Visinting a range of venues from intimate theatres to concert halls and major arenas, a recent UK and European tour saw Adlib provide audio, lighting and video systems, as well as sound design, for Il Divo. Te core PA featured main hangs of up to three L2 and one L2D enclosures per side, complemented by 12 KS28 subwoofers, eight X8, and four X12 fills. For larger venues, the system was expanded to include Kara II side hangs of up to 12 enclosures per side with additional KS28 subwoofers. In arena settings, such as Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome, the system was scaled up to K1 arrays for main hangs, with L2 repurposed effectively as side hangs.
‘During planning, we proposed L2 as mains with Kara sides for smaller venues, scaling up to K1 for arenas with L2 as sides,’ explains Il Divo FOH engineer, Chris Beddall. ‘This approach leveraged L2’s lightness and excellent coverage, ensuring consistent, high-quality sound throughout the tour. I hadn’t heard L2 before this tour, but it provided great coverage and the smooth high-end detail you expect from L-Acoustics. Scaling up to K1 was like meeting an old friend.’
Working with Beddall, Adlib’s Richy Nicholson prioritised vocal clarity and consistent coverage: ‘We ultimately selected L2 for its superior adaptability across varying venue sizes and types. The decision proved transformative for the tour’s audio quality.’
Using L-Acoustics Soundvision software, the team optimised loudspeaker placement and coverage for each venue’s unique architecture. ‘L2 was chosen to provide the best possible consistency when scaling between venues of varying sizes’ notes Adlib System Engineer, Billy Bryson. ‘Many venues that would previously have required a split system approach could be covered by a single hang of L2 per side, improving low-frequency control in these rooms. The cardioid dispersion pattern was key to keeping the stage sounding clean, and not interfering with the flown Kara II side fills, which L-Series manages to do without compromising transient response.’
The compact design of L-Series also brought significant operational benefits throughout the tour. ‘The reduced weight and size compared to traditional arrays meant more efficient truck packing,’ says Nicholson. ‘While maintaining our truck count, the space efficiency gave us greater flexibility in load-in and load-out procedures. The system’s quick deployment capabilities also meant reduced setup times and lower energy consumption during preparation phases.’
‘It was a pleasure working with Adlib on this tour,’ Beddall concludes. ‘Their friendly, experienced team ensured even the most challenging days ran smoothly. This was especially true in the hands of Billy Bryson, who consistently delivered a fantastic-sounding system. Combining Adlib’s expertise with an L-Acoustics PA made this tour seamless and enjoyable.’
