Sound Advice, better known in the corporate event sector, organized the event, with James Cobb taking on the role of production manager. This was the first festival on the site (for over 150 years) and the local council was understandably apprehensive about sound levels in neighbouring villages.
Cobb contracted Canegreen, and project manager Pete Hughes, to design a PA system to meet the restrictions imposed, whilst keeping levels good for the audience. A Meyer combination of four M3Ds and eight MILO cabinets was flown either side of the stage in line array format, with the new Meyer Sub 700 cabinets staked beneath. Meyer UPAs acted as in-fills ranged across stage front, and MSL3s as side-fills. Canegreen also supplied a Midas XL4 at FOH, which was used by various engineers, although the engineers for Blondie and Jools Holland brought their own mixing desks.
The diverse range of artists on the bill required LXCo's lighting designers Mark Wheatly and Martin Bell to design a versatile lighting rig to suit the different music types, using two pre-rigged trusses and one A-type on the Serious orbit-style stage.
Martin Bell was on site to make sure the incoming LDs' special requests were met - refocusing the rig for colour washes for Jools Holland, and reprogramming the lights for Will Young's LD, who also brought in a backdrop for the stage. The lighting equipment consisted of 108 1k Par cans, 10 MAC 500s and six floor-mounted MAC 600s, with control from an Avolites Pearl 2004. All lighting and sound equipment on stage was powered by a 250kVA twin pack generator supplied by Pearce Hire, who also supplied eight other generators and distributed the power around the site to guest areas, concessions and the campsite.
After this inaugural event, James Cobb commented: "It's been a great experience and a huge learning curve for us . . . We always knew we'd lose [money] in the first year, but the atmosphere and the support has been fantastic, so the idea of next year's festival is already being discussed."
