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UK: Sound production company 22live returned to the Creamfields Northsite on Daresbury Estate, in the beautiful Cheshire countryside, where they made their debut last year on one of the stages.

With ten high profile stages set for the huge, four-day dance music festival, the Martin Audio rental partner this year doubled its account. This year they were entrusted with delivering optimum sound for a second stage in a large-scale Big Top—in addition to the 14,000-capacity iconic Steel Yard stage which they also equipped last year. This industrial super structure was described as the largest in Europe when originally designed by Acorn Events.

Boasting a huge overhead video screen, Steel Yard really comes into its own after 1am on the Saturday night, when it runs through to 4am, and this year saw electronic music icon, Eric Prydz, with his unique soundscapes headlining.

22live director Paul Timmins oversaw the sound system installation—both of this and the #3 stage, renewing his long acquaintance with event production company LarMac LIVE.

He could immediately see how he could draw on last year’s successful deployment to create even greater impact by modifying the sub design, knowing the high priority LarMac place on sound. “For our part,” said Timmins, “we are always looking to refine things where possible.”

Noting the natural rake of around 6 metres over the 110m distance to the downstage edge, his concern was fitting a new sub design within the heavily populated tech built into the front of the structure.

“Unlike conventional rock festivals, atCreamfieldsa high SPL is required all the time,” he said. “For this type of event you need high impact, so we changed what had been a broadside sub array to a spaced cardioid array to create greater impact, although I realized we would sacrifice a bit of controllability and risked a bit more low-end offsite. Whereas for certain other outdoor events, controllability and offsite noise is probably top priority you have to design to suit the event, and DJs at this level often ask about the subs. Although there are still noise propagation and offsite considerations, with 10 stages working together it’s a collective responsibility.”

Let’s just say, the SPL was significant.

Having set out their rationale, 22live deployed 24 SXHF 218 subs in eight ground stacks of three, under a flown WPL line array, 16 elements per side as the main hangs. A further four SXHF 218s (two a side) were flown at the top of the delay towers, each comprising eight Martin Audio WPL, set around 70 metres back.

The system was designed by system tech Sam Millen—who operated in the same role last year—and 22live Technical Director, Simon Gladstone.

Paul Timmins’ other concern was working within the parameters of the superstructure—particularly being able to accommodate an extra stratum of subwoofers (last year the broadside design was only two high). “The Acorn structure is like a hangar, containing a lot of production in terms of moving lights and video,” he explained. “Since there are weight restrictions, you have to work with a ground-based sub solution. And since the entire back of the stage is a video screen, effectively everything has to go out wide to avoid obscuring sightlines and detracting from the artistic element.”

Thus 22live worked diligently to be able to recess the spaced sub array under the stage, since the pit was already heavily populated with confetti cannons, pyro and CO2. LarMac LIVE, and their technical production manager Alex Mackie had been extremely accommodating in this regard. “As a result, we managed to squeeze an extra 6- or 8-inches height which was just sufficient to get all the subs, three high under the stage.”

Aside from concerns about sound escape beyond the structure, Sam Millen also had to work assiduously with the DISPLAY software’s ‘Hard Avoid’ feature inside, as Timmins explained. “The room is reflective, with a silvery stage covering, so we had to keep the sound off the side and especially off the back wall.”

TORUS T1230s were designated for nearfield coverage. “But that also provided challenges; because of the increased height of the stage [the audience] was having to look upwards; therefore anything on the front edge of the stage would have obscured the video.” In the event they managed to locate the four TORUS boxes in the pit on stands. Completing the soundscape, 12 WPS enclosures were used as in- and out-fills.

Set in a large Big Top Stage #3 presented less of a challenge for 22live. Here they flew two hangs of 12 WPL, underpinned by a further spaced array of 16 SXHF218 subs, in eight stacks of two—and this time no delays were required.

All main passive PA systems on both stages were powered by Martin Audio iKON multi-channel DSP amplifiers in 1-box resolution, with the delays in Steel Yard run in 2-box res.

Crew boss for both stages was Nick Jackson, with Sam Millen system teching Steel Yard and Neil Winterbottom doing likewise on Stage #3.

Reflecting on the event, Paul Timmins said, “I think we achieved what we set out to achieve and on the evidence of that we wouldn’t be looking to change anything for next year. Let’s just say the SPL was significant!”

Very much like artists speaking about “their difficult second album”, he concluded, “It’s always good to nail an event in its second year.”

Watch the Rigs At Gigs video:https://youtu.be/8E48-g6l2WE

Photography by Geoffrey Hubbel/LarMacLive.

