STM, GEO M10 AND M6 HEADLINE AT MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL
STM, GEO M10 AND M6 HEADLINE AT MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

STM, GEO M10 AND M6 HEADLINE AT MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

Aug 2017 | News | Live Events | GEO M10 | GEO M6 | STM | Canada

Canadian rental company Solotech joined forces with Yamaha Professional Audio to present an impressive line-up of NEXO PA and Yamaha consoles for the 38th edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal.

Solotech set up three NEXO systems in different venues, serving over 2,000 artists during the festival period; Arturo Sandoval, Bob Dylan, The Barr Brothers, Ravi Coltrane (son of the late John Coltrane), John Pizzarelli, and Walk Off the Earth, to name a few.

The Metropolis Stage PA consisted of 12x NEXO STM M28 with 6x STM B112 bass modules per side, flown side by side. 3x STM S118 subs and 3x RS18 Ray Subs were used per side with 3x STM M28s used for front fills. Monitors consisted of 8x 45°-N12 wedges, 6x PS15 R2 speakers, and 2x LS18s used as drum subs. Stage fills consisted of groundstacks, with 2x STM M46 main modules over 1x STM B112 bass module over 1x STM S118 sub per side. Two Yamaha CL5 digital consoles were also used at the Metropolis Stage.

Vladimir Coulibre is the engineer for the band Caravan Palace who performed at the Metropolis during the Festival. “My first step is to tune the main PA to adjust to Caravan Palace’s music, the second step is on stage to check the wedges’ polarity (both low and high section), EQ by voice and line check, and the last step is a very quick sound check with the musicians. At the Metropolis, Mark Rush from Yamaha worked with me to try several different set ups of the NEXO M28 + B112 flown and subs on the floor. We work on both the Dolby Lake and NEXO Nemo software; Dolby for time alignment and EQ, and Nemo for presets.

“Caravan Palace is a combination of dynamic electro swing music with a mix between acoustic instruments and electronic beat sequences. Sometimes with the PA, it’s hard to keep the best level and best impact. But at the Montreal Jazz Festival, I was happy to find both parameters. I had used the M46 in France and appreciate the high frequency signature in NEXO speakers. There are two different listening areas at the Metropolis, and the M28 system adapted very well to the venue.” Coulibre remarked that, during the show, there was plenty of headroom, and the ability to stabilize even if they played at different levels. “Tones were accurate, and all dimensions created, worked correctly. The new NEXO STM set up has clearly been designed for a new generation with quality expectations for artists, sound engineers, and the audience.”

In the Cinquième Salle, stage PA consisted of 6x GEO M10 line array speakers and 3x flown MSUB15s per side, 1x LS18 subwoofer on the ground per side, and 4x ID24 speakers used for front fills. Monitors consisted of 4x 45°-N12 wedges, 2x PS15 R2 speakers, and 4x PS10 R2 speakers.

Frederic Salter, engineer for the theatre, commented, “having worked in the past with NEXO monitors, I expected no less than what I received when the good people at Yamaha were kind enough to rig up a NEXO M10 system in our venue. The 6 speakers per side forming the line array were strategically placed to fill the U-shaped seating arrangement of the venue, which is no easy task. As I walked around, I noticed the sound was uniform, even at the extremes of the hall, a great dispersion indeed. The 3 rigged 15-inch subs per side added a very punchy and well-damped low end. The addition of double 18″ subs on the floor benefitted a few of the acts from their presence. The whole rig, powered by a NUAR amplification rack made for a system that I hope to see again soon.”

GEO M6 also took a turn in Montreal, appearing at the Savoy Stage in the Metropolis, where Yamaha provided a system using 3x GEO M620 with 1x LS18 per side, and 4x PS10 R2s for monitors.

Two Yamaha RIVAGE PM10 Digital Audio Consoles were used at the main TD Stage, and a third was used at Maison Symphonique for front-of-house along with a CL5 at monitors. “The Montreal Jazz Festival was the first time I put my hands on the RIVAGE,” states Matt “Captain” Sevigny, monitor engineer at the main TD Stage, mixing for The Brooks as well as Betty Bonifassi, Brad Cheeman, and Souljazz Orchestra. “The console gave me consistent, solid mixes every night. It’s almost funny how the first thing I would hear right after the artist left the stage was ‘fantastic stage sound’ and I even received hugs!!!”

www.solotech.com

www.yamahaproaudio.com