STADIUMS & ARENAS
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SOUND VS SCALE The architectural blueprints for even the earliest forms of stadiums were always designed with the ability to amplify sound at their cores. This was especially crucial for those early classical models, where performers relied on their ability to vocally project and the acoustic capability of the structure they were performing in. In the present day, modern arenas are still always enmeshed with acoustic consideration. This is then of course elevated by the intelligent integration of main speakers and amplifiers. These systems convert electrical audio signals into sounds that reverberate throughout the arena; these sound waves often even find themselves rippling out across the cities in which they are situated. There is no better way to demonstrate the audio power now on offer than via high-decibel bands like Metallica. The rock titans roared into North America in autumn 2024 for the latest leg of their M72 World Tour – with sound elevated by Meyer Sound’s 2100-LFC low-frequency control elements. The tour, which began in April 2023, stopped for two nights in each city, presenting two sets on ‘no repeat weekends’. Fans experienced a stereo mix in every seat, one that is faithful to 40 years of studio recordings, explains FOH engineer Greg Price, adding: “Our ultimate goal was to bring that intimate environment into a stadium.” Staged in the round, the tour was supported by a staggering 522 Meyer Sound loudspeakers, including 288 Panther large format linear line array loudspeakers and 96 2100-LFC low-frequency control elements. The system, supplied by Clair Global, is configured in three concentric rings. Outer ring arrays are suspended from eight towers, with two Panther arrays on each tower. An inner system was comprised of eight hung arrays of Panther loudspeakers. The Snake Pit fan section in the centre of the stage is covered by inward-firing UPQ D2 loudspeakers, while the outer side of the ring employs 22 Ultra-X40 compact loudspeakers as front fills. It is controlled by 48 Galileo Galaxy network platforms. “I was the catalyst for making the change to the 2100-LFCs,” explains Metallica creative director Dan Braun. “The results of the Panther arrays have been stunning from the moment we deployed them, so it wasn’t a big leap for me to think that we could make some serious gains in low frequencies as well. And the tighter end-fire array that we’re able to put together allows us to steer this thing and get higher fidelity into more seats. It’s not about turning up the bass. It’s about creating more seats that have that nearfield monitor experience.” “When we showed up at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, we put all of my 96 1100-LFCs on a ship, shipped the entire PA without subs and had 96 2100-LFCs show up,” Price explains. “I put them in place where the 1100-LFCs were and turned it on. I swapped out
Metallica’s in-the-round shows are enhanced by loudspeaker systems
is responding, that is something the band feeds on and I know we’re doing the right thing. Part of that is absolutely the change to the 2100-LFCs.” “There’s a reason why we’ve sold over a million tickets,” adds Price. “People are hearing about this show. We are seeing people come that I don’t think have ever been to a Metallica show. Fans have been walking on air the next day. To turn an 80,000-seat football stadium into an intimate club is unheard of.” SMART STADIUMS From seismic sound set-ups like that of Metallica to the scalability of Niall Horan’s tour – plus being able to efficiently upgrade older venues such as Selhurst Park – it appears that AV is able to offer unlimited enhancements to stadiums both new and old. It is evident that the convergence of technology, sports and music has given rise to impressive, digitally enhanced ‘smart stadiums’. These Colosseums of the present day are revolutionising the fan experience in ways never previously thought possible.
subs in the middle of a six-month tour and didn’t touch a thing in my mix and it was absolutely jaw-dropping. “Of course, we did our due diligence,” says Price. “I worked with Bob McCarthy and Josh Dorn-Fehrmann from Meyer Sound and our system engineer, Chris Rushin. But at the end of the day, we pulled a truck up, pulled those subs out, put the new ones in, turned it on and boom. It did everything we expected.” The M72 system ran on three Milan networks, designed by Dorn-Fehrmann. “Metallica has been using Milan since 2016 when we had early versions of AVB,” he explains. “On this tour, because of its unique scale, we’ve implemented one of the largest, if not the largest, touring AVB networks in the world.” Braun and Price agree that premium sound in stadiums of such scale as those on the M72 tour helps forge a deeper connection between the audience and the music. “What I try to do with Metallica is create the best environment I can for them to be the best they can be,” insists Braun. “And when all of the production is working, and the audience
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