Train's California 37 2012 Tour Lays Tracks Across the US With Dual DiGiCo SD10s

The band Train pulled out all the stops this summer with their California 37 tour, rolling through material both old and new, including songs from their latest studio album, California 37. Because of the tour's beefed-up band and increased input list, engineers Rob Thomas and Robert Greene opted for a pair of DiGiCo SD10 systems at front of house and monitors, provided by Delicate Productions and Hi-Tec Audio, to simplify the production and the technology requirements.

"Rob Greene and I have used many different platforms working together with Train over the years," Thomas explained, "but for this tour, it got a little more involved. Train is typically a three-piece band, but with this tour there are eight musicians onstage and we needed at least 52 inputs/outputs for the band and the accompaniments, including bass, guitar, vocals and background singers, in-ear mixes, and stage monitors. We wanted the best-sounding console and one that was most configurable, and that's how we came up with the SD10s. Having two of the DiGiCos out there was the best option for the tour, allowing us to pick each other's brains about functionality and also streamline the technology. This is the first time that I've toured with a DiGiCo product, although I've used and am familiar with the D1 and D5 Series. In my time with the SD10 at FOH, I found that it truly sounds great. It's one of the best-sounding digital consoles that I've been able to get my hands on. Choosing DiGiCo was one of the easiest decisions we had to make early on."