A lot has changed since the first Mayday rave fifteen years ago at Berlin's Weißensee. Now staged at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, the event has grown larger and more professional, without sacrificing any of its charm, as this year's event, attended by just under 25,000 ravers, demonstrated.
Live shows from such stars of the scene as The Prodigy and cult DJ Westbam contributed to event; and the sound was provided by TSE AG Berlin.
The event organisers wanted the ground to shake, and they called in the celebrated Berlin soundsmiths TSE AG to make sure it did. TSE sent out its shock troops, marshalled as ever by Marcel Fery, and they deployed Electro-Voice systems for their heavy artillery. In Area 01 alone, the largest of the thee halls, they used 32 x EV X-Line xvlt, 64 x EV X-Line Sub, 16 x 4 racks of EV P3000. For the appearance by The Prodigy, a two-point system was added consisting of 28 x EV X-Line xvls, 8 x EV X-Line Sub and 8 x EV xlc 15" Sub. In the smaller Area 03, twenty-four EV XLD 281 and 16 EV X Sub provided flawless rave power.
Two Klark Teknik controllers (DN 9848 E) and among others a Midas H3000, a Midas XL250 and a Midas Venice also made significant contributions to an unforgettable Mayday 2006.
(Chris Henry)
