Easter 2008 saw the Australian Gospel Music Festival celebrate its tenth anniversary with a name change to “Easterfest”. Getting bigger by the year, the festival featured seven stages across Queens Park in the center of the city of Toowoomba (Queensland, Australia). C.P.C. Audio Pty Ltd of Bundamba, Queensland provided production for the festival.
Located inside a large six pole tent, the festival “B” stage–called the “Bigtop”–featured a full Electro-Voice sound system, including XLC/XLD combination line arrays, QRx 218 subs, and a spread of new Phoenix monitors, all powered by EV amplifiers.
The Bigtop stage also relied upon EV equipment at the input end of the signal chain, thanks to a complete EV microphone kit. Along with a number of tried and trusted RE-1 wireless systems, a pair of new REV wireless handheld transmitters, custom supplied in chrome, made a visual impact to match their superb acoustic performance.
The REV dual receiver was purchased by longtime festival FOH engineer Phill Webb, whose love affair with EV microphones is writ large in his noted collection of over 150 pieces, ranging from a 100EL carbon suspension microphone from 1930 to his brand new custom REV transmitters.
“I have an extensive collection of vintage EV microphones,” says Webb, “many of which are chrome, so having chrome transmitters seemed to be a natural extension; if you can‘t hide it, you highlight it!” N/D967 dynamic and RE510 condenser capsules were also on hand for each transmitter.
“The venue did everything from contemporary worship service to acoustic performance to thrash rock and roll, with the REV transmitters out front for all performances,” Webb adds. “We used the RE510 heads for the worship service and changed to N/D967 heads for the rock bands. Simple!”
In addition to the REV wireless, the stage also had a complement of wired RE510 and N/D967 mics for backing vocals. A drum kit full of EV mics (N/D468, N/D168, N/D868, Cardinal, and RE200) and Ravens on the guitar amps completed the picture. “The mics worked perfectly throughout the three day festival,” Webb says, “and the REV‘s worked faultlessly too, with no RF or sonic issues at all. Another successful gig with EV microphones!”
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