No Two Shows Alike: Inside Jon Batiste’s Live Sound Setup with Shure  

Key Takeaways: 

• Axient® Digital and Axient® Digital PSM provide reliable wireless and in-ear monitoring as Jon Batiste moves throughout the venue.
• ShowLink® gives Caleb James real-time pack telemetry and frequency control across a 22-channel Axient Digital PSM system.
• Axient Digital PSM channel expansion and ANX4 help accommodate high wireless channel counts while reducing rack space.
• Nexadyne™ microphones give Rico Gonzalez flexible options for capturing drums and instruments while managing bleed on a loud stage. 

Jon Batiste might be onstage for one moment and marching through a venue balcony the next. For his touring team, every performance demands the flexibility to follow the music wherever it goes.  

For Rico Gonzalez, Jon Batiste’s front-of-house engineer, that unpredictability is part of what makes the show special. 

“It’s not set in stone. It’s impromptu. It’s more of a vibe. We might change the arrangement or instrumentation, and that can happen in the spur of the moment.” 

That spontaneity makes every performance a unique experience for the audience and requires technology the team can depend on without hesitation.

On tour, Axient Digital, Axient Digital PSM, ANX4, and Nexadyne microphones give Jon’s engineers the wireless coverage, monitoring capabilities, and microphone flexibility to keep pace with the performance.  

Wireless That Follows Jon Batiste Anywhere 

For Caleb James, Jon Batiste’s monitor engineer, wireless coverage needs to extend well beyond the stage. 

“Jon runs out into the crowd at some point in the show, and we want to make sure that every place in the venue is covered. He’ll go up into the balcony. He goes everywhere.”

With Jon’s next move rarely predictable, reliable wireless helps protect that creative freedom. Axient Digital provides wireless microphone coverage as Jon moves throughout the venue, while Axient Digital PSM keeps him and the band connected to their monitor mixes.  

That reliability lets Jon interact with audiences and take the performance wherever the moment leads, without being limited by the wireless system. 

Staying in Control with ShowLink® 

With 22 channels of Axient Digital PSM supporting Jon and the band, Caleb manages a large wireless system while also handling RF coordination. ShowLink gives him access to pack information and frequency control from his monitor position.

“My favorite thing about Axient Digital PSM is the ability to have it with ShowLink. It’s my favorite feature.  

"Just seeing all the telemetry that you can see from the pack, real-time battery level, headphone level, whether the headphones are plugged in or not, it’s really helpful. And then being able to turn the pack on after you’re done with your coordination and the frequency updates is perfect, especially when you have a large channel count.” 

Beyond monitoring pack information, ShowLink allows Caleb to respond to RF issues without leaving his desk.

“If anybody has a frequency disturbance or they’re getting drops, I can change their frequency from here seamlessly.”

With real-time visibility and remote frequency control, Caleb can make adjustments quickly while keeping an eye on the performance. 

More Wireless Channels in Less Rack Space  

Touring a production of this scale means balancing capability with practicality. For Caleb, channel density is especially important when building a system that needs to travel from venue to venue.  

“We have nine band members, and that doesn’t include backline. We use channel expansion to get 16 channels in one rack unit. It’s all in one rack and has internal combining.”

Axient Digital PSM channel expansion lets the team add more in-ear monitoring channels without significantly increasing the touring rack size.  

The coolest part is that there’s a lot of rack space that isn’t being taken up. I can have way more gear in way less space, and it’s easier to program everything into one spot. 

Scaling the Wireless Microphone System with ANX4 
That same focus on channel density extends to the wireless microphone system. ANX4 provides up to 16 Axient Digital channels in a single rack unit.    

“The neatest thing about ANX4 is the rack space. You can use 16 channels over Dante, so it’s all digital. It’s clean.”

Together, Axient Digital PSM channel expansion and ANX4 let the team support a high channel count while using limited rack space efficiently. 

Capturing a Dynamic Stage with Nexadyne 

With drums, horns, vocals, and other instruments sharing a loud stage, Rico needs microphones that deliver clarity while helping him manage unwanted bleed.

His experience with Nexadyne started after hearing about the microphones from other engineers: 

I heard about the Nexadyne microphones sometime last year, and I really wanted to try the drum mics. I’d heard about them from colleagues in the industry, so I said, ‘Why not?’ I tried them out and never looked back.

Impressed by their clarity and punch on drums, Rico began experimenting with Nexadyne on other instruments, including the B3 organ.

“It’s a loud stage, particularly the drums and the horns. I wanted to narrow down some of the bleed. Usually, I use a condenser mic or a 57 on the B3, but I was thinking, ‘If this mic is good enough for a vocal, why not try it on the B3?’ It’s been working very well for me, so I think I’m going to continue using it that way for a while.”

For Rico, Nexadyne has become more than a drum microphone. Its versatility gives him additional options for capturing instruments and managing bleed in a demanding live environment. 

Keeping the Focus on the Performance 

Every Jon Batiste performance brings something different, but the production team needs equipment that delivers consistent results. For Rico, that dependability is one reason he keeps choosing Shure.

My favorite thing about using Shure is that I know what I’m getting. I know I’m getting a product that’s going to sound great. It’s a workhorse.

With a dependable audio system behind them, Jon and his engineers can embrace the spontaneity that makes each performance unique. 

Explore Shure Live Sound Solutions 

From wireless microphone systems to in-ear monitoring for demanding stages, explore the Shure technologies that help live sound professionals deliver exceptional performances night after night. 

Frequently Asked Questions: Jon Batiste’s Live Sound Setup 

How does Jon Batiste’s team maintain reliable wireless as the performance moves through the venue? The touring team uses Axient Digital for wireless microphones and Axient Digital PSM for in-ear monitoring, supporting performances that extend beyond the stage and into the audience.  

How does ShowLink help manage a large Axient Digital PSM system? ShowLink gives the monitor team access to pack telemetry, such as battery and headphone information, and allows remote frequency changes in response to RF conditions.

How does ANX4 help touring productions with high wireless channel counts? ANX4 supports 16 wireless channels over Dante in an all-digital configuration, helping the team accommodate more channels while conserving rack space.

Why does Jon Batiste’s team use Nexadyne microphones on a dynamic stage? Front-of-house engineer Rico Gonzalez uses Nexadyne for its clarity, punch, and versatility. After using the microphones on drums, he also began experimenting with Nexadyne on the B3 organ to help manage bleed from a loud stage.