Done calls on Delta for Blended
Published: MEA
UAE: Done Events contracted Delta Sound to look after the audio package for Blended – a new two day music festival which took place at the start of May at Dubai’s Media City Amphitheatre. Delta supplied equipment from L-Acoustics, as well as Sennheiser, Avid, Midas, Yamaha and DiGiCo.
The main PA comprised of 24 L-Acoustics K1, 12 per side in an L-R configuration, plus three Kara down per side, 12 K1 Subs (6 per side), 24 SB28 one center block in a line. For fills, eight pairs of dV-dosc provided frontfills, while outfills comprised of 10 V-Dosc and three dV-dosc downfills per side. The system was powered by a mix of the manufacturer’s LA8 and LA48 amplifiers.
In the past, Delta has called on Kudo for its sidefills, but due to the availability of equipment the rental house chose V-Dosc for Blended. ‘To be honest, I prefer v-Dosc as a side hang rather than Kudo,’ commented Delta’s AL Woods. ‘I think the 15-inch drivers in the low marry better.’
To cover the stage, Delta provided 16 L-Acoustics 115XT wedges, flown side fills of four Kudo a side with three SB218 stacked underneath and dV-Subs for drum fills. Sennheiser IEMs as well as wireless mics were also called into action with Delta providing 2050, G3 IEM and 3732HH units.
‘The festival had a varied dynamic from Aloe Blacc and Joss Stone through to Dianna Krall,’ said Mr Woods. ‘So the system had to be very accurate and flat but still musical.’
Delta also supplied a variety of control options to meet the riders of various acts. An Avid Profile, DiGiCo SD7 and Yamaha PM5D were all put to use for monitors. FOH equipment consisted of a Midas Pro 9 console, along with DiGiCo SD5 with a Waves server and an Avid Profile again Waves 9 enabled. A Lexicon PCM96 and Avalon 737 supplemented the FOH outboard equipment.
For the first night the Yamaha PM5D was used by most of the artists on stage with the Profile put to use at FOH. Joss Stone used the SD5 at FOH and the SD7 on stage. FOH engineer for Joss Stone, John Godenzi, used the Waves Package with a C6 across Ms Stone’s vocal channel. Xavier Rudd was mixed on the Pro 9 from front of house for both FOH and monitors.
For Dianna Krall and Elvis Costello on the second night the SD7 on stage was swapped for a Profile, and the SD5 was paired with the Yamaha PM5D. ‘It was pretty straight forward, and although there was not a big input count with any of the acts so change overs were very slick, we always had time in hand,’ noted Mr Woods.
Al Woods mixed FOH for Aloe Black, Abri and Tim Hassal. ‘It was a really responsive system, great to mix on,’ he recalled. ‘The whole event was a great change from the norm – nice to see more live music and less Pro Tools.’