For this historic event, Rashad Mcphee (aka Shaddy Einstein), FOH engineer and owner of rental company Audio Doctors, was handed the task of ensuring an exceptional audio experience for the thousands of attendees.
The responsibility of handling the FOH mix for such a significant event demanded a reliable and powerful mixing console, and Einstein opted for an Allen & Heath dLive system thanks to its renowned processing capabilities, user-friendly interface, and DCA Spill functionality which proved invaluable in enabling quick access and control over related groups of inputs.
“The Bahamas’ 50th Independence Celebration was a moment of great pride for our nation, and I wanted to ensure that the audio experience was nothing short of exceptional,” said Einstein. “The dLive S5000 control surface allowed me to manage a vast number of channels effortlessly, and its intuitive drag-and-drop functionality streamlined my workflow, allowing me to focus on delivering the best sound experience possible.”
One of the deciding factors for Einstein choosing the dLive ecosystem was that it could handle up to 128 input channels within a compact and manageable footprint. A total of 101 channels were utilised throughout the events, with the full system including the 28-fader dLive S5000 Surface fitted with a Waves V3 Card for additional processing and multi-tracking, a DM0 MixRack fitted with two gigaACE audio networking cards, and three expanders comprising a pair of GX4816s and a DX168.
As part of the 50th-anniversary festivities, an all-Bahamian concert was held the week before the main event featuring over ten different bands. For this showcase of the country’s diverse musical talent, Allen & Heath was chosen once again to ensure a seamless and immersive audio experience for both the live performances and production aspects.
In addition to the dLive system handling FOH, an SQ-6 mixer was incorporated during the concert as a production console dedicated to handling continuity, MCs and house music. The 48-channel SQ-6’s compact size and flexibility perfectly complemented the dLive system, allowing for smooth coordination between live performances, announcements, and background music.
“The combination of the dLive series and the SQ-6 enabled us to create a flawless audio experience for the concert, amplifying the talent and creativity of our local artists,” stated Einstein. “The dLive series has proven its worth time and again, and I’m proud to have been a part of this historic celebration.”
