Nexo line array at cultural heart of Tahiti
- Details
This very large showground, available for rental in different configurations that can accommodate 3200-6000 people, is the primary cultural events venue in French Polynesia, staging rock and pop concerts for up to 5000 people. It is also home to the Heiva, a spectacular two-month festival of dance and sport which dates back to 1881. Teams and troupes arrive from all the islands, more than 8000 participants in all, with the best chant and dance groups competing on the famous To’Ata stage.
Te Fare Tahiti Nui (TFTN), the public service organisation which manages the venue, was tasked with choosing a PA system that could match the showground’s versatility. Working closely with Comimpex, the Nexo distributor in Tahiti, TFTN opted for the scalable STM Series modular line array which could provide the best quality without compromise in different configurations.
Nexo field support engineer Val Gilbert flew to Tahiti to set up the system. “This is a perfect example of the true benefits of modularity. The entire setup can be re-configured to provide an optimised solution for all their events, despite the challenges of reduced sight lines when the production companies want the loudspeakers to be invisible on camera during the traditional events.”
The To’Ata house system now comprises 18 sets of STM M46 main and STM B112 bass modules, with STM M28 omnipurpose cabinets for down-fill, out-fill and front-fill. The system, which has 18x STM S118 sub bass modules, is powered by six of Nexo’s Universal Amplifier Racks. The venue has also invested in Yamaha CL digital consoles, so as to have a full digital package from stage to speaker.
“This inventory allows them to cater for large-scale concerts,” adds Val Gilbert; “they are also able to break the system down into smaller ground stacks to cover the tiered seating stands when they open up the arena floor for the Heiva dancers.”
Jean-François Leou, director of Comimpex adds that this is not the first high-profile site for Nexo in Tahiti. His company previously won the tender to install Geo S12 line arrays in an 800-seat indoor theatre, also run by TFTN.
(Jim Evans)
