Thanks in part to the efforts of Bell Events Services, Southern California’s popular Fiesta Hermosa Arts & Crafts Festival marked 44 years over the Memorial Day weekend with more than 150,000 attendees, nearly 300 vendors, and two performance stages supported by VUE Audiotechnik line arrays.
Bell Events is the exclusive production partner for the festival, providing sound, backline, lighting, and staging for both the Main Stage and the Charity Beer & Wine Garden. This year for the first time, Bell Events served both stages with VUE Audiotechnik al-4 and al-8 line arrays.
“We first heard the VUE al-4 late last year and were immediately impressed with the system’s exceptional output and clarity,” states Tim Campbell, audio operations manager for Bell Events. “We added both the al-4 and larger al-8 systems to our inventory, and have been anxious to deploy them on a gig where we could test their limits in one place with a variety of different acts.”
Just a few weeks after taking delivery, Fiesta Hermosa provided the perfect opportunity to put both line arrays through their paces. The Charity Beer & Wine Garden stage was outfitted with dual al-4 arrays consisting of four elements per side stacked atop dual VUE hs-28 powered subwoofers. Power and processing came courtesy of a single VUE V4 Systems Engine. A selection of VUE a-Class two-way systems served monitor duty, while an APB Dynasonics Spectra console was provided for mixing.
At the main stage, the Bell Events team flew dual al-8 arrays of four elements each. Four VUE as-418 quad 18-inch subwoofers filled out the low end, while four VUE V6 Systems Engines handled all power and processing for the arrays and subs. A selection of VUE a-Class systems served as monitors, with VUE h-12 systems as front fill and an Allen & Heath iLive console at the FOH position.
“The VUE line arrays went up in no time at all,” notes Campbell. “Their pattern control is exceptional, and the voicing is spot on right out of the box. And the subs delivered a combination of impact and musicality that was particularly impressive. From top to bottom, the VUE systems just sounded phenomenal.”
Bell Events owner Mike Bell was equally pleased with the results. “This festival has never sounded better,” he says. “Over three days we heard everything from rock, R&B and country, to jazz and even reggae. The VUE systems literally took anything we threw at them and sounded absolutely fantastic every single time.”
Supporting Bell Events this year was Big Productions, which has also recently added VUE line arrays to its own rental inventory. Big Productions’ Rich Bartle provided several VUE systems to complete Bell’s main stage design.
“I’ve worked with many loudspeaker brands over the years and I’ve never been more impressed by a company and its products than I am with VUE,” Bartle says. “Not only do these industry veterans understand how to make great sounding gear, but they’re clearly committed to long-term customer relationships and great service, and that’s something that many of the older brands have lost.”