Adrian the sound man

Sound Engineers are often colourful characters but Adrian leads the field. I will say nothing of his attire other than to thank him for adding "Somerset Kilt" to my vocabulary.

His speciality is providing PA at outdoor events and he does it supremely well.

Disconcertingly the uses equipment from the 1960s. Adrian's idea of a foldback speaker is a battered leatherette boxed affair propped up at the required angle with a cable drum. If you're an ancient geek like me, the picture of his rig at Chippenham Folk Festival 2008 will bring back fond memories.


I have a degree in Electronics Engineering and no, I don't know how he makes it sound so good.

Of course, most bands expect modern equipment that looks like it cost thousands of pounds and event promoters rise to the challenge of persuading the musicians that this isn't going to be the gig from Hell.

Even people who know him well such as Andrew Sharpe of "Steamchicken" say "The trick is forcing yourself to trust him whilst he assembles what seems like the contents of the metal waste skip at the local council dump"

Andrew is a Solicitor in real life. Sometimes, you can't tell that from the way he talks.