Front-of-house engineer Frank Joly has chosen the Waves eMotion LV1 Classic console for Simple Plan’s 2025 world tour.
Front-of-house engineer Frank Joly (Pierce the Veil, Good Charlotte, Sum 41, Les Trois Accords) has selected the Waves eMotion LV1 Classic console for Simple Plan’s 2025 World Tour.
Formed in Montreal, Quebec, in 1999, Simple Plan is a multi-platinum Canadian pop-punk and alternative rock band, with over 10 million albums sold worldwide and billions of streams. Known for hits like Welcome to My Life and I’m Just a Kid, they’ve headlined major festivals and arenas across North America, Europe, and beyond, including events like the Vans Warped Tour, Formula 1 Grand Prix, and When We Were Young in Las Vegas.
Their current Bigger Than You Think! tour celebrates 25 years with the most elaborate stage production of their career. It features full-scale arena setups, advanced audio systems, and a stacked lineup of guest acts, underscoring a production designed for thousands of fans per night.
For this level of complexity, the Waves eMotion LV1 Classic console delivers pristine sound quality, flexible routing, and streamlined control, making it the perfect solution for high-impact live shows where reliability and sonic precision are non-negotiable.
Joly, who has been working with the band for over fourteen years, says, “The first time I did a show with the eMotion LV1 Classic, I fell in love with it. The rich tone of the preamp and the headroom were incredible. Finally, a compact console with tons of headroom and a simple intuitive interface.”
Joly remarks about the two Waves IONIC 24 units included in his setup: “The 24-in/18-out SoundGrid stagebox with Waves Signature preamps is outstanding,” he says. “We are talking about a superior audio interface designed to work seamlessly with the LV1 Classic mixer. This unit delivers pristine sound and ultimate flexibility. You can choose between a super-clean preamp or one with added character, and with its impedance option, you have the power to fine-tune every detail for a flawless mix.”
Regarding workflow and usability, he notes, “I mix old school. Everything routes directly to the L/R bus. The interface was so easy to learn. After one hour with the board, my show was ready and good to go. It’s both exciting and extremely efficient to use the same plugins and effects featured on the artist’s albums. And, significantly, the console’s size is perfect: enough faders and a lightweight design ideal for fly dates.”
He adds, “With a generous choice of plugins integrated into the LV1 Classic, I absolutely love being able to use any Waves plugin needed for the task at hand. There is also plenty of DSP available inside the console. I have an external server but haven’t had any need for it yet. I’m currently running 47 inputs, 8 FX returns, tons of plugins and only using 53% DSP at 96kHz. The new V16 software really made the console powerful.”
When processing, Joly comments, “I’m a huge fan of Waves plugins. My must-haves include the MV2, which I use on the snare and vocals to keep them tight and loud in the mix. Recently, I discovered the new Curves AQ plugin. It’s so uncomplicated to use and it makes anything you put it on just sound better. It’s perfect for vocal and acoustic guitar.”
He continues, “The F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ is my desert island plugin. Vocal, bass, tracks, you name it, it will fix anything and add punch to the track. I also like to finish the mix with Waves’ Center plugin, which adds amazing width to the sound. And, of course, you can never go wrong with the best delay plugin on the market: Waves’ renowned H-Delay Hybrid Delay. Two additional crucial plugins are the Waves X-FDBK and TRACT System Calibration plugin: a while back, we did a one-off show in a small club, and they basically saved the show.”
Joly sums it up, “From small or medium shows to big arenas, the LV1 Classic is an amazing console. It can easily serve as a festival console without any issues. It supports up to 128 inputs without expansion, and you can go up to 160 with the eMotion LV1 80-Channel Expansion. Its compact and lightweight design makes it ideal for fly dates. It truly is a Swiss Army knife. It’s the perfect solution for engineers who want to own and invest in a top-notch professional console. Furthermore, with Waves always working on new plugins and making the software better and more efficient every few months, this console will last for years. I can’t wait to start the new Les Trois Accords tour in Canada with two LV1 Classics on the road. This console makes my life easy because you can just lift the fader and it sounds fantastic from the start. It’s very accessible, designed for simplicity and delivers incredible sound right away.”
