Caleb Ramos runs sound at Beat Kitchen in Chicago, and he told us all about it...
How long have you been running sound? How did you get into it?
I've been working in sound for about six years now. Like most engineers my age, I started out producing my own music. After I moved to Chicago, I landed an internship with Chicago Recording Company, and through that began working broadcast audio for festivals. Because of the people I met at CRC, I've had the privilege of working festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Pitchfork, and many others.
How did you get hooked up with Beat Kitchen?
One of my friends from the broadcast team put me in contact with the company that staffs Beat Kitchen, and I've been there ever since.
Any particular highlights? Which bands have been the best to work with?
Two of my favorite acts that have come through recently are Snarls and Reilly Downes. Snarls has the privilege of being the only band I've bought a shirt from while working.
How would you describe the acoustics/layout at Beat Kitchen?
It's about as good as a 250 cap venue can get. With enough bodies in that room to mop up some of the 5k from the hardwood floors and tile walls, it's a wonderful acoustic environment. FOH sits at the back left of the room, but I'm always wandering around during soundchecks to make sure my mix is filling the space evenly.
What gear do you use?
We have a Midas M32 that runs both FOH and monitors. House mics include the standard Shure lineup: 57s, 58s, B91A etc. I like to carry an Audix D6 and a Neumann KMS 105. If I have something in the jazz/acoustic space, the 105 is lovely on vocals. It's also pretty killer on a cab. We get a fair amount of hardocre and metal, so throwing up a D6 on the kick gets the low end of the mix in place with minimal EQ. I also have a pair of Shure SE425s I use for referencing IEM mixes. The single best piece of gear I bring is my molded Sensaphonics. No show is worth losing hearing over!
For more information, visit beatkitchen.com.
