Guadeloupe's Cultural Weekend starts with a bang, thanks to DiGiCo

Mouvement Mas K Kl are a musical collective that celebrates the modern and historic culture of Guadeloupe. As part of Guadeloupe's Cultural Weekend, the group performed with others from across the Archipelago in a huge celebration of Caribbean culture with music, dancing and live performances. Sono Sc ne supplied the event with a DiGiCo Quantum 225 at the front of house position and SD12 at monitors. Sono Sc ne is a well-established hire company, owned by Maurice Cely, who mixed front of house for the weekend and has supported every festival since the first edition in 2013.

Engineer Mikael Benjamin (Benj), a French sound engineer based in Guadeloupe, was the monitor engineer. He originally trained in chemistry and physics, but developed his love of sound into a career and has never looked back. He has also been involved with the event since its start and explains why DiGiCo is such a great fit for the busy line-up.

The DiGiCo system was deployed with two D2-Racks acting as stage boxes, one dedicated to FOH and one to monitors, he says. Given my years of experience of the event, my knowledge of traditional drums, local bands and artists, plus my familiarity with DiGiCo consoles, Maurice felt I was the right person for the job. Sono Sc ne has used DiGiCo consoles on this event for several years, and my prior DiGiCo training was an important factor in this collaboration.

The main traditional drums used by Mas K Kl are called Tanbou Mas and this family of instruments hold a powerful significance in Guadeloupe culture. For Benj and Maurice, the dynamic EQ of the Quantum 225 was particularly useful for targeting the specific frequencies in the resonance of these drums, maintaining the sonic clarity of the mix. The Quantum 225 handled the drums extremely well thanks to its flexibility, processing capability, and sound quality, he continues. The Tambour basse generates strong low-frequency energy, while the Tambour contre basse creates low-mid frequency buildup and the Tambour chant occupies the higher frequency range. The Quantum dynamic EQ allowed us to target these frequency ranges very precisely, engaging only when defined thresholds were exceeded. This approach preserved the natural energy and character of the instruments while keeping the mix clean, controlled and musical, delivering precise sound shaping with excellent clarity and minimal background noise.

For busy, outdoor shows like these, the DiGiCo workflow is also a bonus. Key features that are available across the ranges, like Copy To functions, were integral to the smooth running of the weekend, as Benj continues. On the SD12 for monitors, features like Mute Groups via Macros and Copy To were essential for handling multiple performers and constant stage changes, he says. I also created a custom EQ preset bank, allowing fast recall of drum EQ settings and ensuring consistency across performances. A well-organized desk layout and consistent channel structure made it possible to manage very different musical dynamics smoothly.

These features also came into their own for including last minute guests. The Cultural weekend is an inclusive event that always involves the whole community, so making sure everyone can be seen and heard was key to the success of the 2026 weekend. Having a smooth and reliable workflow really aids engineers, with Benj being able to react quickly to any last-minute changes.

We deliberately chose not to use Snapshots, he expands. Instead, we relied on a clear desk layout, a consistent channel structure, and real-time control, which made transitions faster and more predictable. In a cultural show context where additional musicians, especially percussion, can appear without being present during soundcheck, this workflow proved essential. The Copy To function was invaluable again, allowing us to quickly duplicate processing and routing to spare inputs when unexpected instruments were added, ensuring continuity without interrupting the flow of the show.

Working with DiGiCo has been a very positive experience for Benj and the Sono Sc ne team, as they also benefitted from DiGiCo training prior to the weekend. Benj travelled to DiGiCo HQ in the UK to chat with the team and learn more about how to get the best from the consoles. This combination of skill and DiGiCo consoles has ensured consistent, professional results for the show. It has also given Benj the confidence to keep pushing the sonic boundaries of performance, something that has been good for him, but delivered even better results for Mouvement Mas K Kl and the Cultural Weekend.

For the undecided, don't be afraid to use, explore, and truly understand DiGiCo Products, he concludes. The eco-system is extremely versatile, and the Quantum series offers outstanding flexibility for both FOH and monitor applications. DiGiCo consoles are clearly designed for real-world live production. Their routing, processing, and control capabilities allow engineers to adapt quickly to complex situations. Taking the time to learn and experiment with these tools directly improves workflow efficiency and overall show quality.

High-res images available here.

Caption information:

All photo credits to Joel Dubourd and Sydney Augiac.

L-R Maurice Cely and Mikael (Benj) Benjamin

Maria Fiorellino at DiGiCo

Tel: +44 1372 845600

Email: maria@digiconsoles.com

Web: www.digico.biz

Zoe Milton at Gasoline Media

Tel: +44 333 038 4964

Email: zoem@gasolinemedia.com

LINK:	https://digico.biz/guadeloupes-cultural-weekend-starts-with-a-bang-tha...
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