With eight acclaimed studio albums to their name, including their latest 2024 release Analysis Paralysis, Four Year Strong has built a reputation for massive, authentic live performances. As they embark on a busy 2026 touring schedule, which includes a spring run supporting The Devil Wears Prada and highly anticipated appearances at Welcome to Rockville and the 2026 Vans Warped Tour, the band is ensuring their signature sound translates perfectly every single night.
To achieve this consistency on the road, the band relies on a 48-channel Allen & Heath SQ-5 digital console. By carrying a pre-built, flyable mix system, the touring crew ensures absolute reliability from city to city, effectively eliminating the unpredictability of relying on venue-provided house consoles.
“Ultimately what it comes down to is consistency. I can basically just unmute the PA and like ride the master fader up,” said Jonah Kay, front of house engineer. “I’m not worried about how I’m gonna get a mix to sound good in each venue.”
The SQ-5 provides the perfect balance of portability and power for the band’s extensive touring schedule. It allows Kay to comfortably manage the band’s channel count while keeping everything to a flyable size. The console significantly improves his daily workflow through useful features like a built-in 32-channel USB interface. “I record tracks from every show to my laptop,” said Kay. “That serves me if the band needs the recordings later, and it also lets me run a virtual soundcheck at the next venue.”
The customizable fader banks also help Kay stay organized. “It’s a big plus compared to some other desks,” said Kay. “Creating the custom banks means I can really keep the workflow the way I like it.”
With the SQ-5 at the helm, Kay can also easily take advantage of the desk’s latency-free DEEP processing plugins. “I’m using 16T compressor quite a bit across my vocal and snare groups,” he noted. “I also like the new BUS compressor for my drum groups and the Tube preamp models. I double up my vocals so that I can have one clean and one with that Tube saturation.”
Kay also programs custom SoftKeys to trigger different preamp settings and mix in stereo guitar tracks, creating a wider, much more dynamic live mix during massive choruses. “When we go back to the verse with just one guitar, I can jump back to mono with another key press to create that separation.”
For the most part, Four Year Strong’s live performances are not reliant on automation. “The drummer sometimes plays to a click track, but even then – it’s just a simple metronome,” said Kay. “Other than that, the band is capable of just removing their in-ears and playing using the amps and wedges. It’s good to have that failsafe in case anything goes wrong with playback.”
Four Year Strong have several more US tour dates this spring, leading up Warped Tour performances in Montreal and Mexico City this summer
