It can now be revealed that K-array, an Italian manufacturer of professional audio systems, powered several high-profile music festivals in different countries this summer, from intimate gatherings in historic Italian towns to large-scale beachfront festivals in Sweden, as well as festivals outside Europe in the US and Indonesia.
The Festival of the Sun, an exclusive two-day event held in a small town near Siena, Italy, was shrouded in secrecy until its launch on June 21s. Masterminded by renowned record executive and producer, Rick Rubin, the festival was spread across multiple locations, including a historic church, a town square and a nearby castle. The eclectic mix of performances required an adaptable audio solution.
A performance by singer-songwriter, James Blake, in a historic church posed a significant acoustic challenge. A Pinnacle KR402 system, supplemented by Pinnacle KR102 as delay and Kayman KY52 monitors, was designed to increase intelligibility in the reverberant environment.
In the town square, Gossip’s high-energy set was powered by a pair of Firenze KH7 digitally steerable slim line array units in a ground stack configuration, supported by four Thunder KS5 subs. According to K-array, this combination filled the space “without overwhelming the historic environment or the audience of around 1000 attendees”.
The festival also featured a ‘Cineforum’ for movie screening, with audio delivered through a further Pinnacle KR402 system. Additionally, a small convention centre hosted talks from leading industry figures such as Jack Dorsey, founder of Twitter, where Pinnacle KR102 systems ensured every word was heard.
Over in the wilds of Scandinavia, the Beachfront Festival in Trelleborg, Sweden, took place against the dramatic backdrop of the Baltic Sea. Organised by SLS Group with equipment provided by Norwegian distributor, First Audio, the festival featured two stages: a main stage set on the beach and a separate marquee stage. Each location required a distinct audio setup to accommodate the different acoustic environments and audience sizes.
The main stage featured a five-a-side Firenze KH7 system paired with ten Firenze KS7 subwoofers, designed to create sound that resonated across the open beach. On the other hand, the more intimate setting of the marquee received a three-a-side Mugello KH5 system along with seven Thunder KS5 subs. This setup was chose to provide more powerful audio that maintained the energy of the main stage, with plenty of bass for electronic and dance acts.
Another Scandinavian festival, Trevarefest, held in Henningsvær, a remote island in the far north of Norway, offered a unique challenge due to its small size and dramatic natural surroundings. The festival, which caps attendance at just 1,500 people per day, required an audio system to overcome the challenges of an open-air setting, surrounded by mountains and the sea.
Rental company, Audiolight, delivered the audio setup, including a three-a-side Firenze KH7 system and eight Firenze KS7 subwoofers. The Slim Array Technology and Electronic Beam Steering (EBS) capabilities of the Firenze range met the challenges posed by the island environment.
In Indonesia, at the Suara Festival in Bali, K-array systems were installed for a second year running across multiple stages including permanent installations in Nuanu Creative City.
Over in the USA, Oklahoma Zoo Amphitheatre hosted an impressive line-up of well-known names this summer, including Ice Cube, Howard Jones and The Flaming Lips. Here, Firenze KH8 loudspeakers, flown as hangs of nine on either side of the stage, were deployed, with K-array’s EBS technology helping to mitigate sound bleed into the nearby residential neighbourhood.
Back in the birthplace of K-array, No Borders Festival, Collisioni, Deejay On Stage and Vox Marmoris also featured sound systems from the Italian manufacturer.
Lorenzo De Poi, brand manager at K-array, commented: “As manufacturers and music lovers, it is always a privilege for our products to be involved in music festivals.This past summer has been particularly busy, and we’re excited that more and more people are being exposed to our audio solutions at live events.”
