SWG EVENTS’ GLASTONBURY STAGE ENHANCEMENTS BRING BEST OUT OF MARTIN AUDIO WP
SWG Events extended their long association with the Glastonbury Festival, again deploying Martin Audio systems in a number of feature areas.
According to Head of Audio, Simon Purse, they made significant changes to two stages: BBC Introducing and Woodsies, while also providing Martin Audio systems for The Park Stage and Leftfield.
BBC Introducing embraced Martin Audio for the first time, having traditionally had its sound delivered by another brand.
The move from its usual enclosed tent behind the Pyramid Stage to a more open, saddlespan structure required a fresh, upscaled approach to the PA, as it was able to attract a larger audience. “We were able to swap out the previous system for a ground-stacked [Martin Audio] WPS system—so it was quite a major upgrade. Having more PA meant we were able to deliver a superior sound,” stated Purse.
Beneficiaries of this included Antony Szmierek, FIZZ, Jordan Mackampa, Paris Paloma, Pixey, Kingfishr and Maruja.
With such a demand on their Martin Audio inventory this summer, SWG Events had thought strategically, arranging for the six-a-side WPS rig and eight SX218, that they had recently installed at Cardiff Students Union, to move back into their rental stock at term end, and in this instance take up occupancy at BBC Introducing, where they functioned as Left/Right stacks (to avoid intrusion on camera positions) driven in 2-box resolution from the iKON amps. Four Blackline X8 acted as frontfills and a pair of TORUS T1230 as outfill. “The advantage of this arrangement,” noted Purse, “was that we could get greater height on the PA, which is precisely what we wanted.” Martin Audio LE1500s, were provided for artist monitoring, underpinned with SX118 subwoofers.
Meanwhile, nightly headliners at Woodsies were Gossip, Jamie xx and James Blake but the highlight was the surprise appearance of ‘secret act’, Kasabian.
Knowing the importance of this stage, Simon Purse managed to push for a full 12 a-side WPL rig in 2-box resolution, with split L/R ground stack sub system comprising 12 SXH218—providing ample coverage in a 75m diameter big top holding around 6,000.
“However, when word got out about Kasabian there must have been 15,000 people trying to get in,” he observed. Adding to his rig were eight WPC on front fill “which worked extremely well, and something I’ll definitely adopt again next year. It gives you the power you need for a big stage and avoids the risk of running out of headroom on the front fills.” Four TORUS T1215 sidefills (two a side) provided stage monitoring along with two cardioid SXC118s—along with a full package of XE500 monitor wedges.
A measure of this stage’s success (and a source of personal satisfaction for Simon) was the number of emails received from band productions afterwards, praising their experience.
Sitting high over the festival site, The Park Stage was another area SWG Events can look back on with pride as they helped gild the performances of headliners, Fontaines DC, Peggy Gou and London Grammar.
Here they fielded 12-a-side W8LC, and two W8LCD a-side Downfills, with 16 WSX 218, in L/R stacks. The stage package comprised 12 XE500 monitors with SX118 subs. “Although it’s older tech, the W8LC rig is almost iconic to that stage,” says Purse.
Combining pop and politics, Leftfield’s sound requirements tilt more towards reinforcing the spoken word. Currently this used Martin Audio’s W8LM. This was flown, eight-a-side chain hoisted onto a goalpost truss structure. For artist reference monitoring, 12 LE12J wedges were available.
Summing up the weekend, Simon Purse was delighted with the company’s achievements. “We had a really good team, the bands worked extremely well, and overall it was just an exceptional year where the atmosphere throughout was fantastic.”
Crew on Woodsies stage consisted of Sam Jones (FOH);Xav Booth (FOH tech);James Marsh and Dylan Jones (patch); Oliver Haward (monitors) and Tom Malin (monitor tech).
The Park Stage crew comprised Joe Bailey (Project manager); Adam Andrews (FOH); Ian Williams (Systems); Fraser Wilks, Tom Baxter, Laura Evans and Ieuen Fishburn(patch); Will Fisher (monitors) and Kieran Jordan (monitor tech).
On BBC Introducing, crew boss/patch was Dan Jenkins; Jack Kenyon (FOH); Harrison Burdon (monitors) and Callum Jones (patch).
Photography by Lee Perry and Jamie Gomez.