L-Acoustics K Series Makes a Big Splash at North Coast Music Festival

First held in 2010 as a diverse concert event bringing together DJs, hip-hop artists, jam bands, rock acts, and performers of other genres, the annual North Coast Music Festival (NCMF) has evolved into one of the Midwest’s premier EDM destinations, drawing world-class electronic artists to the Chicagoland area for a high-intensity, three-day dance experience. For NCMF’s latest festival at the newly renovated SeatGeek Stadium campus in Bridgeview, organizers made their biggest investment yet in sound quality, expanding their L-Acoustics presence from one to three stages and deploying the largest K Series system ever assembled by Calumet City-based sound reinforcement provider Technotrix.

The Stadium: Record-Breaking Main Stage System
With headliners Subtronics, Illenium, and Alan Walker performing at the 28,000-capacity main stage, NCMF demanded an unprecedented audio experience. “We really beefed up the system and honed the sub deployment this season,” says Technotrix Audio Department Manager Brent Bernhardt, who was assisted by Systems Engineers Kyle Bulmann and Sean Brady onsite. The main stage configuration featured an impressive array of 16 L-Acoustics K1 over four K2 per side as mains, complemented by 16 K2 per side as side hangs. The Stadium’s massive low-end capability was delivered through an extraordinary deployment of 84 KS28 subwoofers, with 60 ground-stacked units and 12 flown per side. Additional coverage was provided by 10 Kara II for lip-fill, six A15 Wide for off-fill, and 16 K2 for delay, with everything driven via two P1 Milan-AVB processors and 62 LA12X amplified controllers.

The subwoofer deployment was precisely engineered for maximum impact. “The 60 KS28 on the ground were positioned in two rows of 30, with 10 three-high stacks spaced on 10-foot centers per row, spaced four feet apart,” Bernhardt explains. “This arrangement allowed us to still have some rejection and create a cardioid setup while not facing any subs in a reverse orientation to avoid sacrificing any impact. We also applied a touch of arc delay to spread out the pattern more evenly.” Additionally, the 12 KS28 flown per side ensured that the LF contour was fully maintained to the rear of the venue. “Our sub setup gave us plenty of headroom for dynamic bass drops and heavy hits,” he adds. “The results were exactly what the producers were looking for and the fans had an incredibly visceral experience that connected them with the artists’ music in the stadium. We were all thrilled with the results.”

“This year was the largest deployment we have ever put into The Stadium, and the delivery was flawless,” confirms NCMF Production Manager Sam Boucher, who worked in tandem with Production Designer David Hauss. “With almost double the amount of KS28 on the ground, as well as the flown sub package, we were able to cover the multiple levels of the venue, whereas in prior years the main focus was on the floor.”

The Vega: Powerful Field Stage System
The festival’s second-largest stage saw a significant upgrade this year, mirroring The Stadium’s approach in scale and sophistication. The Vega’s system centered around eight K1 over four K2 per side, supported by nine A15 front-fills and six Kara II off-fills. The low-end experience was delivered through 36 KS28 subwoofers, strategically arranged in nine clusters of four.

“K1 absolutely filled the space with the full low and low-mid punch that it’s known for,” Bernhardt notes. “Cardioid wasn’t needed for The Vega and we let the KS28 sing wide open. We heard a number of compliments over the radio on how good that stage sounded from the production staff and North Coast management team.”

The Chill Dome: Compact Yet Powerful Concert Audio
Living up to its name as a space for resting and cooling down, The Chill Dome featured a precisely engineered smaller system. The setup consisted of three A15 tops per side working in harmony with four KS21 subs per side, while A10 speakers handled DJ-fill and off-fill duties. “This marked our maiden voyage with our newly acquired KS21,” Bernhardt shares, “and I was surprised at the amount of power and good coverage emitting from that system. Although I shouldn’t have been, seeing that the Soundvision software predicted we would hit our target metrics for the space.” He adds that the system was lightning-fast to deploy and, after only the recommended pre-alignment, sounded stellar right out of the gate. “That is exactly what we have come to expect from a well-designed system using all of the tools available to us from the L-Acoustics ecosystem.”

For Boucher, NCMF’s expanded presence of L-Acoustics systems this year helped solidify the weekend as a truly world-class production. “I’m a very big fan of L-Acoustics and knew that I wanted to use them from the start,” he says. “I always push to have the brand on at least the main stage, which we did in 2023, so it was great to be able to spread the love to three stages this year. For any genre of music, but especially EDM, L-Acoustics definitely has the right clarity and pureness, and when that low end hits from over 80 KS28 subs, it brings it all together!”

Bernhardt feels the same: “K Series loudspeakers from L-Acoustics have the right sonic signature and predictable results that the producers and artists have come to rely on,” he says. “It’s a globally recognized brand with a stellar reputation for quality and consistency. Our clients, crew, and artists all have an easy day at the office with K Series boxes. Furthermore, the folks that support us from the manufacturer are phenomenal and I can’t say enough about their investment into their clients. Between the great product, tools, and support, Technotrix’s toolbox for success is fully loaded.”

More information about L-Acoustics can be found at l-acoustics.com.