An impressive night at «La Cigale» in september, featuring Ben Ricour, Daniel Powter and James Blunt. The three concerts were recorded with the mobile studio «Le Camion» and mixed in 5.1.

Album « Back to Beldam - DVD bonus Live in Paris », Warner, 2005

For those with an eye for the finer details, we salute you...

The concert, which I unfortunately did not attend, was recorded by the team of the mobile unit «Le Camion» with some special microphone placement that I had previously set up at La Cigale earlier on that day.

For the 5.1 mixing, I have chosen to follow the standards that apply to movies rather than what seems to be common for the feeble attempts we have seen so far for music in surround. In other words, the lead vocal is only in the front center speaker, with (almost) no effect, while the stereo stuff (including the effects) is spread on the left and right speakers. I also use additional effects devoted to the surround speakers on top of the live ambiance of course.

The major record companies being by now of an infinite stupidity, which is leading them to their own death, the 5.1 mix is not present on the bonus DVD sold alongside the album. So James, if you happen to read this someday, and are interested to know how great this might have sounded like, please let me know :-)

Actually, I might try and add the surround mix, now that I have the video - which of course I had to buy since the same stupid people at Warner did not think useful to let me know that this was released, and make it available on the net. Since this DVD is not sold but offered with the album, I can’t be accused to cut on the sales income, can I ?

On a far more important topic, I wish to add a word of thank you to the amazing and incredibly talented Cyrille Taillandier who, even though having become a more than respected engineer, did accept to assist me (again) in this task, which was the icing on the cake for this wholly enjoyable moment.