EAU CLAIRE, WI — Clearwing Productions provided lighting and audio for the Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival, a two-day event dreamed up by Bon Iver lead singer Justin Vernon that debuted July 17-18, 2015.
More details from Clearwing Productions (www.clearwing.com):
The Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival, a two-day outdoor music festival, debuted on July 17th and 18th, 2015 at Foster Farm in Eau Claire, WI, also home to Country Jam music festival. After years of playing music festivals all over the world, Justin Vernon, lead singer of the Grammy-winning band, Bon Iver, decided to put together a festival in his hometown of Eau Claire. The lineup featured over 45 different acts, including Bon Iver, The National, the Indigo Girls, Phox, and Spoon. More than 20,000 people from all over the country attended each day of the festival, with 1,000 of the attendees flying in from outside of the country, from as far away as New Zealand.
In addition to musical performances on three stages, Eaux Claires also featured innovative integrations of music and light. Michael Brown, lighting designer for Bon Iver and The National, did the artistic and lighting design. Grounds lighting around the festival as well as seven applied towers with scenic lighting was provided and installed by Clearwing Productions. This included lighting the 1,000’ Pauliana Pathway and lighting for the Bowl Area that wraps around the two main stages, accomplished with wireless DMX and 200 IP65 Elation Pars.
Clearwing Productions provided full audio and lighting systems for all three stages as well as a selection of backline for the performing bands. Clearwing also provided the technical crew under supervision of Project Manager, Steve Harvey. Clearwing Audio Techs, Jamie Earle, Trevor Powers, and Jamieson Filip worked the Lake Stage (which served as the main stage) alongside Lighting Techs, Warren Martyniak and Brad Rooks, and Backline Tech, Johnny O’Brien. Audio Techs, Bryan Baumgardner, Megan Henninger, and Jared Walther covered the River Stage along with Lighting Techs, Jess Peck and Mark Wilbur, and Backline Tech, Rob Vaccarella. Audio Techs, Robbie Hegge, Jeff Mayer, and Chris Bloch worked the Dells Stage (which served as the tent stage) with Lighting Techs, Andrew McClean and Mitch Morris. Clearwing Lighting Tech, Matt McEvilly, covered the grounds lighting.
Clearwing Productions specified the audio systems with input from Scott Sugden, Head of Application, Touring for L-Acoustics. The systems for the Lake and River stages consisted of twelve K1 with three K2 as downfills and a hang of six K1SBs per side. Outfill on the Lake Stage was handled by six K2 per side, while the River Stage was equipped with three ARCS2 per side. Subs on each stage consisted of sixteen SB28s in a spaced cardioid setup. Consoles were all Avid at FoH, with trusty Yamaha PM5ds looking after the stages. The Dells Stage had a six box per side V-Dosc ground stack rig with DV-Dosc for outfill. ARCS Wide provided the front fill and eight SB28s provided low frequency reinforcement.
“All of the systems performed admirably and were complimented by engineers, performers, and audience members alike,” says Clearwing Chief Audio Engineer, Jamie Earle. “The Lake and River systems happily covered the specified 350’ and still sounded full and consistent right up to its sister stage, while the cardioid sub setup enabled the low end to rock the audience without disturbing the musicians on stage.”
L-Acoustics Network Manager was used along with Lake processing to provide a rock solid system with the ability to be voiced to each engineer’s personal preference.
“Clearwing was honored to provide equipment for some of the world’s best mix engineers who made the utmost use of the tools and helped provide a memorable experience to the thousands of festivalgoers,” says Earle.
