Martin Audio MLA deployed for socially distanced Gaia festival

A Martin Audio MLA system was recently deployed for a social-distanced eight-day festival in Gaia, Portugal.

Featuring a line-up of national artists in an open space at the Municipal Stadium of Lavandeira, Noites de Verao em Gaia (Gaia Summer Nights) is an eight-day festival promoted by PEV Entertainment held in the Gaia district of Porto. The sound system for the event was supplied by  Porto-based rental firm LVT Audio. Capacity for the festival was capped at 2,000 people per day in order to meet social distancing guidelines.

The company’s system tech, António Costa, specified 14 MLA Compact in each hang and 16 DSX subwoofers. Nearfills comprised a further four MLA Compact, while on the stage 12 Martin Audio LE1500 were provided for artist reference monitoring and sidefills consisted of four Martin Audio W8C and four WS218X subwoofers. The sound was processed using Martin Audio’s proprietary DISPLAY software.

“It was the first live event held in Portugal in the middle of a pandemic,” said LVT director Miguel Lindo. “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.

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“MLA has helped to change the face of live entertainment in Portugal and improve the acoustics of theatres and arenas. 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.”

LVT has confirmed that it will provide the full MLA rig the upcoming Portugal ao Vivo (Portugal Live)—a celebration of Portuguese music at the Super Bock Arena in Porto, during November and December, featuring  24 artists.

The event will see LVT Audio deploy 36 of its 40 MLA Compact elements in two hangs of 18, with 16 MLA DSX subwoofers in a broadside cardioid sub array. Outfills will be provided by 24 MLA Mini, in two hangs of 12, with six MSX subs adding nearfill, and a further four MLA Compact as sidefills. Four W8C and four WS218X subwoofers will again provide stage fills.