University Of Virginia Bicentennial Launch Celebration 2017

University Of Virginia Bicentennial Launch Celebration 2017

SOUTHARD AUDIO, working on behalf of our friends at FILAMENT PRODUCTIONS, was honored to provide the live audio production services for the University of Virginia’s celebration of its 200th Anniversary.

This event, which gathered over twenty thousand attendees on the University of Virginia’s historic Lawn and Rotunda (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), featured dozens of musical and dance performances, as well as numerous dignitaries, and was all tied together within a commissioned theatrical work.  It would be hard to overstate the complexity of the event, as the show moved quickly from full gospel band performances to a symphony with choir, to a marching band, to several R&B, jazz, and electronic acts, and into a headlining set by the Goo Goo Dolls.  Other featured performers were “Hamilton” star Leslie Odom Jr, R&B performer Andra Day.

The Rotunda stage audio system comprised of two main arrays and two large delay arrays of Turbosound Flex Array, and then eight additional delay zones of Martin Audio CDDLive-15 loudspeakers.  The Center stage audio system was comprised of flown Turbosound Aspects, and then six additional delay zones of Turbosound Aspect Wide and Martin Audio CDDLive-15.  Lake processing and Dante digital signal distribution tied the two systems together over the 900 foot long listening area.

FOH Control for the stages included a Midas PRO1, PRO2c, PRO-X, M32 and an Avid Profile.  MON Control included a Midas PRO2, PRO-X and an Avid Profile.

After months of pre- planning and coordination, SOUTHARD AUDIO staff spent almost a week loading in, setting up and testing the systems before two days of rehearsal and then the final performance.  A big “Thank You” to all who assisted, and especially including Matt Hudson, Chris Davis, Jesse Stover, Eric Shy, Chad Wyatt, Cameron Triplett, Ethan Eldred, Dalton Waller, Luke Kiser, Zach Zimmerman, Chris Jackson, Pete Katz, Danielle Ward, Matt Leonard, Jason Misterka, and Mike Southard, as well as the fine folks at SOUNDWORKS for their additional support.