Well after taking a couple months off of the blog, for Christmas and New Years (at least that is what I am telling my boss) I wanted to let you guys know that we are once again hard at work sending out spring tours and gearing up for the summer festival season, but before I can think about the warmth of that Tennessee summer sun I have to continue to look at my office window and see what mother nature has decided to throw our way this winter.  As beautiful as it maybe and as much as my kids enjoy days out of school I have had my fill of snow.

We would like to thank Amanda Slack and Show Transport for servicing us with all of our trucking needs.  We have events all the time that require our gear to be hauled to various venues across the United States.  We rely on Shows Transport because of the excellent service and professional drivers. Below are some pics of a Show Transport rig getting ready to leave for Illinois yesterday.

If you have any trucking needs feel free to call Amanda Slack and Show Transport @ 615-581-5081

So last night me and the Blackhawk Audio Intern took a trip down close to Memphis, TN.  The Follow You Tour was making a stop at Hope Church in Cordova.  It was a nice warm west Tennessee night and we had no problems getting to the church , which by the way was very nice and welcoming.  Marcus Gibson, FOH engineer for  Leeland and also serves in that position for Brandon Heath and Francesca Battistelli, met with us before the show and we talked riefly about how the tour was going.  Marcus has a Yamaha M7 at FOH and runs the in ear monitors from there as well.  They have  3 Meyer CQ-1 and 3 Meyer 650HP subs per side.  The show was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed the bands and Marcus’ mix.

I also got a chance to chat with Chris Farnsworth the tour manager whom we enjoy working with very much.  He has been very happy with the Meyer rig and also the turn out by the fans to the show.  As we left the venue I thought it was nice to know that Blackhawk Audio Inc. is being used as a tool to help reach people in this world for God, no matter if it’s at a church, a festival or an arena.  It’s great to work with great guys like Chris Farnsworth and Marcus Gibson, thanks guys!!!

Video of still shots from photographer Rich Kalonic at Living Proof Live event in Memphis, TN.

Thanks Rich!!

Living Proof Live – Memphis from Rich Kalonick on Vimeo.

Video from our LifeWay event in Memphis, TN.  We love Beth Moore and all the staff with these events and we are honored to be a part of what is going on through these events.

Doors Open LPL Memphis from Rich Kalonick on Vimeo.

The challenge in this industry is to not only find work but to keep work. (Then repeat)  I was able to drop in on two of our tours last week and see how things were going.  Carter Hassebroek (FOH Casting Crowns/ Blackhawk Audio Legend) had everything under control here in Nashville at The Sommet Center.  I caught a little bit of the show ( I had a pass but security was being silly and my iphone battery was dead so I couldn’t call anyone) The parts of the show I was able to see were good and thats always a good thing.

I also met up with the Alive & Awake Tour in Memphis.  The Letter Black, Decyfer Down, Hawk Nelson, and Skillet.  I got to talk to our very own Kenny “Power K” Sellars and Skillets FOH Derek Toews.  It was a good show!  The venue was a little small compared to others they have been at on the tour but the intimate setting was definitely a plus that night.  Also while we were there I got to see some of the guys who were in town setting up for the Living Proof Live event that was happening in the FedEx Forum that weekend.

So it has come to the last day of prepping for the Celtic Woman Tour.  Everyone here at Blackhawk Audio has in some shape, form or fashion contributed to this tour.  If I speak with a little sense of pride it is because we are proud of what is going on here and understand it is our responsibility to do the best work we can with what we have been blessed with to do.  It has been a pleasure having some of the Celtic Woman crew in our shop building this gear for the tour and building relationships with the people in our company.  We love to see the gear, people and all the busyness that has been going on but we are going to love it more when it all leaves and hits the road!!!!  Blackhawk Audio would like to thank the Celtic Woman Crew for all that they have done.  Thanks to Wayne Pauley, Gordon Adams, and Tom Stegeman.

-excerpt  http://www.celticwoman.com/trellis/pressrelease/

CELTIC WOMAN “ISLE OF HOPE” TOUR WOWS AUDIENCES SECOND LEG OF 2009 U.S. TOUR KICKS OFF OCTOBER 7

The international Irish music phenomenon, Celtic Woman, returns to U.S. shores this fall for the 2nd leg of their “Isle of Hope” tour.  The journey continues October 7 in Waukegan, Illinois making stops in over 35 cities on its way to a November 22 finale in Long Beach, California.

On Sunday, September 13th we loaded in at Freedom Hall in Louisville, KY for this years’ National Quartet Convention.  The crew of Ted Daniels, Charlie Klein, Richie Shimer and Joe Castiglione were very efficient and made the day look easy.  Rob Snyder, of Rob Snyder Productions was very pleased and that makes us happy.  This years’ audio rig consisted of 40 Meyer Milo, 44 Meyer Melodie, 12 700HP Subs, 12  Meyer UM-1P Monitors and Meyer Sound Lab Galileo.  There was also a Yamaha PM-5D Digital Console in Monitor World and a DigiDesign Profile at FOH.  The convention is a week long and it showcases some of today’s top Gospel Quartets!!!

Once you take exit 108 off of I-65 North you are only a left, right and left turn away from Blackhawk Audio.  112 Center Drive, where Blackhawk Audio Inc. calls home is less than 5 minutes off I-65.  We have been here for over 3 years and really enjoy our location.  Besides the fact that we are easy to get to we also get to admire some incredible scenery.  We frequently see deer and wild turkeys walk right pass our office windows among other wildlife.

We moved in back in January of 2006.  We needed more room for all of plans, goals and dreams as well as our vast inventory of gear.  If you are ever in the “neighborhood” feel free to stop by and check us out.