The Classical Fusion series consists of three concerts spanning two cities - Nairobi and Mombasa - and all three events were technically managed by Xtreme Media Solutions Africa Ltd with Nairobi sound company EdTheMix providing sound and monitoring systems.
With audience sizes ranging from a small select VIP group of 800 in the Nairobi Arboretum to the huge public gathering of 12,500 people in the Impala grounds, a flexible audio set-up was required to deal with these extremes, and as a result Turbosound's Flex Array line array system was chosen for its fast set-up and easily scalable configuration.
Based in the heart of Nairobi, EdTheMix is an established sound and lighting company that offers professional technical and production services to live bands, DJs and corporate presentations. The company is the first in Kenya to take delivery of a Turbosound Flex Array system to supplement their smaller TQ and NuQ systems, allowing them to focus on the growing local demand for bigger venues and outdoor festivals such as these.
The first of the venues - Great Lake at Butterfly Pavillion in Mombasa - saw Sauti Soul and Grammy Award winning acapella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo perform to a small but appreciative crowd. This small capacity venue was more than adequately covered with six Flex Array TFA-600HDP powered mid/highs supplemented by four TSW-218DP subwoofers. Ladysmith Black Mambazo's sound engineers were enthusiastic about the eight TQ-440 three-ways that made up the stage monitor system.
The setting for the second concert was the home of trees, the Nairobi Arboretum - a memorable evening that started with inspirational performances fusing classical genres with pop and African music, and ending with a sumptuous dinner.
The larger size of the Impala venue, third in the concert series, required more coverage so the front of house system was effectively doubled in size and a couple of delay towers were added. Among the many performers were Sauti Sol, Jazzin folk, the Festival Orchestra, the Mixed Secondary Schools choir, and the Safaricom Choir & Nairobi Chamber Chorus.
"Flex Array adapted effortlessly to the larger audience here," says Ed Williams, the company's founder, FOH engineer and production manager. "Our Turbosound systems offer no compromise on punch and clarity, and everyone who attends functions like these comments on how clear the sound is when we are in the chair. I am excited that introducing Flex Array to Kenyan audiences is creating so much interest and positive comments from all who attend."
(Jim Evans)
