Based in Milwaukee with a satellite operation in Phoenix, Clearwing Productions is celebrating its 25th anniversary this spring with a significant new investment for its customers, a new L-Acoustics K1 large-format line source array loudspeaker system.
Clearwing has a decade-long partnership with L-Acoustics, having been one of the first North American companies to adopt the V-DOSC system, and now, it has become one of the first U.S. companies to join the company’s K1/KUDO Pilot Program.
Already possessing a substantial quantity of KUDO enclosures and SB28 subs in its inventory, Clearwing has now satisfied the K Standard requirements by adding 48 K1 enclosures, 24 K1-SB subs, eight more SB28 and 24 LA-RAK touring racks, each loaded with three LA8 amplified controllers.
“I first heard K1 for myself back in February while we were in Miami doing NFL’s big Tailgate 2010 Super Bowl party,” recalls Gregg Brunclik, president and CEO of Clearwing Productions. “While we were there, we went down to South Beach to check out the K1 rig at the Pepsi Smash party. They were flying 16-box arrays and the performance and fidelity were absolutely impeccable.
“The highs were easily throwing 900 feet, which could eliminate the need for delay arrays in many venues,” he says. “When you can do away with two or three delay towers for a baseball park or stadium show, there’s money to be saved. Plus, the K1 rigging facilities are fantastic. I came back from that event and placed my order shortly thereafter.”
Clearwing took delivery of its K1 system in early June and used the new enclosures on two main stages at the 11-day Summerfest festival in Milwaukee.
The Miller Lite Oasis, which will host acts like Sheryl Crow, 311, Modest Mouse and DEVO, is set to sport left and right arrays each comprised of three K1-SB, six K1 and three dV-DOSC, with six SB28 per side in a cardioid configuration to augment the low-end reinforcement.
An identical system will also be in use on the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, where the likes of Jeff Beck, Puddle Of Mudd, The Offspring and Counting Crows will perform.
“With K1, we’re not only buying a stellar audio product, we’re buying a marketing tool as well,” Brunclik points out. “After purchasing our first 24 V-DOSC boxes ten years ago, our phone rang more often as a result of having that product in our inventory. If our K1 system produces the same result—and I fully expect it will—it will allow us to gain additional market share and potentially evolve into a new echelon of business.
