Recent gigs - Dronfield Arts Festival

Dronfield Arts Festival had it's first year in 2018, and I was very pleased to have the chance to help out with one of the biggest projects so far.

In total, there were three seperate PA systems running, ranging from a small setup at the Manor Gardens just outside Dronfield Library, through an unusual setup at Dronfield Barn, up to a larger setup at the Green Dragon.

The Manor Gardens system consisted of the new small PA speakers that were used with their companion low-profile subwoofers. The Yamaha 10" speaker was kept on-hand for monitor duties. An EV N/D767a was used for vocals for it's clear and balanced sound.

The system at Dronfield Barn was part of a light show that involved a couple of high-power projectors that covered the entire face of the building. As a result, the speakers there had to be very discrete to minimise disturbance to the imagery, while still providing dramatic sound.

Here's what we came up with:

While it's not the prettiest setup, it is discrete. A single large monitor speaker was plenty to cover the mid-high range, and a pair of subwoofers ensured there'd be enough drama when called upon. The unusual placement meant a little tweaking, but the system sounded great once it was adjusted correctly. The loading effect of having the speakers so close together didn't have a huge effect on the sound - all it would do is tune the subwoofers a little lower, allowing for slightly more deep bass output.

There was also a PA system at the Green Dragon, where a variety of acts passed through ranging from solo singers up to full bands.

Overall, I was very pleased with how the weekend went. Jackie, one of the organisers, left this review:

"Chris at Grimshaw Audio was recommended to us by The Green Dragon Pub in Dronfield. From our very first meeting Chris was professional and helpful. Because this was the first festival I had organised, a PA sound system was very alien to me! Luckily Chris listened to our requirements and helped guide through what was required and offered help and info along the way. From the first meeting through to the festival Chris organised all the PA and sound with all of our performers without me having to get involved. Therefore taking a great deal of pressure off of me! Over the weekend of the festival he was extremely professional and handled any issues or hic-ups we came across on my behalf very efficiently. The sound and the set up was run professionally and we had positive comments from all involved. Afterwards Chris was keen to organise a meeting to run through our feedback and offer his advice on where we could perhaps better our sound achievements for next year. As an organiser it is always great to work with someone who can take their role and run with it without the constant need to "baby sit". Chris has been great to work with - he even accommodated a few last minute changes made on my part without any issues whatsoever! I will hopefully be working with Chris again next year on the Festival and would highly recommend him for any sound requirements."