With a gorgeous view of lush vegetation, tropical skies, and the setting sun, the first annual Manoa Jazz Festival kicked off at the Andrews Outdoor Theatre (formerly Andrews Amphitheater) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM). Local artists including Noel Okimoto Ohana, the Honolulu Jazz Quartet, and headliner Devin Phillips and New Orleans Straight Ahead performed for 1,000 excited onlookers, with sound reinforcement from a Meyer Sound M'elodieâ„¢ line array loudspeaker system provided by Honolulu-based Baus Engineering.
“We knew the music community would be very supportive with a big turnout,” says UHM program specialist and concert promoter, Tim Slaughter. “So we wanted to find the best sound production we could, which meant Randy Bauske and Baus Engineering. Randy introduced us to Meyer Sound, and we're very happy that he did.”
Despite the beauty of the venue, it was no picnic to work in. “It's an acoustic challenge,” says Bauske. “The seats and back wall are made of stone and concrete, so there're lots of ricochet and slapback to deal with, in addition to rampant moisture.”
The festival used a powerful system of five M'elodie line array loudspeakers and two 700-HP subwoofers groundstacked per side, plus two legacy UPA-1C loudspeakers for frontfill. Stage monitoring was courtesy of a pair of legacy UM-1C ultramonitors, and system processing was handled by a Galileoâ„¢ loudspeaker management system with two Galileo 616 processors—one running the main system, the other controlling the monitors—that provided each band greater control of the mixes.
“The M'elodies sounded great,” adds Bauske. “And the fact that we could cover that many people with only five boxes per side is impressive. The feedback we got from all sides—musicians, crowd, and university people—was overwhelmingly positive.”
Over the years, Baus Engineering has used a broad range of Meyer Sound equipment to meet the audio challenges of large and small events in Hawaii, and its rental stock has continued to grow. “We've had a relationship with Meyer for over two decades, since it was a four-man shop,” Bauske says. “I like the thinking behind the design and the quality of the product. Hawaii is a small pond, and your sound system determines your destiny. Everybody knows we use Meyer equipment, and that's part of why we're considered one of the premier firms out here.”
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