LEO has an exceptional sonic quality that is not debatable, but what made buying LEO an easy decision was how the system allows us to provide this much power while saving truck space and load-in and load-out time for our crew.”
Patrick WhalenPresident, DigitalSound Production Services
DigitalSound Production Services (DPS) supplied its brand-new Meyer Sound LEO linear large-scale reinforcement system for the 30th anniversary of the Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride festival on May 18 and 19. The new system powered the festival’s main stage performances, headlined on Saturday by R&B singer Fantasia and on Sunday by finalists from the television shows “American Idol” and “The Voice.”
For DPS Production Manager Chris Verducci, the outdoor festival was the perfect opportunity to introduce the power and clarity of the company’s new LEO system.
“It’s a very high-profile event and a large area to cover, so we really wanted the extra punch that LEO provides,” Verducci says. “It’s an all-around great choice, and the fact that we can get more punch from fewer cabinets is a huge plus. With another brand of speakers we’d need far more cabinets to get the same coverage and impact.”
For the main stage system, DPS deployed left and right main top hangs of nine each LEO-M line array loudspeakers over two each MICA line array loudspeakers as down fill, with four MINA loudspeakers below as front fill, while 12 1100‑LFC low-frequency control elements provided ample low-end. Twin side-fill systems each comprised two JM‑1P arrayable loudspeakers over one 700-HP subwoofer, and the entire rig was controlled by a Galileo Callisto loudspeaker management system.
DPS provided an Avid VENUE Profile console for FOH mixing, and another Avid VENUE Profile and a Yamaha CL5 console in the monitor position.
DPS also supplied Meyer Sound systems for two identical DJ stages, each equipped with eight MICA and six 1100-LFC loudspeakers.
According to Patrick Whalen, president of DPS, the LEO investment resulted from the company’s goal to further its expansion in the concert touring market.
“As DPS continues to grow, it’s important to invest in the best system we can find to offer to our customers,” says Whalen. “LEO has an exceptional sonic quality that is not debatable, but what made buying LEO an easy decision was how the system allows us to provide this much power while saving truck space and load-in and load-out time for our crew. All of this makes our service more attractive and affordable to our clients. Any way you look at it, buying LEO was a no-brainer for DPS.”
With offices in Burbank and Irvine, DPS has become a leading full-service supplier of audio, video, and lighting technologies for corporate and entertainment events across the US.
The Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride parade and festival was first held in 1984, and is now the second largest event of its kind in the United States. The organizing entity operates year round as a philanthropic organization, and has so far donated over $1 million to various charitable causes.