As in previous years, the 2012 organisers commissioned OneBigStar of Nottingham to implement the sound, video and lighting solutions for the event. "With 160 bands over the three days, we had our hands full," says Simon Taylor, OneBigStar's commercial director, "so we needed a sound system that would sound great, was utterly reliable and offered a high degree of flexibility."
For this reason, on Main Stage One the team from OneBigStar opted for Electro-Voice XLC line array elements and Xsubs driven by Electro-Voice TG amps. Sound reinforcement was provided by two hangs to the left and right of the stage, each comprising 12 XLC elements and 19 Xsubs. To ensure homogeneous coverage throughout the audience area, OneBigStar erected an 11m delay tower armed with 12 XLCs and six Xsubs.
The system was completed by six Electro-Voice XLE elements providing front-fill, a Dynacord XA2 providing side-fill, 16 Xw15A two-way monitors for the foldback, and a QRx 218 subwoofer to enhance the low frequency reproduction of the drums. The entire system was driven by 26 TG7 and 10 TG5 power amplifiers from Electro-Voice.
On Main Stage Two, Taylor and his team again opted for a blend of Electro-Voice and Dynacord components, including four Cobra-4 Top, four Cobra-4 Far, eight Cobra-PWH and four Sub 28 enclosures, 12 CXM 15 monitors and, again, Tour Grade power amplifiers from EV.
"The solutions we adopted had to cover a wide spectrum of genres, from acoustic music to swing and techno," reports Taylor. "They passed the test with flying colours. The combination of XLC and Xsub enclosures on Main Stage One sounded just fantastic, and so did the COBRA-4 system serving Main Stage Two."
(Jim Evans)
