Justin Moore heard via K2 arrays at Cape Blanco (credit for all photos: Jeremy Polzel)
U.S. Audio & Lighting deploys K2 system for large country music events
BROWNSVILLE / SIXES, Oregon — Music festivals have increased in number and diversity in recent years, and regional festivals have enjoyed explosive growth. Two of this season’s most successful regional festivals took place this August in Oregon where the five-year-old BI-MART Willamette Country Music Festival in Brownsville (August 15-17) drew upwards of 25,000 fans who came to hear acts like Blake Shelton, Gary Allen and Eric Church. Regional discount retailer BI-MART also launched a new sister festival in Sixes this year, the Cape Blanco Country Music Festival (August 1-3), which attracted as many as 15,000 to hear Brad Paisley, Eric Church and Justin Moore, among others.
These two festivals represented country music at its best, but what really tied both together – aside from their mutual corporate sponsor – was the sound provided at each site by U.S. Audio & Lighting’s L-ACOUSTICS K2 system. “The music sounded excellent in both places,” says Patrick Coughlin, general manager of U.S. Audio & Lighting North, the Northern California branch of the North Hollywood-based company that has become one of the largest K2 users in the States.
Coughlin is hardly alone in his choice of systems. L-ACOUSTICS is the global leader chosen by six out of the ten world’s top-grossing music festivals*.
The first annual Cape Blanco Country Music Festival
For the main stage at the Willamette Country Music Festival location, where it has been the SR provider for the last three years, USA&L flew a combined total of 52 K2 enclosures for its main and outfill hangs, anchored by a beefy 32 SB28 ground-stacked subs. A full complement of L-ACOUSTICS gear also blanketed the stage, including 115XT HiQ monitors, flown ARCS II/SB28 sidefills and 108P stage lip fills. For Cape Blanco, 48 K2 belted out the main LR house sound bolstered by 28 boot-shaking SB28, while LA8-equipped LA-RAKs supplied the power and processing for both festivals.
Coughlin says what attracted him to the K2 is the sonic and directional flexibility afforded by its steerable pattern down to 300Hz. “It assures us of even, consistent coverage for the audience,” he explains. “We also like how light the boxes are, which makes transporting and rigging them easier. Plus we like that the 12-inch speaker allows us good control of the low end. It’s just a great package, and we were able to run the entire system wirelessly via LA Network Manager. It’s unbelievable control. I use no outboard EQ at all; all of the EQ is on the network.”
The L-ACOUSTICS K2 systems are expected to get a workout in coming months at U.S. Audio & Lighting North. After being deployed in late August at the First City Festival, the successor to the legendary Monterey Pop Festival, they do a schedule of shows that include Diana Ross at the Santa Barbara Bowl and EDM shows at the Event Center Arena in San Jose, culminating in a rave show on New Year’s Eve at the Oakland Oracle Arena, which will employ 96 K2, 48 SB28, 24 ARCS, and 80 LA8 controllers.
Pam Tillis and her band perform a sunset serenade on USA&L’s L-ACOUSTICS rig at the BI-MART Willamette Country Music Festival
And U.S. Audio & Lighting North and K2 will be back next year for both the BI-MART Willamette Country Music Festival and the Cape Blanco Country Music Festival, as well as a third planned BI-MART-sponsored festival – this one in Idaho at a time and place to be determined. “The K2 is the perfect system for these kinds of shows,” says Coughlin. “It’s easy to move, simple to control and sounds fantastic.”
For more info on the two country festivals, visit www.willamettecountrymusicfestival.com and www.capeblancofestival.com. U.S. Audio & Lighting can likewise be found online at www.usaudioandlighting.com.
L-ACOUSTICS is a leading innovator and manufacturer of high-performance loudspeakers, amplifiers and signal processing devices for touring and installed sound markets. Known around the globe for pioneering and championing the modern line array loudspeaker concept with V-DOSC, the company has received numerous accolades for its K1, K2, KUDO, KARA, KIVA, ARCS, XT coaxial loudspeaker systems and SB line of subwoofer enclosures, all powered and processed with the LA4 and LA8 amplified controllers in fulfillment of a “total system approach.” Product distribution and customer service for North America is handled by L-ACOUSTICS’ subsidiary in Oxnard, California.
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* According to the Pollstar 2013 Worldwide Festival grosses
Contact:
L-ACOUSTICS US
2201 Celsius Avenue, Unit E, Oxnard, CA 93030
Tel: 805.604.0577 / Fax: 805.604.0858
Email: [email protected] / Web: www.l-acoustics.com
