It was in 2015 that 1,000 musicians and hundreds of volunteers – including producers, videographers and sound engineers – first gathered in Cesena, Italy’ to perform the Foo Fighters’ ‘Learn to Fly’ as a plea to Dave Grohl, to bring his band to their city. The event marked the inception of Rockin’1000, now recognised as the world’s largest rock band.
Since its debut, Rockin’1000 has become a global phenomenon, with annual events staged across Europe and Brazil. With a global family of more than 40,000 members, these shows bring together musicians from diverse backgrounds to create visually and acoustically stunning performances in iconic locations like Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid and São Paulo.
Rockin’1000 selected L-Acoustics for its global reach and the versatility of K Series, both crucial for their traveling shows. The debut use of this system occurred at the Stade de France in 2019, installed by the France-based L-Acoustics Certified Provider, Dushow.
‘There are many reasons why we request L-Acoustics systems for our events such as its global availability – since we need more than 100 of the same model for these productions – the perfect balance between sound quality and high SPL, the precision of the acoustic prediction software, its good stack capability and scalability, the ease of set-up, deployment and management,’ says Rockin’1000 sound engineer, Luca Stefani.
Last summer, Rockin’1000 performed in Rome and Madrid, and also made an emotional return to the origin of their journey, the Dino Manuzzi Stadium in Cesena, for a fundraising concert aiding the flood-stricken areas of Romagna. With a thousand musicians participating, the event’s complexity necessitated a sound system that could manage the immense volume and intricate soundscapes. They aimed for a solution offering flexible sound perception and optimal acoustics for performers and attendees alike.
The brief was straightforward yet ambitious – create a massive sound that not only resonates in terms of volume but also reaches every member of the crowd and ‘to experience the enormity of the Rockin’1000 band performing live in front of you’.
To cover the 360° arena audience seating area in Cesena, Stefani designed a system using a distributed LR configuration of 108 K2 loudspeakers, and 40 K1-SB and 40 KS28 subwoofers. These were ground-stacked around the outer edge of the pitch in ten left/right sets consisting of four or six K2 over two K1-SB subs, with ten additional stacks of four KS28 subwoofers for low end reinforcement.
‘Our partnership with L-Acoustics has transformed the Rockin’1000 experience, elevating it to unparalleled heights,’ says Rockin’1000 CEO, Fabio Zaffagnini. ‘Thanks to the K Series, our concerts are now immersive soundscapes where you don’t just hear the music – you feel it. This isn’t just sound, it’s a symphony of clarity, power, and detail, making every performance unforgettable. Our fans can’t get enough of the crisp, expansive sound that cuts through even the most complex arrangements. It’s a game-changer, proof of our dedication to crafting memorable musical moments. Once you’ve experienced a Rockin’1000 concert powered by the K Series, there’s no going back.’
