Live entertainment captivates audiences, transcends boundaries and unites fans in a celebration of sound and rhythm. From electrifying music festivals to immersive theatrical productions to enthralling sporting events, the magic of live entertainment relies on the technology driving it to bring performances to life.
JBL Professional, Crown, BSS, AKG, dbx, and Soundcraft lead HARMAN Professional’s live entertainment product portfolio and are inspiring touring musicians, sound and system engineers, suppliers and live venue organizers to deliver incredible shows no matter the size, type, or location throughout the world. In this article, we take you on a journey to explore 14 use case stories that take you behind the scenes of some of the most intriguing live entertainment experiences around the globe.
Daniella Peters, Director of HARMAN Professional North American Tour and Rental Sales and part of HARMAN’s global team of tour and live entertainment solution experts, has a unique outlook on the industry, having worked on both the client and manufacturer sides of the business. She was recently interviewed by Headliner Magazine to share her insight on the live entertainment industry, the technology driving it, and where she sees live entertainment headed. Here are some excerpts:
- Could you share some of the recent projects you’ve been involved in and what makes them unique? We do have a lot of products, and that’s something I like about HARMAN because there is something for every scenario. The team has worked on the SoFi Stadium, the Grand Ole Opry and The Roxy Theatre, which is a historic punk venue on the Sunset Strip. Something really cool about all those installations, or any live event gigs, is that there is a product for everything and every aspect of that job. It feels really good to play a small part in these massive jobs that our clients are doing. It’s exciting.
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What are some key topics and trends in the field? We are on the cusp of something new with the role of AI. Immersive is a massive buzzword too, Especially with our recent acquisition of FLUX, immersive for live sound concerts is really gaining traction in the installation world.
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What is the best piece of advice you’ve received? When I was at Rat Sound, Dave Rat used to have this catchphrase which was, “No problems, only solutions”, and that always stuck with me because it’s true. That resonated when I went to HARMAN as well, so if I have a problem, I must have a well-thought out solution to go with it. Otherwise, it is simply complaining.
We encourage you to check out the full interview with Daniella. And now, on with the tour…
Enrique Iglesias/Ricky Martin/Pitbull Tour – North America
When three iconic artists teamed up for the Trilogy Tour, the JBL VTX Series tour sound reinforcement system delivered balanced coverage, detailed clarity and maximum impact. “There’s no downside to the VTX system. It goes up quickly, it’s efficient, and powerful. The system is at 100% and it can do anything. I’ve mixed on every single possible rig. JBL VTX is the rig I choose. I’d put it up against any other rig.” – Brad Divens, FOH Mix Engineer, Enrique Iglesias. “The first time I listened to it I fell in love with it. It translates my mix very well. I love the low end and the definition of the mids and highs.” – Wil Madera, FOH Mix Engineer, Pitbull. More details.
Ibiza Rocks Live Event Venue – Spain
Ibiza Rocks elevated its iconic pool parties by upgrading to a JBL VTX Series sound system that was also modeled using JBL Venue Synthesis 3D Acoustic Simulation Software. “The new JBL sound system has absolutely killed it for me…You can hear the music so loud and clearly and you can feel the bass. I love playing on it, and the party goes off each and every week.” – Joel Corry, DJ and Producer. “JBL brought their A-game. You know that the equipment and the audio setup are professional, it’s tight and it’s there to back the performance.” – Shosh, DJ and Producer. More details.
Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club – Singapore
Based on differing requirements of the club, JBL VTX Series line arrays and subwoofers as well as a variety of AE Series, AWC and other JBL installed loudspeakers were specified. In addition Crown amplifiers, BSS signal processors, Martin exterior fixtures and AMX networked AV rounded out the install. “Every customer that has walked in has been giving us so much positive feedback on how great the sound system is… I am so proud and glad that we have it installed in Tipsy Unicorn.” – David Gan, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Tipsy Collective. More details.
Planeta Atlântida – Brazil
When top Brazilian and international artists start jamming, the excitement and energy is mind-blowing at Planeta Atlântida, one of the biggest music festivals in Brazil. A full JBL audio solution, including JBL VTX V20 line arrays drove the event. More details.
VH1 Supersonic Event – India
VH1 Supersonic was a multiple-stage event that included massive JBL line array, subwoofer and Crown amplifier support. “…The close proximity of the venue to the Pune Airport also meant that the system had to be loud enough to drown out the noise from the jet engines. We had to make sure that the sound from one stage did not bleed into the other stages… But every problem has a solution; and with a superlative quality audio system such as JBL, these challenges were not impossible…” – Sudarshan Srininvas, Co-Founder & Technical Director, Lewminadio. More details.
