Interview with Tristan Nelson-Hauer
Front Of House Engineer for The Chainsmokers
Tristan has been the Front Of House engineer for The Chainsmokers since 2017. Born in New Zealand, Tristan got exposed to big shows early in his career and has been in the industry for 22 years.
We got a chance to talk to him and hear about how he has been handling the pandemic and what he was doing before.
What inspired you to get started in the industry?
I was always interested in it from when I was a child. So it was a natural progression I guess you could say. Coming from New Zealand, you get exposed to a lot of really big shows early, didn’t ever start off playing in a club, just jumped in boots and all.
How long have you been in the industry?
I started when I was 15 then took a break for a couple years and got back into it in 1999 so 21 years ago properly.
How long have you been the Front Of House Engineer for The Chainsmokers?
Since late 2017.
What is some of the gear you used on The Chainsmokers' World War Joy Tour?
For the PA we used L-Acoustic K1/K2, which I love! The overall coverage of not only the top end but the consistent and accurate coverage with the low end is critical to the show. The Chainsmokers have a very dynamic sound that covers the full spectrum of the frequency range and being able to replicate it is very crucial. For control I use a DiGiCo SD5 console, fully loaded and running at 96K/96K. I have two SD racks with 32-bit cards for taking care of all inputs from both the A and B stages. The input count is 112. I have been using DiGiCo consoles for many, many years. I find them to be reliable and constant. I run the console relatively hard, and there is a real sweet spot where you get the warmth to come through. On top of this I have two DiGiCo Nano racks at the front of house, taking care of all the I/O duties for my outboard. My effects gear included an Avalon [VT] 737 [channel strip], running into an Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor for my Alex [pall] and Drew vocals, Avalon 737 for each of my guest vocals, and a TC Electronic TC2290 digital delay for vocal delay throws. I'm also using a Yamaha SPX990 for vocal effects-distortion, etc.-and also a doubler preset for the acoustic guitar, along with a Yamaha SPX2000 for vocal reverb. I prefer a nice chamber spectrum to allow me to place it in without clouding any of the other programs.
How has the pandemic impacted you?
Last year I worked at least 250 shows, sometimes 3 shows in one day and now I have not done a show since the beginning of March. I was planning on having a couple months’ worth of shows here and there because the guys were going to be working in the studio, then come July we were going to finish the World War Joy tour but that all got cancelled.
What kind of hobbies have kept you busy during the pandemic?
During this COVID time I have been keeping occupied by building 2x4 furniture, tables, squirrel picnic tables as well as making paracord items to order for people such as bracelets, slings and various wraps. I’ve really enjoyed being at home because I’ve always been on tour. I’m thinking of it as a “forced vacation”.
Have you been able to find work in the audio industry or are you working in another field temporarily?
Unfortunately for what I do it’s solely based on live shows. With an exception of a few studio gigs I had in august. As far as other work goes, I’m looking after the kids while they aren’t at school and I am fortunate enough to get through this from a financial perspective.
What's the best tip you've received or best tip you would give another Sound Human?
Never be afraid to ask questions. And always do your best to be a team player. Everything else can always be learned.
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