10/6/2013 — TURBOSOUND’s Flashline and Flex Array line array PA systems were once again centre stage at this year’s Zurich Open Air Festival, held over the weekend of August 29th. Germany’s Flashline rental partner FeedBack Show Systems & Service GmbH provided sound and lights for the three stages.

In 2012 FeedBack provided the sound systems and production management for the whole festival. “Because the 2012 festival was a great success for everyone concerned we agreed to provide complete sound and light services this year,” says Bernd Schmitz of FeedBack Show Systems & Service.

On the main Open Air stage — which this year featured Nine Inch Nails, Franz Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys, FeedBack’s systems engineer Dennis Dackweiler flew 15 Flashline TFS-900H four-way high packs plus two Flex Array TFA-600H down fills per side. Thirty TFS-900B double 18-inch subwoofers were evenly spaced across the front of the stage in blocks of three, delayed in a wide arc to provide even dispersion of bass frequencies. Four Flex Array TFA-600H high packs were flown as side fills, with six wide dispersion TFA-600HWs deployed as front fills. Additionally a further nine TFA-600H mid/highs were flown at stage right to cover the asymmetrical audience area. TFM-560 bi-amped wedges provided stage monitoring throughout, and the entire PA and monitor system was powered by Lab.gruppen PLM amplifiers.

Flashline also featured prominently in the Tent Stage, where the system consisted of nine Flashline TFS-900H high packs per side and 22 TFS-900B subwoofers spaced across the front of the stage with 10 TFA-600H mid/highs on top for front fill. On stage three TFA-600H mid/highs and three TFA-600L subwoofers provided side fill coverage with co-axial TMW-115s deployed as floor monitors.

Aside from the usual festival challenges, such as a lack of power until late on the Wednesday set-up afternoon, the production went very smoothly according to Schmitz. “The FOH engineers did a good job and were very happy with the PAs on all the stages, and in particular Gary Bradshaw created a great mix on Flashline for Nine Inch Nails headlining on Thursday night.