The first ever Today's Festival welcomed more than 23,000 people across five different locations over three days in Turin's Barriera di Milano - incorporating major concerts, dance events and creative workshops. Some 50 national and international artists performed including American headliners Interpol and TV on the Radio.
In the main stage sPAZIO211, Davide Scalzo, the owner of Microfase, provided a Martin Audio system comprising 12 x W8LC Compact line array per side, with 18 WSX subs, and W8C/W8S as side-fills.
Over in Tuscany, the first edition of Beat 2015 saw a total attendance of over 70,000 people arrive at the Parco di Serravalle in the town of Empoli - far exceeding expectations.
The main stage featured reggae outfit Sud Sound System as well as international bands Gogol Bordello and Subsonica.
Long serving sound engineer Paul 'Red' Talami, masterminded the Martin Audio MLA system, owned by All Access, who were in charge of the technical setup - "We chose 11 Martin Audio MLA elements per side with a single MLD Downfill for the main stage, with six Martin Audio MLX subs per side and four Martin Audio W8LM for front-fill," he said. "The area dedicated to the public in front of the main stage measured 80 metres x 70 metres and it was sold out for the main acts."
Earlier in the summer, the town of Porretta Terme, situated on the Apennines between Bologna and Pistoia, hosted Porretta Soul Festival with a line-up that included Bernard 'Pretty' Purdie, Sugar Pie DeSanto and Anthony Paule Band and 11-piece Frank Bey band.
Porretta has seen the best names in soul music perform there over the years and for the eighth year of an event now in its 28th edition, the company Phoenix Audio took care of the technical equipment, choosing a Martin Audio main PA. This comprised six W8LM Mini Line Array per side, and four WS218X subs, while on stage were 14 LE1200 wedge monitors and a pair of W8VDQ front-fills.
The Festival Internazionale dei Beni Comuni in Chieri (Torino) saw two giants of Brazilian music, Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, headlining. To boost the South American rhythms of the two stars a Martin Audio MLA Compact was installed by Turin based Frequenze snc, support from Corsinotti Sas, who recently became a Martin Audio MLA worldwide rental partner.
In Forte Dei Marmi (Lucca) in the prestigious setting of the Villa Bertelli Foundation, a series of unmissable concerts was staged during August featuring many famous names in Italian music. David Lapini's company Amandla Productions took care of the technical equipment, specifying for the main stage nine W8LM and W8LMD Downfill per side, eight WMX subs and four Martin Audio W8LM front-fills.
The Parco della Certosa di Collegno, near Turin, hosted the first edition of the Flowers Festival, with Patti Smith, the priestess of rock, headlining. David Scalzo's Cuneo-based company, Microfase, was responsible for the sound and lighting and they again chose the Martin Audio brand which has been linked to this event since 2003. They deployed 12 elements a side of W8LC for the main hang and 18 WSX subs, as well as 12 LE1500 floor monitors and a pair of W8C/W8S side-fills.
Finally, from July to September, the streets of Cattolica become a stage for around 40 musical events across in the squares, with a panorama of events, mostly all free, and accommodating every taste from folk, jazz, '70s and '80s disco and international pop. The project is called Cattolica il locale da ballo più grande d'Italia" (the largest local Cattolica dance event in Italy). However it does not overlook another important element - food and wine - with the Cattolica Dinner On the Road Festival.
Providin
