Open-air Concert

Sound that fills an open site

An open-air concert is a different story than a performance in a hall. Outdoors the sound bounces off nothing, so it quickly disappears into the open. To fill the entire site we work with a line array that we scale to the depth and width of the location and to the expected number of visitors. That way the audience at the front and the back hears an equally full sound, without the people in the first row being overwhelmed.

At the same time we keep the surroundings in mind. We aim the sound precisely at the listening area and away from nearby residents, and we match the level to the permit and the applicable noise limits. During the concert our technician can monitor and adjust the level, so it keeps sounding powerful while you stay within the agreements. Alongside the front-of-house mix we take care of the monitoring on stage, with monitors or in-ears so the musicians hear each other clearly while they play.

A stage that can handle the weather

Playing outdoors means dealing with rain, wind and ground that is not always level. We build a sturdy stage with a clean finish and a canopy that keeps the instruments and equipment dry. We set up the structure safely for both the musicians and the audience, and in strong wind we adapt the build and the safety measures before the concert begins.

When the concert runs into the evening, lighting makes the difference. Fitting illumination of the stage keeps the musicians visible and gives the whole scene atmosphere as dusk sets in. We keep this tuned to the location, because an open site calls for different accents than an enclosed indoor space.

Setup, testing and on-site support

Before the first note sounds, everything is set up and tested. We arrive well in advance, work out the best spot for the stage and the speakers together, and run a sound check on the empty site and, where possible, with the band. That way we are sure the coverage is right and the monitor mix is dialed in before the audience arrives. A technician stays on hand to watch the mix and the level and to react quickly if something changes, for example between acts.

We think along about power, cable routing and safety on the site, so you can focus on the program. Individual equipment you want to bring in yourself can be rented through SpeakerVerhuur.nl. Want to know what your open-air concert needs? Let us know the location and the program, and we will put together a quote that fits your site and audience.