Having piloted the mix for every tour the Stereophonics have undertaken since they
set out two decades ago (hardly missing a show in the process), their FOH engineer
Dave Roden has become perfectly at ease with the Martin Audio MLA system that
seamlessly replaced the former W8L Longbow on the last tour.

But part of the reason for this tour’s success has been the deployment of Martin
Audio’s new DD12 lip fills, which sat atop the MLX subwoofers in the pit, and Capital
Sound’s new Dante network — designed by their audio crew chief Robin Conway —
which was making its debut.

The band’s new Keep The Village Alive album, which front man Kelly Jones sees as
a conceptual follow up to the recent Graffiti On The Train, has already topped the
album chart and the Stereos were determined to recreate the experience for live
audiences on this tour.

The O2 Arena saw production field a 16 x MLA/2 x MLD Downfill hang either side of
the stage with a 13 x MLA/1 x MLD Downfill as outfills. Ten MLX subs formed a
broadside cardioid array, seven forward facing and three reverse.

“We also have a three high cardioid stack of MLX rotated offstage at 45°, left and
right as out-fill subs,’ explains system tech Toby Donovan. “This keeps the delay
times a bit shorter in the broadside MLX array and also improves coverage in the
side bleachers.’

A pair of DD12s follows a similar angle, positioned on the outflanking subs, while
the four central DD12s sit on the arrayed MLX boxes, angled into the audience on
neat circular stands — all to remarkable effect.

Capital’s new 16-channel AES3 I/O for Dante is used to drive the PA. The network
hinges around a combination of Lake LM44 processors, Focusrite RedNet D16 AES
break out box and Cisco SG300 10-port switcher — and according to Robin Conway
is a natural progression.

While the signal to MLA remains in the digital domain (on AES3) throughout —
without the need to pass through various conversion stages — Donovan also notes
the benefits of Martin Audio’s continually evolving Display software which was a
further boost to the system performance. “It just keeps getting better,’ he says. “In
particular the new version incorporates the MLD Downfill boxes to a greater extent,
which means that in turn they are working a bit harder, removing the need for any
zoning.’

As the curtain came down on an O2 Arena show that saw the band perform all their
favourites, the quality of production on the night seemed a fitting finale to a year in
which MLA had dominated concert stages across the globe.