managed to follow Syncronicity tour sequences without in-ear monitors or clicks. All sequences were coming out of floor monitors, extremely loud, and no fine mixing what so ever. A mess! Once more Jeff might have the secret.

[giovanni]

I can only add a note:
at the show in Milano in April 1980 the pa system was provided by the well-know italian prog band PFM (Premiata Forneria Marconi), as the sound system the band used to bring on tour was stuck somewhere in Switzerland or Spain, I don't remember exactly. PFM used to travel all around the world and had an incredible success by that time, they used some of the best equipement and gear, but I don't know which system they used.
Also, for what I know, the guys in PFM filmed the whole show from the stage; the video is in the hands of a band member...and I'm trying to get my hands on it!
Gio

[garyq]

Infernal may be a bit harsh ... for the time the S-4 was a state of the art box and I would assume quite reliable..I helped fly large s-4 systems many times. I have heard some great sounding shows on them. The boxes were heavy but were a mainstay of the touring industry for decades...
Live sound has come a long way since the 1980's

[quote="Funio"]Thanks garyq and Dietmar, much appreciated!

Gary, I had a feeling that they didn't start hauling around their own PA until the GITM tour or thereabouts, when they had really "made it." Regarding the Tasco/Harwell system, I'm assuming the "ouch" was due to it supposedly being known as a brutally loud system? I wonder if there are any decibel rating floating around for any Police concerts from the 70's/80's - I've come accross several accounts (mostly from '79 and '80) of them being quite loud in concert! What was up with the Clair Bros S4 system, was it unreliable? What made it "infernal"?[/quote]

[secretjourneyranch]

The Police started hauling around their own PA system towards the mid point of the Regatta Tour...

This is from their own archive while Andy watches the Cramps open for them in Torino 1980:

More fruit flies at the stage, splattering against the equipment.
Andy Summers isn't amused. The Cramps are using The Police's expensive new PA.
"This is absolutely marvellous," Andy seethes. "We pay a fucking fortune for the best PA we can assemble, hand it over to this shower and watch it reduced to ashes before we even get to use it. Fine, I've absolutely no problem with that."
Lux, meanwhile, has gone down beneath a barrage of missiles. "It's like the damned playing for the doomed," Sting says

I think the Ghost Tour Program lists out all the equipment used so that may go into detail about that tour...

[giovanni]

Cool note (Torino). The day after the show in Milano, they could get their hands on their PA again.

[Funio]

Interesting - perhaps they had a seperate PA system for Europe at the time (kinda like Stewart had two drumkits)?

[jeffseitz]

[quote="Funio"]Interesting - perhaps they had a seperate PA system for Europe at the time (kinda like Stewart had two drumkits)?[/quote]

Various drumkits but only one tour drumkit. Mulitple sounds systems. One for Europe on for the US in the early days. 1980 was Entec Light and Sound using a Midas Martin system for the Zenyatta Tour in the UK. TASCO in the US and Europe. Clair started 1/7/1981 Montreal Quebec and remained throughout the US and Europe including The Reunion Tour. Clair Bros, now Clair Global, has offices all over the world.

[Funio]

Awesome info Jeff, thank you!