Capital Sound delivered a no-compromise Martin Audio sound reinforcement system for Stereophonics’ homecoming concert at the Principality Stadium.
When Capital Sound, part of the Solotech UK Group, conceived the original design for Stereophonics’ homecoming gig for what would have been their ‘We’ll Keep A Welcome’ Christmas show, the idea of 23 Martin Audio PA hangs (covering both an A stage and 40-metre thrust to a B stage) was entirely achievable.
“The kit was already prepped and ready to go out, when the show was suddenly cancelled,” said Solotech senior technical advisor, Robin Conway.
But when the gig was rescheduled for June, there was none of the luxury of pre-production time that had accompanied the original show.
Not only did the B stage now need to function as a totally independent stage, with its own PA, (rather than simply as a delay stage), but Friday’s planned production/build-up day suddenly disappeared when the following night’s concert – which also featured Tom Jones – sold out, resulting in a second date being added on the Friday.
The support line-up also changed at the last minute (with Newport-based Feeder coming in), while back at London HQ the crew worked around the clock to deprep inventory returning to base from other festivals, before re-prepping and trucking it down to Wales.
The crowd of 74,000 experienced a no-compromise sound solution despite the production company needing to make a late provision for the incoming film crew, necessitating them to provide a separate broadcast feed in addition to the sound in the bowl.
Thus there was plenty to occupy the minds of the band’s long-serving sound engineer Dave Roden, crew chief Tim Patterson, and system tech Mark Cleator, working alongside production manager Dave Nelson.
Not least of these was how to create 360° of coverage via the B stage system, with two hangs facing back towards the main stage, which meant the audience had to turn around to see when the band performed there.