Picture this: hurtling across the United States with a wildly creative band that can pivot from heavy metal riffs to orchestral symphonies in the blink of an eye – that's the exhilarating chaos of touring with King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard! Their Phantom Island tour wasn't just any road trip; it was a 12-date adventure featuring unexpected collaborations with local orchestras on eight of those nights. For the first time, the band's front-of-house engineer, Sam Joseph, and monitor engineer, Joe Santarpia – both seasoned pros with years of experience on DiGiCo mixing consoles – switched to the compact Quantum 326 desks. And let me tell you, this upgrade unleashed a wave of advantages that could change how you think about live sound setups. But here's where it gets controversial: is sacrificing space for sleek design worth the potential trade-offs in workflow? Stick around to see why these engineers are raving about it.
The Quantum 326 consoles, provided by the Nashville-based company Worley Sound, boast a significantly smaller footprint – a game-changer for cramped front-of-house and monitor positions. This is especially crucial for a band like King Gizzard that occasionally plays in intimate venues or deals with jam-packed tour trucks. As Joseph puts it, 'Our production trucks are often stacked high and all the way to the door!' The compact size means you can maneuver the console with just two people, and its intuitive layout, combined with plenty of layers and macros, keeps everything within easy reach. Think of it like upgrading from a bulky old laptop to a sleek, powerful tablet – it's portable without skimping on capabilities.
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard are a marvel of productivity, with Phantom Island marking their 27th album since 2010. Their music spans everything from psychedelic rock and progressive vibes to metal intensity and folk melodies. 'Gizz is an incredibly diverse band musically,' Joseph explains. 'They crave a live performance that's lively and full of surprises, so Joe and I have to be incredibly adaptable and ready for whatever comes our way.' Joseph's been part of the Gizzard family since 2016, also lending his expertise to related acts like Babe Rainbow, The Murlocs, the Allah-Las, and most recently, GUM/Ambrose Kenny-Smith.
To handle that unpredictability, they've developed a 'master' input list this tour, covering setups for a standard rock concert, an electronic rave-style show, orchestral performances, and even acoustic sessions. 'We can access all these inputs anytime in every show file, so we're prepared no matter what the band decides to throw at us,' Joseph says. This preparation is like having a multi-tool in your back pocket – versatile and always ready.
On the Phantom Island tour, the Quantum 326 desks were integrated with two DiGiCo SD-Racks and an Orange Box, all connected via an Optocore loop that handles around 100 inputs. Santarpia managed the head amp gain directly. 'We also exchanged numerous channels between front-of-house and monitors,' he notes. Santarpia, who's been with the band for a decade in various capacities and has toured with artists like Mac DeMarco, Band of Horses, The Decemberists, Dom Dolla, and Kurt Vile, appreciates how the loop simplifies everything. 'It eliminates the need for extra analog gear and awkward MADI splitting work.'
For those unfamiliar, MADI is a digital audio protocol that allows multiple channels to be transmitted over a single cable – think of it as a highway for sound signals, keeping things efficient. The Orange Box plays a key role by converting and synchronizing MADI inputs from an Ableton live performance setup to HMA fiber, essential for the band's rave segments.
'Worley Sound's setups are like pieces of art,' Santarpia enthuses. 'Everything is meticulously organized in smart configurations, making setup lightning-fast. Their focus on our specific needs sets them apart from bigger rental companies – it's truly every engineer's fantasy!'
Joseph is thrilled with the shift to Quantum consoles, moving much of his external processing directly onto the desk. 'Gizz adores saturation on everything, and the Mustard Tubes have been a revelation. They range from gentle subtlety to full-blown distortion, each with a distinctive character. Being built-in makes it simple to incorporate into macros or snapshots for quick recall across songs.'
The Quantum system let Joseph apply DiGiCo's Mustard Source Expander (MSE) to every vocal channel – or anywhere else needed, as he jokingly adds. 'It noticeably reduced stage noise and proved invaluable during the orchestra dates, where minimizing bleed was critical.' He also enjoys experimenting with various Mustard Compressor options, discovering how each responds uniquely to different tasks.
Santarpia echoes this enthusiasm, using Mustard tools extensively, especially the MSE with its sidechain feature for the detector. 'The Naga 6, a six-band dynamic EQ, is fantastic too. Assigning faders to parameters like thresholds is perfect for DJ-style sets, where I'm intensely focused on a stereo mix and adjusting on the fly.'
He continues, 'Nodal Processing shines for monitors, given the band's varied tonal preferences. I have countless snapshots automating multiple adjustments for key moments in each show. With sets changing daily, reprogramming is a breeze.' In summary, Santarpia praises the Quantum's 'clarity and smoothness that bring everything together swiftly and elegantly.'
At front-of-house, Joseph avoids heavy snapshot use since the band alters setlists and songs spontaneously. Instead, he leans on macros for different atmospheres. 'Having 40 macros on the Q326 is fantastic; I used to run out fast, but not now. The color-coding and labeling features are also spot-on.'
Santarpia routinely uses Virtual Soundcheck and captures 64-track recordings of each performance via an MGB interface into the QRec app. 'I have a macro to toggle 'Listen to Copied Audio' and switch between VS and analog sources instantly,' he explains. These recordings come in handy for the band to remix and release live tracks – something they do often.
Joseph adds, 'I create a 32-track stem mix post-fader and post-processing at front-of-house, which the band releases publicly shortly after shows. The built-in UB-MADI interface is ideal for this. The audio quality is top-notch, and recording at 48k while the desk runs at 96k saves storage space – crucial for sets that can stretch to three hours.'
The band started multitrack recording early in Joseph's time with them, leading to the purchase of an SD11 console with UB-MADI and a D-Rack as their main front-of-house setup until 2022. 'It delivered excellent sound and was portable enough to check on flights. Ever since, I've been fully converted to DiGiCo. My current show file even traces back to that original SD11 file.' The SD11 now serves as a rehearsal and recording console in their Melbourne studio.
Joseph wraps it up: 'I appreciate DiGiCo consoles for their familiar sound; each version improves but retains that recognizable quality. There's a warmth in the tone that suits my style and the band's music perfectly. The interface feels the same yet enhanced – no steep learning curve with upgrades, just a superior version of what you already know.'
And this is the part most people miss: in a world of ever-evolving tech, is sticking with a familiar brand like DiGiCo a smart move, or does it limit innovation? Some might argue that onboard processing sacrifices the 'magic' of vintage outboard gear, while others see it as the future of streamlined production. What do you think – is the Quantum 326 the ultimate tour companion, or do you prefer the flexibility of larger consoles? Does recording every show change the live experience for better or worse? Share your opinions and debates in the comments below; I'd love to hear if you've had similar experiences with mixing gear on the road!
