Live and on Air: Clair is a Winner at CMT Awards

The 2011 CMT Awards brought together some unlikely mixes of music and fun, as witnessed by Wynonna's response to show host Kid Rock. Broadcast live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on CMT and CMT.com, the show honored the best country music videos of the year and featured country’s biggest names.

Appearances by Thelma and Louise (a.k.a. Shania Twain and Taylor Swift), and some amazing musical performances from the Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, Toby Keith, Sugarland and others made for a star-studded event, with Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert walking away as the big winners.

Although Shania Twain tripped and Sheryl Crow suffered a minor wardrobe malfunction, for Wireless First / Clair Broadcast Services, the 2011 CMT Awards proved to be another successful experience with a nationally televised event.

Broadcast Services provided wireless and networking support for presenters and 13 to-air acts, all performing live, or singing live to track. Clair brought in house and stage sound reinforcement, with eight hangs of i3 cabinets, along with 110 small under-seat speakers covering two VIP areas.

Wireless First's Kevin Sanford notes that this year's ceremony proved to be challenging for both companies due to some unusual staging considerations.

"There was a lot going on in front of the P.A.," says Sanford. "The main stage had a 50 foot thrust into the center of the arena, and there were two pods with podiums set further out in the house for intros and acceptances." A house band was set up on a 25-foot high platform where every break had 30-second bumpers with a new act for an outro. "This is the type of event where it's crucial that every word be heard, both in-house and on TV. And since it's truly 'live,' you can't go back and 'fix it.'

     

"With the unusual sets, live considerations and broadcast trucks, it could have been an audio nightmare," Sanford adds. "But we were able to overcome all of that, and add another event that proves we're a viable competitor in the live broadcast market."