Nashville, US – September 2017… When it comes to on-the-road recording, robust and reliable capture with no scope for error is undoubtedly priority number one. Nashville’s Rack-n-Roll Audio is acutely aware of this requirement, which is why it has long relied on JoeCo BLACKBOX recorders to provide redundancy for its substantial mobile recording and production interests.

Rack-n-Roll Audio owner Rob Dennis invested in his first BLACKBOX in 2011, having realised that the standalone multi-track recording system could provide easy-to-deploy redundancy for its primary, computer-based set-up. “The simple fact is that if you are not able to deliver full redundancy then you are not really offering a proper mobile recording service,” says Dennis. “With the JoeCo products we quickly realised that we could have redundancy coupled with a 24 or 64-channel recording capability that was very easy to take out on the road and apply to any number of different live events.”

A cursory glance at the recent Rack-n-Roll itinerary confirms this versatility. With commitments including a headline show by country crossover legend Garth Brooks and medium-size venue concerts associated with the Country Music Awards (CMAs), the BLACKBOX recorders have had a very busy summer in Nashville and beyond. But there is no doubt that one recent engagement – with Beach Boys founding genius Brian Wilson – stands out in the memory: “We recorded a complete performance of [Beach Boys classic album] Pet Sounds that may be released as a live album/DVD at some point. It was a fantastic project with which to be involved, particularly as this is rumoured to be Brian Wilson’s last major tour.”

In 2017, Rack-n-Roll’s JoeCo inventory includes 24-channel BBR1B multi-track recorders plus 64-channel BBR64-Dante and BBR64-MADI recorders – all of which have performed seamlessly. “It’s a testament to the JoeCo products that I cannot recall any specific instances of having to call up about technical problems. They really are built for the rigours of the road – the load-in, the quick set-up, the load-out, repeat! – and that is exactly what we needed when we invested in our first system all those years ago.”

Dennis has lately been trialling the JoeCo BLUEBOX audio interface recorders and expects to add a number of the units, including their unique back-up facility, to the Rack-n-Roll inventory over the coming months.