CODA Audio impresses on AURORA European tour

Since the release of her 2015 debut EP Running with the Wolves, Norwegian singer, songwriter and producer, AURORA, has captivated global audiences with her ethereal voice and unique blend of electronic pop and folk influences. A beacon of originality, her music is characterised by emotional depth and lyrical complexity and is complemented by a dynamic stage presence which creates an immersive and inspiring concert experience.

AURORA recently completed a European tour which included a mixed itinerary of arena and theatre shows ranging in capacity from Brussel’s 8,000-seater arena Forest National, to Edinburgh’s 2,200 Usher Hall. In total, the tour reached over 60,000 fans across three weeks with event production specialist, Adlib, providing audio and video for the tour.

“We deployed a CODA Audio system at the request of AURORA’s front of house engineer, Paul Inge Vikingstad,” explains Adlib account manager, Craig Hamilton.

“The system not only provided fidelity, coverage and definition to showcase AURORA’s phenomenal vocal range but also offered the flexibility to deliver excellent and consistent results across venues of varying size and capacity.”

The requirement for a truly scalable solution was achieved through a combination of CODA’s compact and lightweight VCA ‘family’ of ViRAY, CiRAY and AiRAY line arrays, with SCP and SC2 subs, supplemented by units from CODA’s HOPS (high output point source) and APS (arrayable point source) ranges. Designed to be the rental company’s ‘best friend’, units from across the VCA range, whose units share the same sonic signature, can be flown together in different combinations to allow for optimum flexibility.

In addition to FOH engineer Vikingstad, the touring audio team also included Adlib’s Billy Bryson, who assumed the role of systems engineer, and freelancer Keiran Lowrie, who served as an audio technician for the tour.

As systems engineer, Bryson was responsible for system design and calibration. “In its largest configuration, the system comprised 12 AiRAY and four ViRAY in the main hang, with six SC2 sensor-controlled bass extensions flown behind, to allow us to steer the low-frequency pattern to suit the geometry of each venue,” he comments.

“Additionally, side hangs of up to 12 CiRAY per side were deployed, and a centre hang of three APS flown from the front lighting truss ensured excellent coverage. Subs were on four touring carts of three SCP each, with one on either side also including two APS as outfill.

“The subs were deployed left and right in an end-fired configuration to retain the best possible tonality and impact, with four single SCPs in the centre to fill in for the nearfield. HOPS8 were utilised across the downstage edge to complement the centre hang and keep the image feeling natural.

“Carrying a mix of AiRAY and CiRAY allowed for true scalability between the arenas in mainland Europe and the theatre shows in the UK. The lightweight nature of the CiRAY made it perfect for split systems in theatres such as Edinburgh’s Usher Hall where three hangs were flown from the house advance truss to cover the hard-to-hit upper balcony,” he furthers.

Summing up his experience, Vikingstad is full of praise for the system and the Adlib team: “I’ve been more than impressed with the performance of the CODA Audio system, not to mention the dedication and professionalism of Adlib’s Billy Bryson and Keiran Lowrie. They were a dream team to work with.”