Capital equips South West Four with MLA
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The event’s long-serving sound production company, Capital Sound, were again brought in by promoters Lock ‘N’ Load Events, with whom they have a long relationship, and of the five stages they equipped, Martin Audio PA systems dominated the first four.
The event again drew some of the world’s leading exponents of electronic dance music, including Martin Garrix, Tinie Tempah, Plan B, Pendulum Trinity and Chase & Status, while under canvas Sigma and Craig David were among the Stage 2 headliners, in the vast 55m x 75m, 10,000 capacity space.
For Capital account manager Martin Connolly and Lock ‘N’ Load’s Andrew Mattle the event is all about improving the customer experience year on year - particularly with regard to the audio - and this year was no exception. Capital upgraded Stage 3 from MLA Compact last year to the full MLA, flying eight elements (plus an MLD Downfill box) on either side of the stage. “Although the speaker complement was roughly the same as before we needed more horse power to deal with reflections at the back of the tent,” says Connolly, explaining the reasons for the change.
The Capital FM main stage saw 13 MLA and a single MLD Downfill flown on each wing with a single mast of symmetrical out-fills (comprising eight MLA Compact elements) on the downstage edge. Providing the all-important low frequencies were 20 MLX subwoofers, designed in a broadside cardioid array while those near the front had the sound enhanced by 12 Martin Audio W8LM near-field speakers.
Stages 2 and the smaller Stage 3 comprised an identical MLA / MLD formula with 12 MLX subwoofers in a spaced cardioid array, and four Martin Audio XD12 for front fills.
Finally, the 40m x 45m Stage 4 tent saw the PA ground-stacked, with six MLA Compact on each side, atop four SX218 subs; these were in 2 x 2 end fire configuration, due to space constraints.
Summarising the event as a whole, Martin Connolly was mindful that Clapham Common remains a sound sensitive site. “We managed to achieve good levels - around 98dB(A) on the main stage - while meeting the offsite threshold of 75dB(A) and we had no complaints about noise spillage,” he explains.
He was supported by a team of Capital technicians, headed by crew chief Tim Patterson. System tech was Joseph Pearce and monitor engineer was Marty Beath, while Richard Wonnacott was head stage patch. Overall production manager was Alex Anderson.
(Jim Evans)
