SSE’s project manager Emma Barwell was asked by promoters SJM to supply a sound system for the event. The two companies already have a good working relationship, and SSE also supplies sound for the V Festival sites at Chelmsford and Stafford. SSE initially purchased their VerTec 4889 system - from JBL’s UK distributors Arbiter Plc - to use on the Party in the Park series of local radio shows. The Move’s sound system was designed and engineered by Rob Hughes, who ensured that all band’s visiting sound engineers received the fullest support in the short changeover times.
The system was configured with 12 VerTec cabinets and eight subs per side. The VerTec boxes were flown and all the subs were ground-stacked. The event’s main audio challenges were containing the sound levels outside the venue and achieving good horizontal coverage inside the arena, which was wide but not very long. VerTec’s dispersion characteristics enabled the system to be set up to keep the sound distribution within the venue’s boundaries.
The system was controlled by a BSS Soundweb and powered by Camco Vortex 6 amplifiers. Consoles were two Midas XL4s and two Midas Heritage 3000s at FOH, and two Midas XL3s onstage. The crew included Dave Davies and Graham Lees on monitors and Rob Hughes and Trevor Dunford at FOH. Glen Little - crew chief - Peter Jones, Dan Speed and Ollie Hudson looked after the all-important lines and mics on stage. Emma Barwell commented: "SSE is very pleased with VerTec. We look forward to using it on many more shows in the future."
(Lee Baldock)
