DENVER, ATLANTA and NASHVILLE – Live event production companies in the Denver, Atlanta and Nashville areas have collectively suffered losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and possibly more than $1 million, worth of audio gear to a man identifying himself as Greg Bruce, [email protected], 646-398-1662, "tour technical director" of Sony Music. Other companies have also been affected by the alleged scam but have not yet made their losses public.
The three companies confirming losses so far include Dowlen Sound Inc. (Denver), Rock-N-Road Audio (Tucker, GA) and Digital Console Rental (Nashville).
Digital Console Rental founder Howard Jones noted that, rather than a quick hit, the person responsible for the gear losses had been in contact with his company over the course of many weeks starting in October, and, in addition to references and paperwork, raised few red flags that would have brought him under suspicion as anything other than a legitimate rental customer.
Jones added that, with 20-20 hindsight, a more thorough investigation of the alleged con artist's insurance certificate would have exposed him as a fraud, and encouraged others in the industry to thoroughly check out the insurance paperwork of any new customers as a safeguard.
The reportedly stolen gear lists follow:
Rock-N-Road Audio, reported by Roy Drukenmiller:
- 16 Meyer MILO 90 Line Array Speakers
- 2 Meyer MILO 120 Line Array Speakers
- 8 Meyer 700hp Self Powered Subs
- 6 Meyer MJF212A Self Powered Monitors
- 2 Meyer Galileo 616 Processors
- 2 Meyer MG-3D/ MILO Fly Grids
- 2 Meyer MLK- MILO Link Kits
- 2 Meyer MG-M'elodie Fly Grids
- 5 Meyer MCF- MILO Castor Frames
- 4 Meyer MCF-700 Castor Frames
- 4 Meyer MILO-4-Hi Covers
- 1 Meyer MILO-2-Hi Cover
- 4 Meyer 700 2-Hi Cover
- 26 Meyer Rainhoods
- 6 Backstage Cases Road Case For MJF212s
- 1 Transport Rack For Flybars
- 1 Rack For Galileo
- 16 Meyer M'elodie Line Array Speakers
- 2 Meyer MG-M'elodie Fly Grids
- 4 Meyer MCF M'elodie Castor Frames
- 4 Meyer M'elodie 4-Hi Covers
Dowlen Sound, Denver, CO, reported by Eric Satre:
- 10 Meyer Sound 700HPs
- 1 Meyer Sound Galileo 616
- 1 Meyer Sound SIM3 + Accessories
- 1 DiGiCo SD8 w/ 48×24 MADI Rack
- 1 Digidesign Venue w/Side Car, FOH Rack, 48×24 Stage Rack
- 10 Shure UHFR Handheld Wireless w/SM58 and Beta58 Capsules
- Miscellaneous Cables and Parts
Digital Console Rental, Nashville, TN, reported by Howard Jones:
- 2 Midas PRO6 digital consoles
- 2 DL431 digital splitters
- 2 DL371 units
