#68 Adam Wells | From Pub Sound Guy to Ed Sheeran's Audio Systems Engineer

Adam Wells has spent nine years inside Ed Sheeran's touring operation, working his way from PA tech to audio systems engineer, the role responsible for the entire technical backbone of one of the most complex stadium shows on earth. He was offered the job twice before he finally said yes, then stepped into it for the first time in front of a quarter of a million people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Along the way he's worked on productions for Bryan Adams, Tom Jones, Queen & Adam Lambert, Russell Brand, Tim Minchin, and the Tokyo Olympic Games.Adam sits down with Nikki to talk about coming up through South Wales' concert sound scene, losing his first freelance tour overnight before it even started, and what it actually takes to run audio for an artist who refuses to use a backing track or a click track anywhere in the show.What you'll learn:Why Adam turned down the top audio job on Ed Sheeran's tour twice before finally saying yesWhat happened when his first freelance tour fell through nine months out, and how he rebuilt from zeroWhy Ed Sheeran's show has never used a backing track or a click track, and what that actually costs the audio teamHow growing up around South Wales' concert sound scene shaped the way he worksWhat it felt like to run audio for a quarter of a million people over two nights in Melbourne for the first timeWhy humidity, elevation, and an empty stadium change how a show actually soundsThe one piece of advice Adam gives every young engineer starting outSponsor:MOC is looking for new volunteers to help share the joys of live music. Volunteer Guides are the friendly faces who host the programs as volunteer musicians perform hopeful songs to put a smile on the faces of hospital patients, families, and caregivers. To learn more about becoming a Musicians On Call volunteer, visit https://www.musiciansoncall.org.Adam Wells Bio:Adam Wells is an audio system engineer who has spent nine years with Ed Sheeran — working his way from PA tech all the way to the top technical role on one of the most complex and distinctive stadium productions in the world. He grew up in South Wales and got his start at a production company called Sonalyst.Adam has a vast array of experience not only in concert touring but in large scale theatre production, broadcast, festivals, and television. In addition to Ed Sheeran, he’s worked with Bryan Adams, Tom Jones, Queen & Adam Lambert, Russell Brand, Tim Minchin, Strictly Come Dancing UK, and the Tokyo Olympic Games to name a few.Find your next Gigg and join the #1 community for the live events industry: https://www.giggs.live/Stay up to date:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.liveYoutube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-liveLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giggs-llc/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giggs.liveHost: Nikki Sanz