The Gearhouse South Africa Group of companies supplied rigging, lighting, audio, LED screens and power distribution for the 2009 MTV African Music Awards, staged at the Kasarani Gymnasium at the Moi International Sports Centre, Nairobi, Kenya. The project entailed air freighting 55,000 Kgs of equipment from South Africa.

The Gearhouse crew was led by Bill Lawford who collaborated closely with Simon Roche, logistics manager from production company VWV, together with an international production team primarily from the UK, including lighting designer/director Gurdip Mahal, moving light programmer/operator Ross Williams, FOH sound engineer Derrick Zieba and screens director Chris Saunders from XL Video UK. d at the Kasarani Gymnasium at the Moi International Sports Centre, Nairobi, Kenya. The project entailed air freighting 55,000 Kgs of equipment from South Africa.

The 2009 MAMAs was presented by Wyclef Jean and featured several exciting live performances from Akon, Nigerian rapper M.I., Zebra & Giraffe, Kenyan hip hop star Wahu and many more.

Jako de Wit looked after the FOH live sound for Gearhouse, ensuring that all the visiting engineers were happy with the set up, and mixing any artists who didn't have one, while Derrick Zieba mixed and co-ordinated all sound for the presenters, DJs, TV links, VT play-ins, etc...

The system consisted of 24 L-ACOUSTICS KUDOs, configured in low frequency contour mode to suit the bass-tastic show. 12 KUDOs were flown left and right of the stage, out towards the edges to ensure that site lines were preserved, a positioning which brought its own sonic challenges for the sound department. These were run in conjunction with SB118 subs on the deck and under the stage, arranged in the standard 'L' configuration, with cabinets at 90 degrees to one another.

Secondary left and right hangs each side comprised 6 x dV-DOSCs, with another 3 x dV's along the stage lip for front fills.

Monitors were 20 x L-ACOUSTICS 115XTHiQs

The main acoustic challenge was the forward and outwards position of the PA, and in getting a good even, voluminous coverage all around. The changovers were also tight and busy, for which all the Gearhouse Audio crew of 5 worked closely with the stage management team led by Mike Grove from Stage Miracles from the UK.

All technical elements of the show combined seamlessly with the lively and energetic performances, show programme and raft of Awards celebrating the rich diversity of African music, creating a memorable event for this, the second MTV African Music Awards.

More information on : www.gearhouse.co.za
Excerpt courtesy of GEARHOUSE SOUTH AFRICA
Source of the pictures: GioForma