Because of the consistent high energy of DJ Tiësto's concerts, there existed a need for a line array capable of handling high sound pressure levels on a continual basis, as DJ Tiësto takes very few breaks during performances. Additionally, Audioservices and Design needed a lightweight line array system with no sacrifice in power. To that end, the company deployed a touring system for European dates based upon JBL Vertec VT4889 large-format line array elements, with JBL VRX932s in use for additional fill speakers.
"In standard rock and roll setups the music allows for a lot of pauses for the equipment to rest momentarily, but with an environmental dance-music act like Tiësto you need permanent energy from the amps and the loudspeakers, virtually nonstop," said Arno Voortman of Audioservices and Design. "In such setups where all the programme material is leveled between +/- 3 dB, you need that permanent energy. That means that all the equipment runs at 110% of its capacity. Very reliable products were a must."
According to Voortman, the locations of some of the venues on Tiësto's Elements of Life tour posed a setup challenge as well. "In western Europe there are no problems with speaker rigging and array loads. You can have CAD files from all the venues and you can prepare everything beforehand," Voortman added. "However, most of Tiësto's summer concerts took place in eastern Europe.
"As soon as you go to ex-Soviet Union countries, things become more complex. Architectural drawing files aren't available and there is limited or no information regarding the venues themselves, so we didn't have prior knowledge of how much weight each roof could handle. We wanted to maintain the highest trim possible if we needed to hang from a single point, and the Vertec line array was the only system that we could rely on to provide this every time."
For the event at Pyramide, the rigging provided a distinct challenge. "How do you hang a line array inside a glass pyramid structure?" Voortman asked. "Luckily we had great support from Bart Roelen, our production manager, who understands the criteria behind our sound design and made it possible to have the stage construction designed around our sound system. In this case, we had massive ground support."
A report on the Elements of Life tour appears in the September issue of Lighting&Sound International magazine - now available in digital format for the first time.
(Jim Evans)