Little Red Book Road Life Festival – China
The “Little Red Book Road Life Festival” streetlight concert was driven by the main sound reinforcement system, featuring JBL VTX A8 and A6 line arrays, VTX B18 and S28 subwoofers and was powered by Crown I-Tech HD Series amplifiers. Performance Manager software was used to manage the configuration. More details.
MTV Video Music Awards – North America
Sound is critical for an MTV event and pulling off a production the size and complexity of the VMAs can only be accomplished by audio performance that is as clean and intelligible as it is powerful. “We have done so many VMAs now over the years, and I always use JBL, The sound, power and control are exactly what I need for this project… “In the past, I was involved in more details, but now, during the show I’m mostly sitting and monitoring… and marveling at how smoothly it all unfolds.” – Mark Dittmar, VP at Firehouse Productions. More details.
Artmix Professional Audio Group – South Korea
Seoul-based live production company Artmix caters to some of the world’s biggest K-POP artists. They recently made a significant inventory investment in JBL Pro line arrays and subwoofers as well as Crown amplifiers. “Artmix engineers have a lot of experience using premium systems on K-POP tours overseas. JBL VTX systems are one of them, and they’ve always sounded great. The VTX A-Series is a very reliable speaker system, and you can be confident in the sound quality.” – Jun Park, Executive Director of Artmix. More details.
hmv 363 Oxford Street – United Kingdom
hmv turned to HARMAN for support of its retail store and live performance stage with a JBL SRX900 powered line array and subwoofer system as well as a variety of JBL installed loudspeakers and additional support from Crown, BSS and AKG products. “The quality of audio is one of, if not the first thing that customers notice as they enter the store, and as such it has a huge impact on how they react to the products on offer. The combination of JBL’s highly evolved and different speaker designs have worked together in one space to create a very engaging and high-quality sound system…” – Simon Winter, Head of Live Events, hmv. More details.
F1 Interlagos Racetrack – Brazil
JBL VTX A12 line arrays and Crown amplifiers powered the F1 Interlagos Racetrack in Brazil. Deployed as part of the JBL Heineken Village system, F1 racing fans experienced every beat of the race through powerful, state-of-the-art JBL sound. JBL’s legendary reliability and performance ensured that every race fan received a stellar listening experience. More details.
Coachella Music & Arts Festival – North America
Coachella is one of the most successful festivals drawing approximately 250,000 people. Integrators implemented a dynamic rig featuring JBL VTX Series line arrays and subwoofers and Crown amplifiers. They also used JBL Performance Manager software for programming, automation, and more. “The JBL engineers came in and listened to the requests of what we were trying to accomplish… The JBL system did a phenomenal job at projecting a clear and accurate representation of what was going in and out of the console.” – Kyle Pace, Project Manager, Rat Sound. More details.
Reunion in Jincheng – China
This large-scale immersive, experiential interactive performance project utilized more than 20,000 square meters, and restored the six historical moments of Jincheng. The sound reinforcement system that utilized JBL, BSS, Crown, and Soundcraft solutions was not an application in a single area, but involved six spatial areas. More details.
Royal Shakespeare Company – United Kingdom
Royal Shakespeare Company’s world stage premiere of hit production My Neighbour Totoro utilized JBL VTX A8 line arrays, VTX B18 subwoofers and Crown amplifiers. “I knew the VTX A8 would do it justice and make my design a lot smoother and easier to put different genres through it. The beauty of the JBL VTX A8 is not only the power and clarity it demonstrates but the unique waveguide and wide open sound separation…” – Tony Gayle, Sound Designer. More details.
The JBL Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia, included performances from acts such as Dewa 19, Ari Lasso, Marcello Tahitoe and more. JBL VTX, BRX and SRX systems ensured incredible clarity and performance. Crown provided amplification support. Additionally, the fans had a unique opportunity to check out the latest products and solutions from JBL Professional. More details.
EXPLORE FURTHER – TALK TO A SOLUTIONS EXPERT
We have a wide range of resources available to support your live entertainment needs and when you want to talk to someone about your next project, we have a solutions expert ready to assist you. To locate a representative near you, please visit our WORLDWIDE LOCATOR.
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