Mike Hanning is an arbiter of sound. He has a thorough understanding of how sound travels throughout a room and best practices for ensuring music sounds good. His abilities are well respected within our community. Throughout his journey, he’s been an ardent and attentive apprentice who listens to the wisdom his elders pass down. We are all students in life and the learning is never done. Mike considers himself fortunate for the route he’s traveled and the mentors he’s encountered along the way.

Mike went to Illinois State from 2010-2012 where he studied Arts Technology. Through this major, he cultivated an understanding of a variety of disciplines like audio engineering, music production, and sound design. Concerning his time spent and lessons learned while at Illinois State, Mike is thankful in his reflection. “I got lucky with some pretty cool professors who were in the music industry and showed me what was ahead in music.” He’d utilize these valuable insights to support his own ambitions for throwing events and shows like that of the prolific Hot Sauce Sessions held at Cairo Ale House starting around 2016.

Like many within the ranks of Suburban Sound Syndicate, Cairo Ale House is where Mike really began plying his trade. He became comfortable wearing the many different hats that audio, visual, and production disciplines demand. This period also marked the beginning of personally representing Funktion-One sound culture. Through careful consideration and organizing investment, Mike and his cohorts formed Astral Harmonics. As time progressed, Joe Jennings of SwampWoofer recommended Mike towards Sub Valley Sound who needed a professional familiar with the ins and outs of operating a Funktion-One rig. Mike was an ideal fit. Astral Harmonics and Sub Valley Sound intermingled, eventually joining forces, to offer one of the most adept Funktion-One sound teams found anywhere within the Midwest.

Mike’s now the lead audio engineer for Sub Valley Sound, but also the production/AV manager for two Chicago venues located in Fulton Market, City Hall and Recess. Before landing these positions, he billed his services as a freelance AV engineer. Among his responsibilities are knowing and mapping a venue so he can assess the necessary components for the correct deployment of a system. From there, he certifies everything is connected properly and moderates mixing levels guaranteeing that all performances sound great throughout the entirety of an event. Running a show isn’t easy, but Mike certainly makes it look that way. “It trickles down straight from the source, Tony Andrews, the inventor of [Funktion-One]. A lot of my sensei worked with him and passed that knowledge down. I do feel lucky learning what I have from them; these bits of knowledge are special.”

In addition to being an audio engineer, Mike also knows how to spin tracks and produce music. Though these pursuits have taken a backseat to his current professional obligations, the passion remains. He also enjoys basketball and shooting hoops. How about a pop-up 3-on-3 tournament that lasts well into the night and ends with a dance competition complete with cash prizes for the best moves? It’s a vision of the future that may one day come to pass, and Mike might just be the galvanizing force who brings it into reality.

Mike Hanning is a friendly and humble character. Gracious towards others, and methodical in his work. If you’d like to follow him on social media, you can find him on Instagram @nebul4s. If you’re interested in inquiring about his services or the venues he represents, you can e-mail him at [email protected].

--Electro Scribe--