International News

PARIS – For the athletes, it's one of the most grueling endurance challenges in the world of sport – racing across all kinds of terrain through all kinds of weather over 2,200 miles. But for the race sponsors, the Tour de France is a party – epitomized by the wildly decorated caravan of cars, vans and buses that precede the racers on each daily stage, throwing out freebies to the crowds along the route.

LONDON – For a one-day VIP event during the 2011 UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Champions League final at Wembley Stadium, Surrey-based Delta Sound deployed an L-Acoustics KUDO loudspeaker system.

KINROSS, Scotland – The 17th edition of the T in the Park festival drew crowds once more with music from some 150 bands. For the Radio 1/NME stage, EFX Audio supplied the with Midas Digital front and back with two XL8s at FOH and a PRO6 and PRO9 on monitors. Numerous bands, including Pulp and Foo Fighters on the main stage, also arrived with their own Midas digital setups.

AMSTERDAM – The Openluchttheater (Open Air Theater) in Vondelpark has drawn large crowds to free performances since 1974, but as the residential population near the park has grown, so have concerns over amplified sound reinforcement. For Audiopro managing director Rolf Dijkstra, the solution came in the form of a carefully-designed loudspeaker system using gear from d&b audiotechnik.

KATOWICE, Poland – Natural Sound Service and Danley Sound Mission Europe followed up on their collaboration on a temporary system for the Spodek Arena for the 2009 EuroBasket basketball championships with an upgrade to the 40-year-old saucer-shaped venue's permanent audio system. The new system includes 12 Danley Jericho Horns (JH-90), two Danley Genesis Horns (GH-60) and several dozen Danley subwoofers and full-range cabinets.

VALENCIA, Spain – Sagarmanta Producciones provided audio support for the grandstand area at the Valencia Street Circuit, the site for the 2011 Formula One European Grand Prix, which was filled with close to 85,000 of the total 150,000 people drawn to the event. The gear included 115 Aero 12A systems from D.A.S. Audio.

GLASTONBURY, U.K. – Rental company APR Audio provided PA and control systems for the West Holts and John Peel stages at Glastonbury 2011, using Allen & Heath's iLive digital mixing systems at FOH and monitors. The consoles were also networked for audio and control sharing.

BURY ST EDMUNDS, U.K. – Northern Light recently enhanced the audio quality at the new $30 million apex venue with a permanently installed Martin Audio W8LM Mini Line Array system.

TAHITI – The Paul Gauguin Cruise Ship may be able to accommodate 320 people in luxurious style, but it doesn't have the luxury of a lot of extra space to stow a big console along with outboard effects racks. Soundcraft's Si2 Digital Live Sound Console proved a better fit with the ship's entertainment needs.

KNEBWORTH, U.K. – West Midlands-based Stage Audio Services (SAS) has purchased a Midas PRO9 live audio system, which is made its debut at FOH on Slipknot's worldwide festival tour this summer, joining SAS' existing Midas PRO6 on monitors.

KUALA BELAIT, Brunei – The Brunei Shell Petroleum Company (BSP)'s new Pusat Insani community center, which includes a 1,500-capacity multipurpose hall along with a gymnasium, a VIP lounge, a learning center and other modern amenities, has been equipped with a sound system designed, supplied and installed by Singapore-based Synergy AVL, a distributor of Outline products.