d&b at the Brandenburg Gate for Fan Mile
One million football fans all watching giant video screens in four areas with a total screen size of 234 square metres including a 60 square metre screen above the stage situated at that most iconic symbol of Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate. This was FAN FEST, Germany's longest running party held from 7th June to 9th July as part of the FIFA World Cup.
The whole FAN FEST area ran for two kilometres on the Strasse des 17. Juni finishing at the Victory Column and was known as Fan Mile, an area of around 77,000 square metres, equivalent to twelve football pitches. Of course a vital ingredient for this area was a sound system capable of delivering good quality sound for fans to experience the whole world cup match atmosphere as well as provide sound for the peripheral events. Once the matches were over each day Fan Mile turned into Berlin's biggest dance floor. Every day at midnight a laser show heralded the start of a new day.
Düsseldorf based pro audio specialists Tonart were responsible for supplying the sound system for Fan Mile, a challenge they readily accepted. "We used a variety of loudspeaker systems, said Tonart's Daniel Will, "but for the delay lines we chose d&b audiotechnik Q1s since we knew they would do a good job. We find them easy to rig and easy to cable." Will used d&b's E-PAC amplifiers to power the many Q1s needed to cover the Fan Mile. As well as providing sound for top DJs, the system was used by the German Symphonic Orchestra who gave a special concert of classical music on 2nd July. Additional to the Fan Mile is Fan Mile Ribbon stretching from the Reichstag parliament building to the city centre, an additional area which includes the Adidas Arena, a 1:10 scale version of the Olympiastadion (see separate story). Here there wds an area for ten thousand fans providing public viewing, shops and a variety of cultural entertainment.
And now the final has been played, the long wait to find out who would be the Champion footballers of the world is over, with Italy achieving this supreme goal and the last fan has departed, Fan Mile returns once more to a semblance of normality under the majestic presence of the Brandenburg Gate. For this historic monument, built in 1791 on the orders of Friedrich Wilhelm II to represent peace, the World Cup is just another piece of history to add to the many historic events that have taken place around it.
