Chappell Roan’s Live Sound Team at Lollapalooza

Chicago, IL (October 1, 2024)—While there’s been a number of high-profile debuts in recent times, few have been as instantly meteoric as the sudden ubiquity of Chappell Roan. Powered by her synth-pop heavy debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, which just marked its one-year anniversary, that popularity earned the performer a high-profile slot at Lollapalooza this year—one that garnered a record-breaking crowd of 110,000 people. Of course, Roan’s quick ascent meant that her brand-new live sound team had to mesh just as quickly in order to meet the challenge of the high-stakes gig.

Live sound engineers Ben Rothstein (front of house) and Malcolm Gil (monitors/stage manager) were on-hand, manning control gear provided by Clair Global. Gil looked after a dozen stereo mixes for the artist, band, and crew on an Avid S6L console, and dived into the afternoon set without a dedicated soundcheck. “This ‘throw and go’ situation added a lot of pressure,” said Gil. “For me, the Avid S6L console was crucial because it’s reliable. The workflow and the easy patching capabilities help me even with limited time.”

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Out front, Rothstein was charged with mixing the show at front of house and generating broadcast stems, balancing the nuances of live sound with the complexities of broadcast audio. Faced with the time pressures of a festival, Rothstein did his homework, opting to prep as much as possible beforehand for the S6L that he had at the FOH mix position. This was possible, he said, largely because the “virtual soundcheck feature allows for efficient pre-show preparation. It lets you work closely with artists to fine-tune mixes without the pressure of a live performance. This system saves time and offers the flexibility to make real-time adjustments while keeping the environment calm and professional. Additionally, being adaptable, planning for backups, and having a deep understanding of your gear are essential for success.”

The well-received set was the latest career highlight for the two engineers. Rothstein, a veteran of Clair Global for nearly 18 years, started with the company as a PA tech and has taken on numerous productions over the years, including being entrusted with mixing monitors for Queen in 2018. Meanwhile, Gil got his first break working at Third Encore in Burbank, CA, eventually touring with a West Coast reggae band, Rebelution, in 2017, and has been on the road ever since. These days, he mixes pop artists like Ice Spice, Khalid, Labrinth—and now Chappell Roan.