Phoenix rises to the occasion for Ed Sheeran
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The concert at Mahalaxmi Race Course in Mumbai on 16 March was brought to fruition by BookMyShow Live, the live entertainment arm of BookMyShow, in collaboration with AEG Presents. The event proved to be a big success, boasting a record-breaking attendance of over 55,000, making it the largest live concert by a solo international performer in recent Indian history.
Crafted in a stadium-style setup, a first-of-its-kind 360-degree circular stage that rotated on its axis ensured a good view of Sheeran from every corner of the venue, while a giant circular ‘HALO screen’ positioned at the top-centre of the stage further enhanced the visual experience.
The audio amplification featured a major deployment of Panther and Leopard line array systems from Meyer Sound. The largest deployment of a Meyer Sound system ever witnessed in India was made possible through the intervention of Sun Infonet – the official distribution partner of Meyer Sound in India – who facilitated a strategic collaboration between the country's leading live event rental solutions providers.
Taking charge of bringing this ambitious vision to life was the team of experts at Phoenix Networks, led by their founder and director Animesh Mishra – as team Phoenix took the reins of planning, designing, and deploying the sound system.
“For us at Phoenix Networks, it was both a challenge and a thrill. Right from the start, we knew that crafting an immersive audio experience would take a mix of creativity and technical know-how; and throughout the planning process, we did encounter numerous challenges,” says Animesh. “Each challenge was an opportunity for innovation; and each obstacle we faced only made us more determined to exceed expectations and give the audience something truly unforgettable.”
The audio plan, according to team Phoenix, not only accounted for the artist’s demands, but also took into consideration key factors such as the spread of the audience section, and variables such as the atmospheric conditions including heat, humidity and wind-speed among others – all of which would have a notable impact on the concert’s eventual sonic environment.
Starting off with the main rig which formed the centre-piece of the audio setup, the audio team decided that a total of 128 units of the Panther line array modules would be needed for the job. The strategic deployment of the Panther line array modules was done in an arrangement that featured two array hangs of 16 units each suspended on each of the stage pillars, which totalling to 32 units across two sets being suspended off each pillar.
An additional array configuration was deployed, which comprised a total of 12 units of the 80-degree long-throw Panther line array modules at the top of the array and four units of the 110-degree wide-throw line array modules at the bottom.
In addition to the main rig, a total of 22 units of Leopard line array modules were strategically positioned around the circular stage to serve as front -fill reinforcement, while a further 16 units of Leopard line array modules were deployed as in-fill reinforcement in stacks of 2 units each at each pillar, wherein each pillar was flanked by two stacks of the Leopard modules positioned at a height of 1.6m from the ground to deliver an absolutely sublime sonic experience for audience members located closest to the stage.
Animesh concluded, “At Phoenix Networks, we're driven by a passion for excellence and a commitment to realizing our vision. This concert exemplifies the transformative power of dedication and hard work. It's a testament to what can be achieved when creativity and technical expertise come together. We're immensely proud to have been a part of this project and to have played such a crucial role in creating such a magical experience for the audience.
“And looking ahead, we remain committed to pushing boundaries and exceeding expectations in all our endeavours, as we enthusiastically continue exploring new opportunities to push the limits of what's possible in live event production. With each project, we aim to raise the bar higher and inspire others to strive for greatness.”
