DiGiCo Quantum112 Empowers Trinidadian Soca Band Kes on International “Roots, Rock, Soca” Tour
013 mins
Main Facts
The intersection of high-end live audio engineering and demanding international touring logistics has long presented a formidable challenge for production teams. However, a recent technological shift has proven that heavyweight performance no longer requires heavyweight hardware. During their extensive “Roots, Rock, Soca” tour spanning the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, renowned Trinidadian soca band Kes successfully deployed a pair of compact DiGiCo Quantum112 digital mixing consoles.
Supplied and recommended by New York-based production provider Sky Event Technology, the desks were utilized at both Front of House (FOH) and monitor positions. Transitioning from larger Quantum338 consoles to the more streamlined Quantum112 units allowed the tour’s audio crew to drastically simplify cross-border transportation, reduce cargo shipping overhead, and accelerate daily setup and teardown workflows.
Bolstered by DiGiCo’s recent Quantum112 Pulse upgrade—which expands the desk’s processing capability to 96 input channels and 48 aux/subgroup buses—the compact consoles delivered enterprise-grade audio processing without compromising the physical agility required for a fast-paced, multi-country itinerary.
Chronology
The seamless deployment of the Quantum112 consoles was the result of strategic planning and a decade-long partnership between Kes and Sky Event Technology owner Akash Ramjug.
Pre-Tour Preparation and Equipment Selection
Months prior to the launch of the “Roots, Rock, Soca” tour, Ramjug and the band’s long-time FOH engineer, Nigel Brizan, evaluated the logistical constraints of the upcoming itinerary. Moving large-format consoles internationally historically demanded complex freight forwarding, trucking to major hubs like Miami, and booking expensive cargo flights that often risked multi-day customs delays. Recognizing the need for a smaller, flight-friendly footprint that retained rider-friendly audio quality, Ramjug introduced the DiGiCo Quantum112 as the primary control surface solution for both FOH and monitor mixing duties.
The North American Leg
The tour kicked off with a grueling West Coast run, beginning in Vancouver and moving down to Los Angeles. Unlike previous tours where consoles required dedicated freight cases and specialized cargo logistics, the Quantum112 units were packed into standard flight cases and checked directly as commercial airline luggage.
From the West Coast, the tour leaped across the continent to Virginia Beach, winding its way northward through multiple East Coast venues before culminating in a high-energy performance in Toronto, Canada. Throughout this rigorous domestic and cross-border phase, the consoles maintained flawless reliability while traveling directly in the cabins or baggage holds alongside the touring personnel.
The Caribbean Jump and Special Events
Following the North American dates, the tour executed a rapid logistical pivot for a high-profile, one-off event in Bermuda. Utilizing the lightweight nature of the Quantum112, the production team bypassed traditional multi-week ocean or air cargo procedures. The consoles were seamlessly checked onto commercial flights to the island, demonstrating the gear’s ultimate roadworthiness and enabling a rapid load-in schedule upon arrival.
Supporting Data & Technical Specifications
The operational success of the tour hinged on the balance between physical constraints and massive digital processing power. Key data points defining the deployment include:
Tour Itinerary Reach: United States (West Coast and East Coast, including Los Angeles, Vancouver, Virginia Beach), Canada (Toronto), and Bermuda.
Firmware/Upgrade Status: Updated to the Quantum112 Pulse standard.
Channel and Bus Capacity Post-Upgrade: 96 input channels and 48 auxiliary/subgroup buses.
Processing Architecture: Features DiGiCo’s proprietary Mustard processing algorithms, Spice Rack native plug-ins, and Nodal Processing, alongside an integrated Waves SoundGrid bundle.
Logistical Footprint: Small enough to be checked as standard commercial airline luggage, eliminating traditional air-cargo delays.
Official Responses and Industry Perspectives
The decision to migrate to the Quantum112 has received enthusiastic praise from both the engineering talent and the equipment provider.
Nigel Brizan, FOH engineer for Kes, highlighted the creative freedom and workflow improvements afforded by the console:
"It was a dream, man! It was so easy to travel with, and it helped in my workflow—easy to set up, easy to break down—which put a lot of time back into production. I had the option of just going back to the hotel and programming my show in the room. The Q112 is small but very, very powerful."
Brizan further emphasized the advantages of bringing a trusted, standardized workspace to unpredictable venue environments:
"A lot of the shows are a day of loading and sound check and set up, and that can get complicated when you have to deal with different consoles. When you’re bringing your own console, it just speeds up the workflow, and the Q112’s compact size means that we can bring it everywhere. We’re very happy that Akash and Sky Event Technology introduced the Q112 to us. It’s now our go-to choice for travel. It’s the do-everything, go-anywhere console!"
Akash Ramjug, owner of Sky Event Technology and a trusted audio partner to Kes for nearly ten years, detailed the economic and operational hurdles overcome by switching to the compact desk:
"They’re great consoles, like any DiGiCo desk, but the Q112 is so compact and lightweight that we can check it as regular luggage on flights. We flew them down the entire west coast, from Vancouver to LA, and then across the country, from Virginia Beach all the way up to Toronto, and then to Bermuda for a one-off event. The consoles were able to stay with us all the way."
Comparing current logistics to past international routing experiences, Ramjug added:
"I have shipped larger consoles down to the Caribbean many times, and it takes a lot of logistical effort to move those. We would have to truck them down to Miami, then get them on a cargo plane, which would then bring them to the islands. But that takes up to a week because you have the ground transportation first and then the flight. For this tour, we were able to move these consoles much more quickly and efficiently. We just checked them in as though they’re luggage and then picked them up when we landed. So simple."
Commenting on the technical capacity unlocked by DiGiCo’s software expansion, Ramjug concluded:
"With the new upgrade, these little desks are so much more powerful, delivering the I/O and processing you’d normally only expect to find on DiGiCo’s larger Quantum consoles. The Q112 Pulse really packs a stunning amount of muscle into its tiny-yet-mighty frame."
Implications for the Live Sound Industry
The successful deployment of the DiGiCo Quantum112 on the Kes “Roots, Rock, Soca” tour underscores a broader, rapidly accelerating trend within the live event production sector: the decentralization of heavy infrastructure in favor of high-density, ultra-portable processing power.
For decades, artists operating outside of major arena-tour brackets—particularly international acts bridging the Caribbean, North America, and Europe—faced a difficult compromise. They could either rely on local house consoles, risking variable audio quality and unfamiliar workflows, or absorb the immense financial and logistical burden of freight-shipping large-format control surfaces across multiple international borders.
The evolution of compact, high-channel-count digital mixers like the Quantum112 Pulse fundamentally alters this economic and operational equation. By packing enterprise-level mixing capabilities, expansive plugin environments (such as Mustard and Waves integration), and robust routing matrices into a chassis that fits inside commercial airline baggage guidelines, manufacturers are empowering independent and mid-tier touring acts to maintain absolute sonic consistency worldwide.
As global touring costs rise and supply chain predictability fluctuates, the ability of production companies like Sky Event Technology to hand-carry master-class mixing power onto commercial flights represents a new standard of touring efficiency. For Kes and their technical crew, this technological leap has not only streamlined their global journey but also established a new benchmark for what is possible when world-class audio meets modern logistical agility.
