The Rheinkirmes Düsseldorf, one of Germany’s largest and most iconic folk festivals and the biggest fair along the Rhine has attracted visitors from near and far for over 700 years. Every year, the left bank of the Rhine transforms into a vibrant, ten-day spectacle featuring rides, stalls, and live music, drawing millions of enthusiastic attendees.
The festival is hosted by the St. Sebastianus Schützenverein Düsseldorf 1316 e.V., which also runs the popular Schützenfest tent. The Uerige Tent is another hotspot for partygoers and live music during the Rheinkirmes. This year, special emphasis was placed on the audio setup in both the Schützenfest tent, which was used for speeches, ceremonies, and musical acts, and the Uerige Tent. Cutting-edge audio technology from dBTechnologies was employed in both venues.
The team at event company Atlive oversaw the technical production for the Rheinkirmes Düsseldorf. Given the vast scale of the Uerige Tent, a powerful and precise audio system was essential. Atlive chose dBTechnologies’ sound solutions, particularly the VIO series, to meet the high demands.
The Uerige Tent, a covered structure with open sides, provided a spacious and airy environment. The tent spanned an impressive 24 metres by 35 metres, offering 840 square metres of space and accommodating up to 1,500 guests.
As the main PA system, Atlive installed 2x 10 units of active 2-way VIO L210 line arrays on either side of the stage. Four VIO S218 subwoofers positioned in front of the stage, complemented by four VIO S118 subs, delivered low-end reinforcement. Interestingly, W15T wedges were used as near fills, strategically placed in front of the elevated DJ booth on a truss. For DJ monitoring, the team opted for two DVX D10 active 2-way speakers.
The Schützenfest tent, which has a capacity of around 1,000 people and was primarily used for speeches and ceremonies, had a main PA system consisting of 8x VIO X310 speakers supported by 4x VIO W15T wedges arranged in clusters of three in the tent’s roof construction.
“Thanks to the 80°/60° horn, the wedges perfectly filled the acoustic gap in the nearfield between the VIO X310s. This allowed me to rig the VIO X310s at a steeper angle and achieve broader coverage,” explained Jens Szczygielski from Atlive, discussing the use of the W15T wedges.
The entire system provided even and crystal-clear sound distribution, even to the back rows. The setup was enhanced by 6x INGENIA IG1, serving as delays and outfills to ensure optimal sound coverage in the outer areas of the tent. Additionally, 2x DVX D10 speakers were deployed as sidefills to cover areas closer to the stage.
The Schützenfest tent also featured a side stage for live musical performances. Here, 2x INGENIA IG3T speakers and 4x VIO S118 subs were used. The combination of the IG3T speakers and the S118 subwoofers created a stunning audio experience, delivering well-defined highs and powerful bass.
In the Schützenbiergarten, a section specifically reserved for the Schützen members outside the Schützenfest tent, Atlive installed three additional towers. Each tower was fitted with 4x VIO L208 line array elements, ensuring consistent sound coverage even in these more remote areas.
Commenting on the complexities of the production, Jens Szczygielski noted: “With two stages inside the Schützenfest tent, each facing in different directions, we had to adjust the delays continuously. The main stage was located at the front of the tent, intended to cover the entire tent during speeches and ceremonies. The other stage was positioned along the right wall, playing at a 90° angle to the main stage, directed towards the left wall. This stage hosted a dance band or DJ in the evening. The challenge was that there were also performances by dance or drumming groups on the dance floor, which had to be amplified throughout the tent. The previously set delays on the main PA couldn’t be used in these cases due to spatial constraints, so we had to adjust the delays and system settings according to the situation.”
System Control with AuroraNet
“Each cluster was fed with a separate signal, and we made adjustments using AuroraNet, controlling the entire system via the platform. This was incredibly convenient for such a complex event,” added Szczygielski.
The audio setups in both the Uerige tent and Schützenfest tent at the Rheinkirmes 2024, hosted by St. Sebastianus Schützenverein Düsseldorf 1316 e.V., featured some truly unique configurations. The combination of VIO units, W15T wedges, and INGENIA speakers for the main sound systems, alongside the carefully designed solution for the side stage with IG3T and VIO S118 subs, made these tents stand out as acoustic highlights. The balanced sound distribution and tailored coverage across different areas of the tents ensured a consistently positive experience for speakers, musicians, and the audience.
Info: www.dbtechnologies.com