The Dream is Not Over: Crowded House is Back on Tour with SL-Series.
More than one year after global tours were postponed, iconic band Crowded House is once again back on stage in their homeland, New Zealand, with sound control, clarity and directivity.
The five piece band had planned to spend 2021 on a global tour, but downsized its plans to a New Zealand leg. As one of the first national tours to be back, it was of the utmost importance to the crew that the ‘To The Island’ tour delivered the very best in sound and voice quality.
Local audio supplier, Western Audio, recommended d&b; the band took both KSL and GSL systems - with ArrayProcessing - for the North Island stop. For the crew, it was imperative that the system be flexible and dynamic with venues ranging from 2,000 capacity indoor spaces to 8,500 arenas.
KSL and GSL are part of the d&b SL-Series and bring to market full range broadband directivity, extended LF response and advanced rigging options in an accessible size and performance package. All SL-Series loudspeakers are constructed using a 2-way active design.
“In the arena, the relationship between mains and sides was so smooth, I often found I could rotate the side around more than usual — about 55 to 70 degrees — and still have great coverage,” commented Bjarne Hemmingsen, System Tech.
With COVID-19 under control in New Zealand and no limitations on mass gatherings or social distancing requirements, the band performed for packed venues night after night. To ensure the same remarkable quality of sound was delivered to every member of the audience the crew relied heavily on the line array optimization software function ArrayProcessing.
“The show sits at an average of 94 to 97dBA at FOH, and applying ArrayProcessing really optimized the tonal level across the coverage area and made a huge difference for the people in the back rows,” remarked Hemmingsen.
With the tour having only one or two nights between shows, time management was at the forefront of the crew’s mind, but the SL- Series’ quick, safe rigging and the powerful d&b software planning suite made for efficient planning and predictable, even coverage.
According to Hemmingsen and the audio team, the tour was very well received with fans and the band alike, all eager to experience live sound in-person again.
