On-stage playback for Magic Mike Live

I helped create the on-stage playback and MIDI setup for the opening of Magic Mike Live in London's West End. Yes, I met Channing. And yes, he's very cool in real life.

The challenge

I built an Ableton session and connected wireless MIDI so an MPC could be played in real time with the music. Playback was in sync with the production, and instead of the MPC making its own sound, I set it to trigger MIDI notes on a drum rack in Live.

Those notes then had to be recorded into the sequencer so they could be looped live. More MIDI mapping, Ableton Link and fine-tuning of the master clock made it possible. The sequence was a major part of the script, so getting performers and technology working fluently together was a real achievement.

The result

The tech worked exactly as intended. It was great to work in theatre again, on a show as fun as this one with such a colourful history. An unforgettable experience and a real highlight.