Behind the Secret Sessions: How CODA N-APS powered Lokerse Feesten’s intimate stage

Each summer, the streets of Lokeren pulse with energy as Lokerse Feesten transforms the Belgian city into a hub of music, food, and community spirit. What began in August 1975 as a small local gathering has, over the course of five decades, grown into one of Belgium’s most celebrated festivals. This year marked its 50th edition – a landmark moment in a story that has seen the event host a who's-who of global artists spanning every genre imaginable. Headliner discovers how a CODA Audio N-APS system handled the demands of a full 10 days of non-stop music…

For the 2025 edition, more than 100,000 visitors poured into Lokeren to witness headline sets from acts including The Pet Shop Boys, The Smashing Pumpkins, Sex Pistols, and Iggy Pop. But the big names weren’t the only attraction. New for this year was the Secret Sessions, an intimate stage tucked near the entrance to the main arena, designed to spotlight emerging and local talent.

In this smaller, open-air setting, audiences discovered fresh voices and rising bands, experiencing the same passion and energy that fuel the festival’s biggest stages. Delivering those performances required a sound system with just the right balance: compact yet versatile, powerful yet precise, and robust enough to handle a full-on music schedule.

Event production supplier LJKE supplied a CODA Audio N-APS system to meet the requirements. LJKE is a small, in-demand rental company based in Lokeren with more than 20 years of experience supplying a variety of events.

For the last 15 years, as a customer of CODA’s Benelux distributor Viladco, the company has invested in CODA Audio and now possesses an inventory of HOPS, N-APS, and N-RAY. In fact, LJKE was one of the first companies to invest in N-RAY when it was launched in 2020, having been one of a select group of global partners who participated in the system’s pre-launch programme.

N-APS was the perfect choice for Lokerse Feesten, being a compact dual 6.5”, 2-way arrayable point source that combines the straightforward operation of a point source with the scalability of a line array, and crucially, offering flexibility in applications where space, coverage, and clarity are critical. Compared with similar systems, CODA reports N-APS delivers twice the power handling and SPL, along with extended low-frequency response. It also provides a wide dynamic range and variable horizontal directivity, available in 60°, 90°, 120°, or asymmetrical configurations.

At the core of the design is CODA’s patented RDC technology. Related to the planar wave driver but with a curved 20° wavefront, RDC reduces distortion and eliminates the need for reshaping, producing a precise and consistent output. When multiple N-APS cabinets are combined, they perform as a single source, avoiding interference and maintaining uniform coverage across the audience area.

These qualities made the N-APS particularly well-suited for the festival’s new Secret Sessions stage. The system’s compact footprint allowed it to fit neatly into the intimate, open-air setting, while its high power, low-end extension, and controlled directivity ensured clear and even sound for both solo performers and full bands – meeting the demands of a varied programme without compromise.

For the Secret Sessions area, LJKE deployed three N-APS and two SCN-F bass extensions per side as front of house, supplemented by two Cue Four stage monitors. The system was powered by two CODA Audio LINUS14D amplifiers.

“At LJKE, we love the CODA Audio sound and workflow,” enthuses Nils De Paepe of LJKE.

“We supplied the Secret Sessions for 10 days in a row without a hitch. Each day comprised two artists or bands, with around 300 people watching. Being so lightweight and compact, the system was easy to handle, meaning that we were set up in less than half an hour every day. 

"For such a physically small system, the power output is very impressive, and the artists, their engineers, and the audiences were all very complimentary about the sound quality.“

“With many years’ experience of the brand, LJKE does great work with their CODA systems and fully understands what these compact yet very powerful systems are capable of,” adds Hans Engelen from CODA Audio distributor Viladco. 

“Secret Sessions was another fine example of how the power and fidelity of CODA Audio can obtain maximum impact for the artists and bands, enabling them to take full advantage of playing at such a prestigious event.”