After eight years away, Alabama Shakes went back on the road this summer. In the time since, frontwoman Brittany Howard built a celebrated solo career, and many of the crew who supported her along the way also worked on this tour. As the sun faded and the stage lights took over, the band settled into a rhythm that felt both familiar and renewed. Every note was truly live—no tracks, no safety net—just musicians and microphones. For both the production crew and audience, that immediacy made the performance electric. Howard’s soulful vocals were backed by a production rooted in natural textures, with trees and vines woven into the set and bathed in saturated light, creating an atmosphere that felt organic, intimate, and deeply connected to the music.
REHEARSALS & PRODUCTION
That sense of renewal began long before opening night, during nearly two weeks of rehearsals at PRG’s Starwood facility in Nashville. The crew treated the space as a home base, programming, testing, and refining every element of the show. Having access to Starwood gave the team the flexibility to experiment, add and subtract elements, and ultimately shape the look and feel that carried into the tour.
PRG Account Executive Lawrence “Filet” Mignogna was also instrumental in the process, assisting Lighting Designer Conor Jacob in sourcing the right fixtures and gear on a tight timeline. Having previously worked with Brittany Howard on her solo tour, Mignogna brought familiarity and trust to the collaboration. “Filet really gets it,” says FOH Audio Engineer Shane Haase. “He understands what we’re going for and makes it happen.”
AUDIO
At front of house, Haase embraces that all-live approach with a mix philosophy that’s as dynamic as the band itself. With no tracks to lean on, he builds the show in three dimensions—balancing amplitude, depth, and width—so every instrument and vocal has space to breathe. “It frees us to be flexible and truly in the moment with the band and the audience,” Haase says. “The ballads stay soft so the loud moments can bloom, and that’s what makes the Shakes so powerful.”
The band’s decision to keep everything live extended to the PA. Spectrum Sound supplied a d&b Audiotechnik KSL rig for the run, tailored to the variety of venues. At front of house, Haase mixed on a DiGiCo Quantum 5 (SD5A), while monitors were handled on a Yamaha PM5. The mic package reflected the same philosophy—vintage RCA BK-5 ribbons on overheads, an OHMA mic ribbon, and a mix of dynamics on guitars, and classics like the EV RE-38 and ATM23HE rounding out the setup. “It’s about making the kit wider and more aggressive live than it is on the records,” Haase explains. “We’re leaning into the raw energy.”
LIGHTING
On the visual side, Jacob brought a similar sensibility to lighting. Serving as both designer and director, Jacob ran a fully manual show each night—no timecode, no automation. His lean, adaptive rig was designed to respond to each venue, whether it was Red Rocks, the Hollywood Bowl, or the Greek. “It’s a manually driven show,” he explained. “You step into it and respond in real time. That’s what keeps it live.”
That flexibility came into full effect at Red Rocks, where the team integrated the natural landscape into the design. Jacob’s placement of fixtures allowed the light to play against the stone itself, blending the stage with the dramatic contours of the venue. The result was a magical moment that felt unique to that space, as though the rocks themselves were part of the performance.
Jacob is also the chief production designer for Sofft Productions in Dublin, where Production Services Ireland (PSI) serves as his primary vendor. For this tour, Ciaran Tallon of PSI provided the Avolites Arena 330 and Avolites 215 consoles, with Avolites working closely to ensure the system was ready. The rig ran on two Titan Network Processors, with additional processing supplied by PRG.
“It’s been flawless,” Jacob says. “PRG backed me with both a main and backup desk, and it integrated seamlessly with the GroundControl Multi System, which is efficient, flexible, and really lets me focus on the show instead of logistics.”
PRG also supplied a streamlined but adaptive rig centered on refurbished Best Boy LED fixtures—a longtime PRG staple, now given new life with updated internals. “The refurbished Best Boys are delivering exactly what this production needs,” Jacob says. “They bring real punch and character, and they’ve become central to how we light both the band and the set.” Initially, the show carried a core package, but as the tour progressed, more Best Boys were added thanks to their performance and versatility.
KEEPING IT REAL
No tracks, no automation, no shortcuts—the Alabama Shakes tour is a reminder that live music can still feel immediate, raw, and deeply human. From the way Howard commands the stage to the way the crew shapes sound and light, the production mirrors the band itself: flexible and alive in the moment. After an eight-year hiatus, the Shakes have returned with a show that proves that sometimes the simplest approach is the most powerful.
Learn more about PRG’s work in Music here.
CREW LIST
Lighting Designer & Lighting Director: Conor Jacob
FOH Audio Engineer: Shane Haase
PRG Account Executive: Lawrence “Filet” Mignogna
LIGHTING
Lighting Crew Chief: Robert Simoneaux
Ground Control Technician: Nick Monaco
Lighting – Dimmer Technician: Joshua Sullivan
Lighting Technician: Michael “Red” Field
AUDIO
Monitor Engineer: Anna Arboles
Audio Technicians: Brian Crider, Lauren Torres, Jake Shrouse, Luke Armenia
More News
Support USITT
For many 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, USITT included, donations are a lifeline. We are able to continue to expand our online offerings to our Members and to our industry thanks to Membership dollars and the generosity of our donors.