Nolan Sound & Light, his long-time PA provider, had earlier experienced the Nexo GEO S system closer to home when visiting Millennium Forum Theatre in Derry with another act, and played through Rea Sound's newly-supplied house system. Alan Nolan explained what had motivated him to make the investment. "Whenever I brought Daniel to the British mainland we always ended up sub-hiring the Nexo kit in - which simply wasn't cost-effective."
And so he ordered 32 GEO S805s and a pair of GEO S830s, reinforced at the bottom end by four (2 x 18) CD18s. Two NX241 dedicated system processors will control the system. The S805 and S830 are compact, high output full range loudspeakers that can be combined in horizontal or curved vertical arrays. To get maximum benefit from the system, in addition to the flying hardware, Nolan also purchased new groundstack frames (which accommodate eight boxes a side in situations where height restriction precludes flying). Finally, he purchased six Crown MA-3600VZ amplifiers to drive the system, packing 3,600W into a mere 3.5" of vertical rack space. All the equipment was supplied by UK distributors Fuzion plc.
Based in Castlepollard, Westmeath, Nolan Sound & Light has been providing the PA for Daniel O'Donnell since early in the singer's career. They are devotees of Nexo equipment, having used the Alpha and PS10 systems for install and touring purposes. "If you don't have Nexo in Ireland you are just not credible," says Nolan. "I must have heard every line array system in the world, but I thought the GEO S offered the best coverage - and it has excellent bass response."
With engineer Padraig Grogan once again in the FOH position, the Daniel O'Donnell tour resumes for its next 35 dates at the Eden Court Theatre in Inverness on August 23.
(Lee Baldock)
