Belgium’s biggest free world music event, held in May, implemented sound threshold limitation measures planned for January 2013, reports Marc Maes
WELL BEFORE the controversial legislation ruling comes into effect in January 2013 limiting sound levels at festivals, the organiser of the 19th Mano Mundo festival, in collaboration with the Province of Antwerp, trialled a PA solution combining public awareness and listening comfort with the requirements of the upcoming law – 100dB LAeq(60) maximum. “Our headquarters are
just across the street and the
the MLA Compact sounds big and powerful.” FACE provided a configuration consisting of 12 flown MLA Compact speakers plus 12 DLX subs, and six DD6 frontfill cabinets. In addition, a MeTrao sound level measuring system was put in place, continuously displaying decibel levels during the festival. A Midas H3000 was employed to mix FOH. Says Pieter Nys, festival sound production manager
More than 75,000 people attended the 19th Mano Mundo festival
health department, Kemland monitored the data. “We placed the display just outside the FOH tent, because at this stage it was more important to measure the sound pressure than to play police officer pointing at the FOH’s controls,” explains Kemland. “The results were astonishing: most bands produced between 90 and 92dB LAeq(60), with an exceptional 95dB LAeq(60). The MLA Compact system also assisted us in preventing an extreme
Mano Mundo hits a new level
organisers attended our sound- level demos with the MLA system earlier in the year,” reveals Steven Kemland, sales manager with Martin Audio supplier FACE. “Both the festival production and the organisers opted for the MLA Compact system – we were preparing the system for the Belgian launch (22 May) and decided to go along – although the idea of reinforcing a festival main stage with a 10” compact sound system could appear ‘small’, we found it quite challenging and discovered
and freelance FOH engineer: “The crucial feature for the festival is that the MLA Compact system is perfectly distance-controllable. This all resulted in good live sound before the stage, with volume gradually dropping off by 10dB at the end of the 110m area, while maintaining an even sound quality keeping it full range, with an amazing stereo image in the far field.” The MeTrao measuring system was placed just alongside the mix position – together with officials from the Province’s
volume zone close to the stage front – the correct levels were measured at 3m from the stage. The DD6 frontfills were used to clean up the sound image for the first rows.” “We’ve established a milestone in the history of festival sound, thanks to the new technology available on the market,” concludes Nys. The Mano Mundo festival, headlined by Mory Kante, attracted over 75,000 festivalgoers.