As the first-ever night race of the Formula One season, the Singapore Grand Prix is an annual event that attracts world-class drivers, motor racing fans, and music lovers to Marina Bay Street Circuit.
Since its debut in 2008, the Grand Prix hosts an entertainment programme featuring top artistes from around the world such as Green Day and Dua Lipa. The Grand Prix management requires industry-leading technology to ensure the main Singapore Grand Prix Padang Stage fulfils the highest entertainment standards.
Since the beginning, Singapore L-Acoustics Certified Provider Rental (CPr) CSP Productions has been the audio and lighting partner to the Grand Prix – designing an audio system for up to 50,000 concertgoers at the outdoor Padang stage. CSP has previously supported high-profile national and international events, world summits, and conferences as well as large-scale concerts for A-List artistes.
Being one of Asia’s first show production houses to acquire an L-Acoustics V-DOSC system, CSP Productions began powering the show with an L-Acoustics K1 system at the 2015 show. “As the Singapore Grand Prix concert has grown more popular each year, we have continued to develop Singapore GP’s faith in our technical services with every production,” remarked Kenny Heng, managing director of CSP Production.
Heng asserted: “When we purchased the K series in 2015, we knew this best-in-class, powerful long-throw system would be the standard for any concert experience headlined by the world’s biggest pop stars and bands. The Formula 1 concert is no exception.”
Each year, the CSP team designs an audio system to cover the 300 metre by 120 metre open field, and to reproduce a range of classic pop, rock, and hip-hop music. Collaborating with the L-Acoustics APAC application engineers, the team utilised L-Acoustics’ Soundvision modelling software to optimise a design that could be presented to the Singapore Grand Prix management.
The current stage configuration consists of a left/right array of 12 L-Acoustics K1 boxes per side, topped by six K2 boxes. Side-fill arrays are flown with the same configuration to ensure coverage to standing crowds on both sides of the stage. Forty L-Acoustics SB28 subwoofers deliver low-end rumble from the stage front. On the extreme wings, delay arrays consist of 10 L-Acoustics V-DOSC and 12 SB218 per side. The entire system is driven by 10 LA8 and 16 LA12X amplified controllers.
On the efficiency and reliability of the K series system, Heng noted: “K1 and software assets like Soundvision and LA Network Manager ensure we can plan, deploy, and execute this show, almost within a moment's notice, hassle-free.”
Heng concludes: “L-Acoustics' comprehensive range of audio solutions gives my team, all clients and partners, and music-loving ticket holders to the SGP concert the promise of an amazing show we all look forward to every year.”