North Coast Music Festival

Context

The Team

L-Acoustics K Series Dominates North Coast Music Festival

The North Coast Music Festival (NCMF), established in 2010, has grown from a diverse multi-genre concert into one of the Midwest’s premier electronic dance music (EDM) destinations. This high-intensity, three-day dance experience draws world-class electronic artists to the Chicagoland area. For its latest iteration, held at the newly renovated SeatGeek Stadium campus in Bridgeview, Illinois, NCMF organizers prioritized an unprecedented investment in sound quality. This commitment led to a significant expansion of their L-Acoustics presence, from one to three stages, featuring the largest K Series system ever deployed by Calumet City-based sound reinforcement provider Technotrix.

The Challenge

With headliners like Subtronics, Illenium, and Alan Walker performing at the 28,000-capacity main stage, NCMF required an audio experience that could not only fill the vast stadium but also deliver immense low-end impact crucial for EDM, while maintaining clarity and pureness across all frequencies. The challenge extended to ensuring consistent, powerful sound coverage across multiple levels of the venue, an aspect that had been primarily focused on the floor in previous years. Furthermore, the festival’s second-largest stage, The Vega, and the more intimate Chill Dome also needed robust, high-quality sound solutions capable of delivering the expected L-Acoustics performance.

The Solution

Technotrix rose to the challenge by deploying a massive L-Acoustics K Series system across all three major stages. For The Stadium’s main stage, the configuration included an impressive array of 16 L-Acoustics K1 over four K2 per side as mains, complemented by 16 K2 per side as side hangs. The critical low-end was managed by an extraordinary deployment of 84 KS28 subwoofers, with 60 ground-stacked units and 12 flown per side. This ground-stacked arrangement was meticulously engineered in two rows of 30, allowing for a cardioid setup without sacrificing impact, while flown subs ensured consistent LF contour to the rear of the venue. Ten Kara II provided additional coverage for lip-fill, six A15 Wide for off-fill, and 16 K2 for delay, all driven by two P1 Milan-AVB processors and 62 LA12X amplified controllers. The Vega stage received eight K1 over four K2 per side, supported by nine A15 front-fills and six Kara II off-fills, with 36 KS28 subwoofers. The Chill Dome featured a compact yet powerful system of three A15 tops per side working with four KS21 subs per side, and A10 speakers for fills.

The Result

The expanded L-Acoustics deployment at North Coast Music Festival delivered an unparalleled audio experience. The Stadium stage’s record-breaking system provided plenty of headroom for dynamic bass drops and heavy hits, creating an incredibly visceral experience for fans. The Vega stage’s K1 system filled the space with its characteristic low and low-mid punch, earning numerous compliments from production staff and management. Even the Chill Dome’s newly acquired KS21 system impressed with its power and coverage, proving quick to deploy and stellar in sound. The overall success solidified NCMF as a truly world-class production, with the L-Acoustics systems providing the clarity, pureness, and impactful low-end essential for EDM, connecting artists and fans on a deeper level.

Project photos