VUE Audiotechink Brings AL-Class And Sophistication To 30th Anniversary Celebration Of Concorso Italiano

When Italian automobile enthusiasts from around the world ascended on Black Horse Golf Course in Monterey, California for the 30th anniversary of Concorso Italiano, VUE Audiotechnik had pulled up to the event as well. The company’s al-4 Subcompact Line Array System could be heard delivering crystal clear sound to the expansive grounds.

Concorso Italiano is the annual must-attend event for classic gear-heads, centered around as many as 1,000 collectible Italian automobiles. It’s also the convergence of sophistication, taste and affluence embracing all the cultural elements of Italian style, including music, cuisine, fashion, and travel. The Concorso emphasizes display and appreciation over competition, and although the cars are truly magnificent, this event is as much about the people who attend as it is about the finely engineered cars.

For the second year in a row, audio support was provided by Sand City, CA’s Glastonbury Inc. with help from their colleagues to the south Bell Event Services from El Segundo, CA. Tim Campbell, Audio Operations Manager of Bell Event Services, served as A-1 and system designer and was presented with a myriad of challenges.

“The venue consisted of two par four golf holes from the Bayonet and Blackhorse courses, plus an additional football field-sized lawn. Add a stage, bleachers, and dozens of tents and the challenges increase,” said Campbell.  “Last year, the stage was at the very end of the venue and I was able to spill delay towers down the length of the fairways. This year, the stage was moved to a more central location so I had to emanate my delays from a more central point, making the delay calculations a bit more difficult. Also, last year I used two towers of VUE al-4s to demo for this application. This year, I did the whole thing with five towers of eight VUE al-4s and some h-12s for fill and the stage system.”

According to Campbell, compared to the line arrays he used before, the al-4s were better in every way. “We got it to the point where, anywhere on the field, the announcer sounded like he was standing next to you and not shouting,” says Campbell.  “I used two different arrays; one pinned very flat for long throw areas over 100 yards, and a gentler curve to the array for towers covering less than that. We had a minimum of overlapping zones and almost no echo areas which is pretty amazing considering each hang was only 170 pounds. The show was over at 5:00 pm and we buttoned up the truck at 8:30 pm, in part thanks to the easily manageable arrays and my fantastic crew. We are looking forward to next year’s event.”

The passionate and discerning enthusiasts attending this event represent a highly desirable demographic group from around the world. Eighty percent are entrepreneurs or professionals and 70 percent are in the highest income bracket. Concorso Italiano is also a major contributor to several local, national and international charities. Print, web, film and television media from around the world constitute the more than 400 media passes requested each year.