Marking its first major presence at Glastonbury on the 50th anniversary of the world-famous festival, a Void Acoustics PA system graced the Lonely Hearts Club, one of two new stages in the Silver Hayes area of the festival.
A visually arresting addition to this clubgoers paradise, the Lonely Hearts Club borrowed from art deco and featured a Void Acoustics Arcline 8 line array modular system provided by NSL Productions (long-standing rental and integration partner) for Team Love who were the festival production team behind Silver Hayes this year.
‘Although we have worked at Glastonbury previously, this was our first year working in the Silver Hayes area,’ says NSL Productions Director, Tom Broughton. ‘Our engagement was a result of the great relationship we have built with Team Love from working in close co-operation with them at other festivals including Love Saves the Day in Bristol where the Lonely Hearts Club first made its debut. Given our previous large-scale stage productions with Team Love, we got involved in this project from the very early stages as some careful planning was required.’
The brief was precise, and Broughton saw Arcline 8 line as ‘the perfect solution for this challenging specification’ for the 40ft-high structure. The brief included the requirement for the system to be scalable for an average audience size of 5,000 rising to 7,000 for headliners. The audio design also had to consider off-site noise monitoring points across the greenfield site, and strict sound limits and reductions after midnight, as well as the proximity of the other two stages within Silver Hayes.
‘We were asked to design a scalable and controllable FOH system which was why we installed two hangs of ten fixtures per side of Void’s Arcline 8, split into three zones, supported by a central block of 12 Stasys 218 in a delayed horizontal array,’ Broughton explains. ‘It worked perfectly. We knew that deploying a Void Acoustics system would cover this size of audience and permit us to provide a contained system to maximise levels in the key audience area, whilst dropping off quickly off axis.’
The audio system also needed to serve a wide variety of musical genres from different acts on stage each day. ‘The FOH and monitoring package needed to be versatile to work for celebrity DJs, live bands as well as singers and MCs in equal measure’, Broughton expands. ‘We achieved this with wheeled stacks of Stasys 118 and the instantly recognisable Air Vantage speakers on stage to act as DJ monitors, side fills, drum fills – whatever was needed really. A zoned array out front allowed us to push the top sections for the bigger crowds for the headliners.
‘A gig of this magnitude needed a system that was both versatile, and malleable, yet provide the transparent sound that the Arcline system offers. That, along with the level of DSP control afforded by the Bias Q5 amplifiers (which the whole system was run off) are invaluable for the myriad of engineers, DJs and acts using the system.’
Broughton’s belief in the Void Acoustic system was justified by feedback from all who experienced it. ‘We have been thrilled with the feedback from everyone,’ he reports. ‘The touring FOH engineers, along with performers, live bands and DJs alike have all been overwhelmingly positive, expressing their delight at the system throughout the weekend. They were all both surprised and delighted at the clarity and smooth sound of the system we had supplied.
‘Equally satisfying was that, no matter the musical style or genre,and no matter the weather [and there was a lot of wind], we maintained levels and quality, and had no off-site issues. In my mind, Void Acoustics consistently manufacture exceptional world-class products – in look, in design, and in sonic delivery. This was a showcase for the Void products we deployed, and I wouldn’t hesitate to specify them again for similar festival demands.’
Dave Harvey from Team Love was enthusiastic about their engagement of NSL Productions for this important and high-profile festival installation. ‘We work with NSL regularly and they are bloody great. The sound is top notch - the Lonely Hearts Club sounded absolutely amazing across everything and working with the team is always a pleasure. A massive thanks to everyone involved, and we look forward to the next instalment’.
Broughton and his team are elated to have been instrumental in the production of the Silver Hayes area, and he smiles as he concludes: ‘We sincerely hope that this year’s successful production is going to be the start of an ongoing relationship with this exciting and vibrant party area at Glastonbury. We pursue the future of sound through obsessive technical innovation and extraordinary design aesthetics. Our products create the opportunity to move people through unforgettable, immersive sound.’
More: www.voidacoustics.com
