The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal came back to life in 2022, reinforcing its distinction as the largest jazz festival in the world. With 350 concerts scheduled over 10 days, two-thirds of which are free, the festival once again attracted hundreds of thousands of spectators to downtown Montreal, where AVL supplier Solotech had equipped eight indoor and outdoor stages, including the main stage TD stage. with His Meyer (opens in a new tab) reinforcement systems.
Launched in 1980, the Montreal International Jazz Festival is the first event of its kind in North America, and with the strong resurgence in 2022, the festival can reaffirm its claim to the title of “the largest jazz festival in the world” as before. awarded by Guinness. Book of World Records. With an annual attendance of over 2 million people, the festival is not only the biggest jazz festival, but one of the biggest music festivals in the world.
Having the right sound system for their triumphant return was imperative, and Meyer Sound delivered rave reviews to the press, especially for the final act, The Roots, at TD Stage.
“The Roots have demonstrated why they continue to be known as one of the best live bands on the planet,” wrote the Montreal Gazettealso noting that “the tens and tens of thousands who swarmed an absurdly crowded Place des Festivals…were for a devilish show.” Canadian Beats agreed, noting “The Roots delivered a true masterclass in hip-hop, funk, soul and jazz, a perfect set of genres to close out the festival.”
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The resounding success of audio at the Montreal International Jazz Festival this year is credited to the work of the Festival’s Technical Coordinator, Dan Meier, and his team at L’Equipe Spectra. Meyer Sound and Solotech worked closely with Meier and his team to develop and deploy the festival sound experiences.
The enthusiastic response came as no surprise to Director of R&D and Technology Solutions, David Brazeau, who was responsible for the overall oversight of AVL systems on behalf of Solotech. “We heard nothing but great reviews of the performances from those in attendance and from the media. There was no specific mention of sound, but the idea is to make the reinforcement transparent, so it won’t be noticed. When the sound is perfect, you hear nothing!
The TD Scene stage system included main front arrays of nine LEO linear speakers on each side, with focused bass from end-firing arrays of six 1100-LFC low frequency control elements on each side. The front fills were MICA line array speakers, with MSL-4 speakers as the output fills. The first delay consisted of two arrays of six 900-LFC augmented six-element MICA speakers in a cardioid configuration, with pairs of CAL 64 and CAL 32 beam-steering column array speakers providing highly directional sound for the second and third delays. The VIP section was covered by four M1D line array speakers.
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Other artists who energized the overflowing crowds of the TD Stage included Lee Fields, Bran Van 3000 and Clay & Friends.
Meyer Sound systems also provided reinforcement in several covered rooms hosting renowned artists. A MINA line array system was deployed at Théâtre Maisonneuve for, among others, Al Di Meola, Manhattan Transfer and Pat Metheny. At the Maison symphonique de Montréal, Meyer Sound JM-1P, UPA-1P and UPQ-1P loudspeakers supported Gregory Porter, Ludovico Einaudi and Ravi Coltrane, while at the Monument-National Tommy Emmanuel, Christian McBride, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap were heard through veteran UPQ-1P, UPA-1P, and UPA-1C speakers paired with 700 HP subwoofers.
Other outdoor stages equipped with Meyer Sound systems were Rio Tinto, Club Montreal, Stage Loto-Québec and Pub La Traversée Molson Export.
Solotech has been an integral part of the Montreal International Jazz Festival for as long as Brazeau can remember. “I’ve been with Solotech for 25 years and we were supplying systems back then,” he said. “We are much more than a rental house, but truly a full partner, part of a team that for many years has included our trusted key suppliers, including Meyer Sound.
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“Meyer Sound has always been an essential partner of the festival,” continued Brazeau. “Whenever we have a problem, whatever it is, they jump on it and give us their full support. David Vincent from Meyer Sound Technical Support here in Canada helps us every year, collaborating with our team on system design.
This year, Vincent and the Solotech team made full use of Meyer Sound’s MAPP 3D™ prediction software, which proved to be an essential tool in shaping coverage to suit venues without excessive spillover into the adjacent area. downtown. “They’ve worked hard to focus the energy on the crowds, and they’ve done it very well with MAPP 3D and our extensive inventory of Meyer Sound speakers,” Brazeau noted.
