CPL worked as technical partners for event producers Bright Event Management at the annual OVO Energy Summer Party.
The project included CPL’s delivery of audio, lighting, rigging and crew for two music stages, Main and Bar, featuring live bands and DJs.
The CPL team was led by Mike Radford, and they worked closely on site with Bright Event Management’s production manager Nick Diacre and their project leader, Annabel Harrison.
For the main stage, a d&b audiotechnik Y8 line array sound system was specified, with 3 flown d&b audiotechnik Y8s a side accompanied by 2 ground-stacked d&b audiotechnik V-SUBS per side, all controlled via a Yamaha CL5 console positioned side stage.
There is no FOH at this event to maintain sightlines, instead, FOH is mixed from the stage right monitor position. A wireless network is part of the audio package provided by CPL, so the systems engineer and any guest FOH engineers can tweak the system from anywhere around the arena using an iPad running the Yamaha StageMix app.
Radford and the crew installed additional RF antennas around the Mainstage area this year so the wireless radio microphone signal would allow the compare to roam the entire site with a radio mic, achieved using extra Shure UA870 antennas with switchable gain control and an antenna combiner which worked very efficiently, together with Shure UR4D receivers and UR2 hand-held mics.
They also utilised their new DPA wireless Core 4099 instrument mics and Sennheiser ME3N headset mics for Bath-based samba aficionados Jamma de Samba who combined a promenade workshop – in amongst the audience – with their performance which kicked off the Main Stage live sessions for the day.
Run through Shure UR1 bodypack transmitters, this allowed Jamma de Samba to wander freely amidst the crowds engaging in a bit of samba training … and be clearly heard from everywhere.
Backline and monitors for all performers were supplied by a separate company, and Main Stage lighting designer James Bunning was brought in as part of Bright’s production team, however, he and CPL have also worked together on several projects.
For lighting, CPL supplied ARRI L5-C LED fresnels as key lights for the Main Stage and the rest was a mix of Martin Rush LED PARs, MAC Aura LED washes, Claypaky Sharpie beam lights and Philips Nitro strobes which also doubled as blinders.
An Avolites Quartz console, also at side stage, was supplied for lighting control.
For the Bar Stage, some Prolyte trussing was flown from the tipi structure and rigged with ETC ColorSource PARs – chosen for their light weight and high-quality output, and these were complimented on the stage by MAC Auras, Sharpies and PAR Zooms, complete with another Avo Quartz for control.
The PA in the Bar comprised a d&b audiotechnik Y7P point source system and B4 subs 4 of each with E8 monitors, all powered by D20 amps, hooked up to a Yamaha QL1 console, which was perfect for the DJ sets throughout the day and the evening.
Radford worked with 4 CPL crew for the in / out and 3 for the show – Andre Coulam, Jack Sykes, Robin Emery plus LD James Bunning.
Radford concluded: “We were extremely pleased to be part of delivering another high quality and very successful OVO event and it was fantastic to collaborate with Nick and Annabel and all of their crew. We thoroughly enjoyed some great teamwork”.