GLOBAL: When global pop icon Dua Lipa launched her Radical Optimism Tour in late 2024, the production team needed a console setup as powerful and adaptable as the show itself. The 80-plus date world tour has already swept through Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe — including two sold-out nights at London’s Wembley Stadium — and is now travelling across North America before concluding in South America later this year. At the helm of the audio operation are front-of-house engineer Will Nicholson and monitor engineer Alex Cerutti, both relying on DiGiCo Quantum 852 consoles supplied by Britannia Row, a Clair Global company.

At front of house, Nicholson operates four SD Racks fitted with 32-bit cards and an Orange Box loaded with Dante and HMA cards. His setup is powered by the Fourier transform.engine, which he uses extensively for plugin processing. “DiGiCo has always stood out for me because of the consoles’ functionality, robustness and honest approach to sonics,” he says. “I’ve made use of the transform suite to access some of my favourite plugins, including the UAD Distressor, 1176 and Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor. The transform.engine is very solid, and the automation makes it incredibly versatile. It’s now my only plugin engine, which has made time alignment so much quicker. Having access to a massive variety of plugins has been of real benefit to my mix.”

For Cerutti, working monitors on the Quantum 852 has proven equally rewarding. “The Quantum 852 is a huge step forward,” he explains. “I’ve been using DiGiCo consoles since the D1 and D5 days and really appreciate not having to create socket files! I’ve used SD7s and SD8s and keep coming back because I don’t have to change my setup or mix for the console. They are as configurable as I need them to be.”

Both engineers have made full use of the Quantum 852’s expansive touch screens and versatile layout. Cerutti praises the move of the layer select buttons to the screen, making multi-channel navigation faster and more intuitive, while Nicholson values the flexibility of the metering options and the spacious console surface. “I really like the big screens, the responsive faders, and the vast number of Macro options,” Nicholson adds. “Having multiple metering options makes so much information instantly available. The diagnostic meter on the bridge is an excellent touch. I also really like Mustard processing, and I’m using the MSE expander on a handful of channels — it’s a quality addition.”

Efficient communication has also been a key focus. Cerutti has developed a Macro that functions as a talk button for streamlined coordination, while both engineers have integrated their consoles with a Riedel comms system to improve overall workflow and communication. Nicholson notes, “Being able to flip between pre-show and show states for fail-safe communication is invaluable — especially for spare channels or quick EQ adjustments on the fly.”

Both engineers highlight the benefits of running two Quantum 852s across front-of-house and monitors. “One is harmonic; we have a shared sonic space,” Nicholson explains. “Secondly, it’s a big help for problem-solving. If you’re scratching your head trying to solve an issue, having that shared language and setup doubles your chances of success.”

Cerutti agrees, concluding, “The amount of information I have to hand and the speed at which I can access it makes everything easier. We both agree that the support is excellent, too. Whether you’re mixing a support band or a stadium artist, both Brit Row and DiGiCo are exemplary.”