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Martin Audio supports BST Hyde Park

At this year’s edition of the BST Hyde Park festival, system engineering was back in the hands of Toby Donovan, who aside from last year has worked every BST. This time, the tech team presided over a 9-day festival that saw acts like Pink, Guns N’ Roses, Take That, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and Billy Joel headlining.

Other than slightly raising the main stage side hang to avoid it obscuring the screen, Solotech UK account manager Martin Connolly confirmed that “everything else was exactly the same as last year”. Nonetheless, prior to the event another BST stalwart - freelance sound consultant (and former Martin Audio R&D Director) Jason Baird - was drafted in for propagation checks, particularly with regard to the eleven delays positions, which comprised many of Martin Audio’s larger format WPL.

Working with acoustic consultants Vanguardia, he patrolled the field with a walkie-talkie, providing data to Donovan to ensure the delay levels were set correctly, and that Martin Audio’s Display optimisation and predictive software was accurate and ready for showtime. Offsite levels were set at 75 dB (LAeq5).

Take That’s sound engineer Gary Bradshaw - who has a long history working with Martin Audio and Solotech UK (then Capital Sound), mixing through many generations of the manufacturer’s frontline PA before moving over to Take That in the early 90s - was able to solve an unforeseen problem at BST 2023 with the help of Martin Audio’s MLA. Loading in during the night, for an anticipated 9 a.m. soundcheck, he was alarmed to discover that a sound curfew was in place until 10 a.m. He was relieved to find Donovan, who system teched the last Take That tour with Bradshaw, in position.

“The (44) dancers were onstage at 9 a.m., there was a band call at 9.30 a.m. and the three Take That lads appeared at 10 a.m.”, he reports. “Fortunately, we didn’t need to make any changes to the system. We listened to Gary Barlow’s vocal on A stage and then B stage and couldn’t get his mic to feed back even when pushed way louder than needed.”

“I knew Pink had safely done an A stage and B stage show and so realised I was safe to really push it without the risk of feedback”, he continues. “It was the perfect test of the PA, and there were no EQ changes from me.” In the end the band was able to do almost a full set run through. “The gig went without a hitch”, says Bradshaw, paying tribute not only to Toby Donovan but Dave Roden, supervising FOH.

In addition to the Great Oak Stage, three other stages around the site carried Martin Audio: Rainbow Stage (MLA Compact, eight boxes per side with twelve SX218 subs and five MLA Compact front fill), Birdcage Stage (WPS, six per side, driven in 1-box resolution with six SX218 and XD12 front fills), and Cuban Garage Stage (WPS, six per side, driven in 2-box resolution, with four SX218 subs), all of them supervised by Solotech UK account manager David Preston.

“MLA Compact on Stage 2 covered an area of around 35 m deep by 30 m wide”, he notes. The other stages saw DJs and new acts play through ground stack systems. Solotech also provided video and lighting for the festival. BST’s technical production director was Mark Ward (Proper Productions).

(Photos: Martin Audio/David Preston/Gus Stewart)

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