The high-profile, eight-day Noites de Verao em Gaia (Gaia Summer Nights) held in the Gaia district of Porto provided the stage for Portugese rental company, LVT Audio, to showcase its recently acquired Martin Audio MLA Compact and Mini array.
‘Since the very beginning of our company we have placed our trust in the Martin Audio brand,’ says company MD, Miguel Lindo, who witnessed MLA Compact in action at the Rock In Rio festival in Lisbon and could see opportunities for its use in a work roster that – prior to the pandemic – included all types of show, from arenas, festivals and touring, to corporate events.
They were helped in their choice and set-up by fellow countryman and friend, Joe Lima, who now works as Product Support Engineer at Martin Audio North America. ‘He is the best professional we know,’ Lindo says. ‘In March this year he trained our entire team.’
The Noites de Verao em Gaia location was an open space at the Municipal Stadium of Lavandeira: ‘It was the first live event held in Portugal in the middle of a pandemic,’ says the LVT man. ‘All security measures were taken by the local authorities and by the event’s producer, and these socially distanced shows served as an example for others.’
The line-up featured the best national artists and was capped at 2,000 spectators each day – a sell-out. These included Xutos & Pontápés; Miguel Araujo, Mariza; Pedro Abrunhosa, Herman José and Ana Moura.
Sound system design was entrusted to LVT’s system tech, António Costa, who specified 14 MLA Compact in each hang and 16 DSX subwoofers. Near fill comprised a further four MLA Compact, while on the stage 12 Martin Audio LE1500 provided artist reference monitoring, and side fill comprised four Martin Audio W8C and four WS218X subwoofers. The sound was processed and optimised by system tech for the event António Costa, using Martin Audio’s Display software.
The production company will next provide the full rig at Portugal ao Vivo (Portugal Live) – a celebration of Portuguese national music at the Super Bock Arena in Porto, during November and December that will feature 24 artists. Here LVT Audio will use 36 40 MLA Compact elements in two hangs of 18, with 16 MLA DSX subwoofers in a broadside cardioid sub array. Out fills will be provided by 24 MLA Mini, in two hangs of 12, with six MSX subs adding near fill, and a further four MLA Compact as side fill. Four W8C and four WS218X subwoofers will again provide stage fills.
‘MLA has helped to change the face of live entertainment in Portugal and improve the acoustics of theatres and arenas,’ Lindo says. ‘Since we have been running MLA in our hire fleet we have experienced an unparalleled improvement in the sound quality of our services. MLA is without a doubt the best system in the world, and puts us at the very highest level.’
More: www.martin-audio.com
