AV MEDIA is a partner of the Bohemia Jazz Fest 2015
The sounds of the Bohemia Jazz Fest, one of the largest free jazz festivals in Europe, returned this summer.
The opening of the Bohemia Jazz Fest, one of the largest free summer jazz festivals in Europe, got underway on 9 July in Plzen. The renowned jazz guitarist Rudy Linka founded the festival 10 years ago with the intention of promoting and presenting the world's greatest jazz to the Czech Republic.
Once again, there was a great combination of quality music in conjunction with historical centres of Czech cities. Besides Plzen, the musicians and the festival visited Domažlice, Tábor, Prague, Liberec, Brno, Písek and Prachatice- all in 10 days. The visitors were able to listen to 16 jazz groups in these cities.
Technology as an essential element of a musical event
One of the basic components when planning such an event is the question of arranging for technical support as well as logistics during a 10-day string of events. AV MEDIA has once again been a partner for the third time as well as being the main technological supplier of the open air event, providing the complete sound system, lighting, LED walls, covered stage, including transport, logistics, services and installation.
A key role at such events is played by the flexibility of people and the technology required. Outdoor music festivals are characterized by the very specific requirements of the artists, which need to be immediately dealt with on the spot, and it is necessary to plan for them in advance. Once again we managed to avoid unsolvable problems. We began planning specific technology and the logistics involved three months before the event. It is necessary to monitor many things including the weather because of rainfall and weather conditions and adjust the equipment used accordingly. Even so, we are used to counting on changes. This time, for instance, we had to change the technology one week before the performance because one of the bands totally changed their technical rider (a technical requirement).
The invisibility of staff backstage plays a key role
When planning each concert it was necessary to consider the main sound mixer, monitored by the sound engineer, two microphonists, who take care of bands based on their specific requirements, four stagehands who build the stage and one stage manager and his/her assistants and a LED wall attendant. Synchronizing staff ensuring the technology has to be top notch. The organisational demands that such a multi-day event such as this brings must be executed unnoticeably.
Time management in full swing
According to the schedule at the Bohemia Jazz Fest, technical preparations had to finished by 3 p.m. so sound checks could be carried out for individual bands. Complete teardown and packing had to start after 10 p.m. after the concert finished. Almost 20 tonnes of technology had to be uninstalled as quickly as possible after the last artists finished, loaded on the truck and ready to move on to the next town. Upon arrival, half of the service technicians went to sleep while the other half began building the stage. At some point in the morning they changed with those who had a chance to sleep and did the final installation of the sound system, the lighting and building the LED wall.
We consider traveling more than 1,700 kilometres around Czech cities as a different kind of challenge to an already demanding year; we are pleased to have supported top-quality music, providing concertgoers an amazing experience at the musical show.