UK: One of the most unlikely gigs Birmingham’s Utilita Arena (The NIA) has ever hosted—and certainly one of the loudest deployments of a Martin Audio line array in the company’s history—was the recent charity concert, dubbed ‘1000 Lights’.

Organised by local promoter and studio owner, Jack Davis, 1000 musicians came together, divided into five categories, to honour the life of Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, whose final gig had been in Birmingham prior to his suicide in 2017.

By setting up the Uprawr Mental Health Foundation his aim was to bring people together as part of a large-scale event. Thanks to the volunteers, and willing support from service providers—including Martin Audio partners 22live—he did just that, raising £135,000 for the Foundation, offering free mental health counselling (the musicians themselves paying for the privilege of participating).

Among the high-profile musicians who wanted to support the event and be a part of the co-opted band, were members of Creeper, Mallory Knox and Bullet for My Valentine, with the centrepiece being the excellent Linkin Park Experience Tribute Band.

22live managing director Spencer Beard had fielded the speculative phone call from Jack Davis late last year, setting out the original proposition for the show. “Although the whole idea sounded completely insane, I was intrigued and up for the challenge,” he recalled.

The NIA were already onside with the idea, and Spencer helped round up other tech suppliers— DMX Productions for the video, cameras and lighting—and Fly By Nite for the trucking, while ensuring the show would take place on a day when they would have sufficient front-line inventory to support a gig that in view of its scale, was predestined to be LOUD.

WPL performed better than anyone could have expected.

“Although events like this have taken place in the past, it’s never been indoors or with so many musicians,” rationalised the 22live MD.

As the idea gathered momentum the initial projection of an 800-seat sale later required the release of many more—in fact just under 4,000 people eventually swarmed to the venue.

From a technical perspective, an early concern had been that the plan was constantly evolving, and Spencer worked closely with the NIA’s event teams as the show gathered momentum.

Once Adrian Basketfield had been appointed production manager, the event quickly began to take shape, and Jack knew he had an event. Miles Barton handled the FOH mix and record feed, while Ryan Bass was system tech and Chris Wilcock monitor engineer and crew chief.

With a vast fixed channel count at the DiGiCo Q338 FOH console, spot mics on the floor and some ambient seating mics in position, 22live detailed equally generous hangs of 20 Martin Audio large format flagship WPL on each side, upping the original count from 16, and deploying them both as the PA for the audience and the monitor system for the musicians on the arena floor.

“We knew that the extra boxes would only improve the coverage and levels,” Spencer continued. “But we also knew that due to space we couldn’t do a traditional sub array, so we stacked six SXHF218 subs per side. I can honestly say it was the loudest gig I’d ever been to.”

Ryan Bass optimised the sound to the back of the room, avoiding any blow back on stage, and bounce off the roof, with assiduous use of the ‘Hard Avoid’ feature in the DISPLAY software.

A further 16 Martin Audio XE500 wedge monitors provided artist reference sound; a pair each of TORUS T1215 and T1230 a side ensured balanced outfill sound while eight of the smaller footprint Martin Audio WPS provided front fill. The entire rig was powered from Martin Audio iK42 amps, and the event was recorded for YouTube and social platforms.

Chris Wilcock recalled, “When Spencer asked me to work on this gig it did raise an eyebrow. But to be asked to mix monitors and crew chief the show was a challenge I couldn’t turn down. I knew the monitor mix provided to the six drummers and 30 other musicians on stage were critical to the performance. Along with IEM mixes and 16 wedge mixes—plus the backline—the stage was loud! The XE500s delivered enough power and quality to get above the stage levels, and give everyone what they wanted in the mix.”

Spencer Beard added in summary, “No-one had any idea what it was going to sound like … but the whole thing blew my mind. WPL performed better than anyone could have expected, and the coverage from two hangs, and the levels we achieved, were unimaginable. I have never read so many favourable comments about the quality of sound on social forums, as this.”

Reflecting on the entire journey Jack Davis said that at the outset he had grave doubts about being able to pull the event off. “We knew [the event] had to be something big if we were going to make a difference with the charity. Financing the event and getting people to take a chance on us and get involved was a long shot.” But his faith paid off.

As to his personal highlight? “It was hearing the sound check and realising it didn’t sound like a train wreck.We were very prepared to have 100 drummers playing out of time and 350 guitarists playing out of tune. Amazingly it turned out every player was fantastic and took it really seriously. Seeing everyone play in time was a spectacleand the sound matching it was equally impressive.”

In fact the PA had been perfect, he added. “It provided a clear rounded sound across the room … forming an impressive wall of sound that made you feel like you were immersed in the middle of it, rather than just hearing the stage from a distance.”