“L-Acoustics was specifically requested for this tour. It’s the system I feel most comfortable with after years of working with it, mixing for other artists,” shared Philip Harvey, FOH Engineer. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album, Hopes and Fears, Keane embarked on a triumphant UK arena tour that presented a unique set of acoustic challenges. The tour, spanning six arenas for seven shows, including two nights at London’s O2 arena, demanded a concert sound system to deliver both whisper-quiet moments and full-on, high-energy peaks with equal clarity and power.
“While Keane is known for their melodic ballads, their live performances demand a very dynamic sound,” explained Harvey. “Our goal was to deliver a powerful rock show that ranges from the intimate moments to thunderous crescendos, all while ensuring every seat in the house received a consistent audio impact.”
The hurdles to achieving this goal included varying sizes and acoustics of the arenas and set design, which featured a T-shaped thrust extending into the audience, complicating speaker placement and coverage. Lastly, a requirement to deliver consistent sound quality throughout the venue without relying on delay hangs added another layer of complexity.
To meet these challenges head-on, Keane’s team turned to L-Acoustics and their Certified Provider, Solotech. Tim Mitchell, Project Manager at Solotech, elaborated on their approach: “Coverage was our main goal, making sure everyone received the same full spectrum audio impact. With most of the audience in allocated seats, we needed the sound to reach every one of them with a comparable quality and power.”
The solution came in the form of a comprehensive L-Acoustics K Series configuration. The concert touring system featured 16 K1+6 K2 per side for the main L/R hangs, 16 K2 each for side hangs and eight K3 for the 180º hangs per side of line array speakers, complemented by eight flown KS28 subwoofers in a cardioid configuration per side toed out 30º with 18 ground stacked KS28 subwoofers in a cardioid sub-arc array. Out-fills consisted of four A15 Wide per side, with 12 Kara II used for each the front and thrust fills. All enclosures were powered by LA12X amplified controllers, with system control managed by three P1 processors on a Milan-AVB network.
L-Acoustics Soundvision software played a crucial role in the system design process. Initial designs were created by veteran US System Engineer, Michael Gazdziak, who Philip Harvey had worked with on multiple tours and brought on board, the designs were then refined for each venue on the ground by Solotech’s touring System Engineer, Rich Kemp. Mitchell added: “Soundvision was used extensively throughout the design process of this system, allowing us to adapt to the intricacies of each venue.”
The team employed innovative techniques to address the unique challenges posed by the T-shaped thrust. “Panflex was used on the K2 down-fills to minimise spill onto the thrust,” Mitchell explained. “A strategically placed second row of Kara II along the edge of the thrust provided in-fill for the areas affected by the stage structure and those not covered by the K2 down-fills.”
The result was a resounding success. Harvey is enthused about the system’s performance: “I always have a smile on my face working with a skilfully deployed and tuned L-Acoustics system and walk away satisfied. The barometer for success of this UK arena leg was the two O2 shows, and we were overwhelmed by compliments and positive feedback,” he said.
The tour’s triumph was reflected in the response from both the band and industry professionals. “I heard from the band later that well-known musician, music producers, and production heads attended those shows, and all were blown away by the production and performance,” Harvey concluded. “‘Keane has never sounded better!’ was a personal favourite accolade from an industry professional close to the band.”
