Creamfields

CREAMFIELDS

The Adlib team at FOH at CF07; LarMac Live’s Ian Greenway; Britannia Row Productions Audio Crew Chief, Alex Hore; The Capital Sound team at FOH; Capital Sound’s Oliver Fallon.

CAPITAL SOUND London-based Capital Sound offered two separate sound solutions for two stages, CF03 and CF08. The larger, CF03 - also known as the Generator - boasted an Outline GTO system. Creating the sound design for the stage was Ben Turnbull. Having been involved with the Generator stage previously, he explained the changing nature of the space.

“This year, our Outline system consists of 12 C12s a side along with 24 GTO-SUB. It’s a similar array to last year with the C12s,” stated Turnbull. “One of the main differences has been with the sub set-up where we have gone for a cardioid arrangement - which is in part to do with the overall goal to reduce off site-noise.” However, Turnbull stated that the Outline subs rear rejections were already fantastic. “With cardioid there’s virtually no noise backstage,” he enthused.

The set up also consisted of Mantas 28s for delays. “Last year we were using another product for the delay position but it’s great this time round to have a system that all the same brand means everything gels a bit more.”

The system was powered by Powersoft X8s with control coming from Midas PRO 2 console. Finally, for system processing Turnbull made use of an Outline Newton which also allowed any touring to be switched in their own console.

On the other side of site, Capital deployed a Martin Audio MLA system for CF08 – known as the Warehouse. Overseeing the audio for the stage was Oliver Fallon. Although this was his first year at the festival, Fallon was more than enthused with the results he and his team had achieved. “MLA is just ideal for this stage,” he began. “The slap back you can get on this style of temporary structure can be tricky.” However, he coined the MLA’s zoning software as “amazing” to overcoming this. “The software allows you to create dead-areas. I’ve got the cut-off point right by the door so there is a notable high-frequency drop off as you leave the venue.”

The system in total comprised of nine MLA and one MLD for the down fills each side. Then eight MLX subs were arranged in a cardioid format on the front of the stage. “When you hear it, you wouldn’t believe it’s only eight subs,” stated Fallon.

For control, Fallon used Midas PRO 2C2 with two Lake Processing LM 44s. “One of other elements of control that has been really useful has been the MAXX BCL Processor, via Waves, which we have used mainly for the low end,” stated Fallon.

ADLIB The most local of the three suppliers - with its new warehouse only being down the road in Liverpool – Adlib supplied PA and crew for CF05, CF06, CF07, CF09 along with the hospitality area. For the project, the team opted to utilise two brands with CODA Audio systems being utilised on CF05, CF07 and CF09 while an L-Acoustics system was used on CF06.

Discussing this year’s offering was Audio Crew Chief and System Designer, Billy Bryson. “Our main aim was to reduce rear and off axis low end in CF06 and CF07,” he stated. “We achieved this by using an end-fire sub configuration, with five stacks of two-high subs spaced along the pit and another identical array underneath the stage.” For the CF06, 20 L-Acoustics KS28s were deployed alongside the main hang of 12 K2s per side and 4 K2 per side serving as delays hung from audience trusses.

In the case of CF07, 20 CODA Audio SCP Sensor controlled subs were deployed in an identical end-fire configuration alongside the arrays of 12 AiRAY with two ViRAY as downfills. Behind the main hangs were eight flown SC2 Sensors controlled low frequency extensions which allowed Bryson precise control of low frequencies within the arena. The System Engineer commented that the subs had been well received throughout the weekend adding: “We’ve been getting compliments from both production and even

40

CREAMFIELDS

audience members. The transient response is impressively fast and low frequencies sounds accurate and clean.”

Moving the conversation to CF05, TPi discovered a similar configuration to CF07, although in this case, the arrays were ground stacked both sides of the DJ booth. In total six AiRAYs per side with four SC2s were used with an additional 12 SCPs deployed underneath the DJ booth in an end fire configuration as two blocks of six subs.

Lastly, in the main arena was one of Bryson’s biggest challenges - CF09. He elaborated: “The geographic height on site makes it prone to causing off site noise problems.” Once again, 16 CODA Audio SCP subs were used in an end fire configuration. “In that stage, four equidistant locations inside the walls of the round structure housed sets of four SCPs, arrayed as a block of two behind a cut-out in the cladding of the arena with another block of two subs spaced behind.” The rest of the array in the venue consisted of ViRAY and SC2s, stacked on the top level of the structure. HOPS8s were deployed on brackets around the structures top ‘VIP’ balcony to provide coverage.

Adlib also provided a lighting solutions to CF05, CF07 and the hospitality area, looked after by Lighting Crew Chief and Account Manager Jordan Willis. Having been involved with the festival as a lighting technician for a number of years, this was the second time Willis took up the Project Manager mantle.

“The main goal with the lighting was to give both stages a fuller look and give a bigger feeling to the stages and not just focus everything around the DJ,” stated Willis. To achieve this, the Adlib team focused a lot of effect fixtures out into the audience. “This meant they had the best effect from both the front and back and would not be lost if you stepped away from the centre of the room,” stated Willis. The designs themselves were both based on last year’s renditions which had been created by Ian Tomlinson of High Scream – a formidable force within dance music design - and updated by more current and improved fixtures along with an extra tower aside in CF07. The main workhorse fixtures were the Martin by Harman MAC Aura XBs of which Adlib deployed 100 across both stages (80 on CF07, 20 on CF05). “We used them for the speed, zoom range and versatility really fitted well to the music,” stated Willis. “We also had 40 GLP JDC-1 on CF07 as our main FX light as again the versatility of the fixture from pixel mapping to the aggressive strobe is just second to none.”

Willis continued, discussing the collaborative process between screen supplier PRG. “We had a few conversations with Rob from PRG prior to ensure load-in was smooth and the running day to day were all in tune. CF05 is a bit more specific with the single panels being hung around the whole curve of the structure so we filled in the gaps with the lighting to cover the whole surface of the structure.”

Tom Webber, Paul Abdullah, Dave Smith and Ash Dawson from Adlib all worked closely with the VJs from PRG to make sure the whole thing worked together and was all in sync from colour picking, to FX when the drop came. Willis concluded: “The event went extremely well from our point of view and it is always a pleasure working with Ian Greenway and his team, they care so much about the level of production and no stone is left unturned.”

COLOUR SOUND EXPERIMENT

Led by Colour Sound Experiment Crew Chief Tim Meadowcroft, the lighting specialist provided kit and crew to CF06 and CF08. Lighting design for CF06 was handled by David Fletcher with Sam Campbell creating the looks for CF06. “Colour Sound has been involved with this stage since it was conceived in 2016,” he began. “The big change from last year mainly involved the layout of the video screen. In 2018 we had several low-res surfaces but this year we went for one large higher res feature piece, bordered top and bottom with a good number of LED wash beams.”

42