“Walking on Cars” concert in Dublin boasts large Electro-Voice X-Line Advance system

   
Irish indie rock and pop band “Walking On Cars” has built its popularity by the time-honored method of outstanding musicianship, superb songwriting, and tireless touring. Hailing from Kerry, Ireland, the group recently played its first headlining show in Dublin’s 14,500-seat 3Arena.
 

This auspicious graduation from opening act to headliner required a PA (Public Address) system with the fidelity and power to fill the arena. Limerick-based Murt Whelan Sound, which handles the band’s touring sound needs, selected the X-Line Advance line array system by Electro-Voice for the task. Taking the role of system designer and project manager for the show, Managing Director Murt Whelan used EASE Focus and LAPS room acoustics simulation software to ensure that every seat in 3Arena was fully covered.

The system deployed consisted of two 18-box arrays of Electro-Voice X2/212-90 loudspeakers as main hangs, with an additional pair of 14-box arrays as outfills to cover the side areas. X12-128 subwoofers from Electro-Voice provided the low frequencies, with 34 of these powerful dual 18-inch speakers augmenting the main arrays. To complete the coverage, four additional X2/212-90 loudspeakers were spaced along the stage lip and atop the subwoofers for nearfield coverage of the first few rows. On stage a pair of subwoofers were employed as drum fills, bringing the total count of X-Line Advance loudspeakers to 104 – the largest deployment on record for a single event.

The entire system was supervised via Electro-Voice IRIS-Net software, affording full control of every component and function, from FIR (finite impulse response) loudspeaker filter optimization to precise room signal processing via the Electro-Voice N8000 digital matrix controller. Power was provided by a total of 48 Electro-Voice TG7 amplifiers, outfitted with RCM-28 remote control modules to enable the operator to monitor and control the entire system from a single computer interface.

Murt Whelan Sound is a longtime user of the Electro-Voice X-Line Advance, having first purchased the system in 2014. One big advantage that Whelan enjoys about the system is its scalability. In addition to the ability to handle concerts in large venues like 3Arena, its components also excel at the many smaller events the company provides throughout Ireland.

“The X-Line Advance is extremely modular and scalable, offering the same great sound in smaller venues where we might use just three X2/212 boxes above a pair of subs,” notes Murt Whelan. “We do about six gigs per week with the X2 system on average, in different configurations and for different types of music. It doesn’t matter if it’s a large rock show, traditional acoustic music, a classical orchestra or electronic dance music. The X2 system from Electro-Voice does it all and performs flawlessly. We’ve got happy customers all over the country, and have had no problems at all. It is absolutely worth the investment.”
 

For “Walking On Cars”, the 3Arena gig represented a turning point in their career, requiring the same professional production as a major tour. It was natural that the group would turn to Murt Whelan Sound, which regularly provides for the band’s touring sound requirements. Lighting, video and staging was provided by Joe Betts of Made for Stage Ltd., rigging hire specialists from County Clare.

Murt Whelan reports, “The entire event was a huge success. We got amazing sound quality with total coverage. The system sounded great, and everyone went home totally happy!”