MLA boost for Rock in Rio in Lisbon
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“This helped to push our coverage out further with greater clarity and impact,” says Peter Racy, chief engineer at the sound production company, Gabisom.
It has been a fruitful journey for the award-winning system which began in 2015 when MLA was first trialled on the second stage at Rock in Rio USA, in Las Vegas, and later in Rio that same year. Due to its success, MLA was then deployed for the first time on the World Stage at Rock in Rio Lisbon 2016, and has subsequently held this position for the following two editions: the 2017 event in Rio leading into Lisbon again this year.
Racy has been there every step of the way, and once again faced up to the challenges head on. “The main concern was to obtain even coverage over the entire audience area,” he adds. The audience area is a natural park approximately 300m deep by 200m wide, with asymmetrical relief and a large VIP area at the very back. “Clear and powerful sound is essential there, since that is where all the bosses hang out.”
The PA system followed the template of last year. “We again set-up the side-by-side rig which has been the trademark of Rock in Rio,” he says. “This year we not only made MLA available for the second delay line but the ground-stacked subs were set up as end-fired arrays.
“These two design changes proved a massive improvement to the overall outcome of the far-field,” Racy adds. “The main system was set to throw 180m at the point where it blended with the second delay line (the first delay line being used merely to support this ambitious throw distance in the case of wind).”
The second delay line had a tough task: it needed to cover the remaining 80m of audience, as well as serving the VIP terrace beyond and 5m above the grass. “This was quite a tall order for four towers with six MLA on each, though it did perform exceptionally well. The main PA’s end-fired ground subs made their presence felt at the back and were assisted by a few more MLX at the base of the second delay towers.”
The event was supported by an experienced crew from Gabisom, including Peter Racy and Eder Moura (FOH); Thiago Borges (monitors); Gonçalo Rebelo (patch); Rafael Molina (RF); Marcelo Ferraz (Recording Studio); Paulo Baptista (crew chief); Luis Fernando Nando, Derrik Ferreira (riggers), and Josiel Silva, Jefeson Barbosa, Messias Santos, Marzia Brini, Carolina Ribeiro (stage crew).
(Jim Evans)
