Axient Digital systems help resolve guitar interference and deliver reliable wireless monitoring on The Mountain world tour.

The sound team behind Gorillaz’s The Mountain world tour is using Shure Axient Digital wireless guitar and Axient Digital PSM in-ear monitoring systems to manage demanding RF environments.

With appearances spanning indoor arenas, outdoor festivals and television performances, the production needs to accommodate changing venues and guest line-ups. Sound Engineer Colin Woodward oversees RF coordination, working alongside Front of House Engineer Matt Butcher and Monitor Engineer Dave Guerin.

Resolving interference on stage

The team experienced guitar dropouts and low-level amplifier noise when the guitarist’s previous in-ear monitoring system was used alongside Shure Axient Digital AD1 guitar bodypack transmitters.

According to Woodward, switching the guitarist to Axient Digital PSM resolved the interference between the monitoring and guitar systems.

“Axient Digital PSM has solved all those issues while sounding great,” says Woodward. “It’s been absolutely rock-solid for me.”

The team also needed to preserve the guitar’s natural sound. Woodward reports that the Axient Digital guitar system delivers a sound almost indistinguishable from a conventional guitar cable, while providing the tuning flexibility and RF performance needed for international touring.

Monitoring the RF environment

Shure Wireless Workbench software plays a vital role in the team’s workflow, supporting frequency coordination and monitoring across both Shure and third-party wireless equipment.

Woodward compares scans taken with a portable scanner against scans from an AXT600 Spectrum Manager, using antennas positioned on stage. Wireless Workbench’s timeline recording tools also helped the team investigate the guitar dropouts and informed the decision to change the in-ear monitoring system.

A shared monitoring display gives the guitar technician visibility of system performance during the show.

Capturing vocals, ambience and crew communications

The wider production uses Shure KSM8 vocal capsules, alongside microphones for percussion, audience sound and stage ambience.

Two VP88 stereo microphones serve different purposes: one captures percussion overheads, while the other provides stage ambience for Damon Albarn’s in-ear mix. This allows him to hear people speaking on stage between songs without removing his earpieces.

Shure SM35 headset microphones support crew communications throughout rehearsals and performances, helping the team remain intelligible against high on-stage sound levels.

The project highlights the importance of RF coordination, performance monitoring and clear crew communications in delivering reliable audio for a complex touring production.

Shure is an ISCVE Supporting Member.

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