The MICA system is truly small but mighty. It's very easy to control and seems impervious to distortion, no matter how hard we drive the gain.”
Steve PaineTechnical Director, Concord Pavilion
California’s Concord Pavilion has completed its first concert season with its new Meyer Sound MICA line array loudspeaker system covering its 4,570-capacity lawn seating area in the foothills of Mount Diablo. Since installation, the upgraded system has provided pristine, uniform lawn coverage for performances from Journey, The Steve Miller Band, Aerosmith, and Chicago to Kings of Leon, Marc Anthony, and Linkin Park.
“Clarity, intelligibility, and transparency are the words we hear most often to describe the new MICA system,” says Steve Paine, technical director of the Concord Pavilion and project manager behind the system makeover. “Patrons have remarked that they can understand vocals far better than before.”
The upgrade to the lawn system comprises 27 MICA loudspeakers positioned in seven arrays across the lawn, while four JM‑1P arrayable loudspeakers and two UPA-1P loudspeakers provide additional fill. A Galileo Callisto loudspeaker management system with one Galileo Callisto 408 array processor provides system drive and alignment, while a Compass RMS remote monitoring system communicates loudspeaker performance data.
“The MICA system is truly small but mighty,” Paine says. “It’s very easy to control and seems impervious to distortion, no matter how hard we drive the gain.”
The arrays have also made a positive impression on touring acts throughout the concert season. “Artists and sound engineers are pleased to see this new, state-of-the-art sound system when they arrive at the venue,” reports Paine. “It demonstrates to them that we care about our patrons, and about how we represent the artists who play our venue.”
Designed by architect Frank Gehry, the Concord Pavilion has been a Bay Area mainstay since 1975. The 12,500-capacity venue is owned by the City of Concord and operated by Live Nation.