In fact, there will be two stages this year, both fully equipped with a Peavey Versarray line array system powered by Crest Pro 200 Series amplifiers. Featuring ribbon drivers, neodymium woofers, angle-adjustment technology and multiple rigging options, Versarray represents Peavey's entry into the line array market. Each stage will benefit from a Crest CV 20 48-channel console to handle FoH duties and a Crest HP-Eight (40 frame) to run monitors.
The stages are side by side and are being run as A and B stages, flip-flopping from one to the other. As a result, there are three Versarray hangs across the two stages, with the central hang serving both stages. Each hang comprises eight Versarray 212 three-way tri-amped mid/hi enclosures. Low frequency reinforcement comes from a total of 24 Versarray 218 subwoofers that are arrayed beneath the stage. The subs are powered exclusively by Crest Pro 9200 amplifiers (one per sub) delivering 2200 W into 4 Ohms, while the Versarray 212s are powered by a combination of twelve Crest Pro 7200s (Channel A feeding the 2.5" drivers, while Channel B feeds the ribbon drivers) and a further twelve Crest Pro 9200s for the 12" drivers.
Side-fills are provided by three Versarray 112 mid/high cabinets and a Versarray 218 sub per side with front-fill coming from four Architectural Acoustics Impulse 2652 low profile two-way systems per stage, powered by a Crest Pro 8200. Stage monitoring is handled by three pairs of Peavey QW ML monitors and two "floating" QWs per stage. A QW 118 and a QW 2 act as drum monitors.
Processing is handled by a MediaMatrix Nion n6 digital audio processor. Peavey's technical manager Jock Shannon comments, "It's a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, but with all this processing power at our fingertips, it seems a bit daft to go elsewhere." The Nion is looking after all of the usual processing functions, such as EQ, crossover, limiting, delay, time alignment etc., for the main PA system and the front-fills, as well as handling switching between stages, thus from console A and the PA system it is running, to console B and the second PA system.
"We're looking forward to the opportunity to put so much of our gear through its paces in front of what is likely to be a fairly critical audience!" says Peavey's marketing manager, Andy Rust. "It's great exposure for all the products, especially the Versarray system from Peavey, which is a revolutionary product in its class. And of course we're delighted to have the opportunity to work with such top class artists as Monte Montgomery and Davy Knowles. We're hosting a party on the Thursday night at which both of them will be playing and which is open to anyone who'd like to attend - we'll be expecting you from 7pm onwards, so hope to see you there."
(Jim Evans)
