MAYDAY, an electronic dance music (EDM) tradition in Germany, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with a sonic boost delivered by a new Meyer Sound LYON linear sound reinforcement system. The 2014 “Full Senses” edition drew 21,000 to the Westfalenhallen in Dortmund, with headline DJs Fedde Le Grand, Moguai, and Sander van Doorn playing in the main arena through an immersive surround sound configuration.
“The sound was clean, clear, crisp, and had loads of headroom,” reports Bernd Görgen, co-managing director for Wiesbaden-based schokopro, which has supplied technical production, including sound, light, video, and kinetics for the third year. “We received very good feedback from the promoter during soundcheck, and the performance throughout the night proved us right in our decision to use LYON.”
The main system comprised arrays of eight-each LYON linear line array loudspeakers in each corner of the arena, bolstered by side arrays of six-each MICA line array loudspeakers. Low-end reinforcement was supplied by an array of 24 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements, and auxiliary and fill systems comprised two hangs of 10-each M’elodie line array loudspeakers for front entry, five MICA loudspeakers for near fill, and 12 UPA-1P loudspeakers for side tiers.
Drive and optimization were supplied by a Galileo Callisto loudspeaker management system with one Galileo 616 AES and six Galileo Callisto 616 array processors and two Galileo 616 processors. Four JM-1P arrayable loudspeakers and four 600-HP subwoofers provided DJ monitoring.
LYON recommended for MAYDAY by Jörg Rapp, head of sound for schokopro, based on his recent experience using another member of the LEO family, the larger LEO linear large-scale sound reinforcement system. Audio engineers Dirk Maron and Dennis Siebert coordinated system design for schokopro and worked as system technicians on site.
“We had the pleasure of working with a crew that could get the best out of a sound system,” says Wulf Issinger, co-managing director for schokopro. “With the effortless power and even coverage of the LYON arrays and the tremendous performance of the 1100-LFCs, the system provided an amazing experience for the crowd—from the front of the stage to the very back of the venue.”