
Adlib adds sonic magic to O2 Academy Glasgow with Academy Music Group posted: 19/04/2019
Adlib's installation team has delivered another excellent touring spec system - including L-Acoustics and DiGiCo products - to one of the UK's busiest and most successful live touring venues - Academy Music Group's 2,550 capacity O2 Academy Glasgow in Scotland.
It follows similar recent Adlib installations at AMG's O2 Forum Kentish Town in London, and O2 Academy venues in Bristol and Newcastle in the last 18 months, all of which also feature L-Acoustics and DiGiCo combinations.
Led by John Hughes and Roger Kirby, Adlib collaborated closely with Jeff Woodford, applications engineer (installations) and Sergey Becker applications engineer (touring) from L-Acoustics, as the perfect system proved to be a careful blend of the requirements from these two exacting disciplines. Together, they worked with Academy Music Group's Divisional Manager (North), Steve Hoyland.
Adlib also consulted the experience and knowledge of its own production and touring crews and engineers, especially Andy Russell, who all frequently work in the venue which has a theatrical interior, including many original art deco features.
Additionally, O2 Academy Glasgow's Technical Manager Rob Watson and General Manager Chris Johnston had valuable input, as they are well acquainted with the many nuances and intricacies of the environment.
Says Roger, The collective input from all these slightly different perspectives made the process more dynamic and very enjoyable.
The success of the other recent Academy Music Group L-Acoustics installations also played a part and made the L-Acoustics and DiGiCo combination a favourite choice.
The room was initially modelled using Soundvision acoustic profiling software, which suggested that - particularly with its 270-degree seated wrap-around balcony and pros arch design - an L-Acoustics K2 system would produce the best results.
The ultimate objective was to have a versatile system that delivered superb coverage and would work well for live rock'n'roll shows, late-night club nights and spoken word and comedy events explained Steve.
Adlib's Scottish operation had provided similar PAs for some one-off events over the last year, which were a big hit with everyone, so the team was confident that K2 was an appropriate and excellent all-round solution.
It has great reputation within the industry and the PA of choice for many touring artists, often the first option on production riders. We wanted a system that was both high in quality and would stand the test of time says Steve.
O2 Academy Glasgow also happens to be one of Roger Kirby's favourite live UK venues, so he was delighted to be part of producing this sonic excellence. The layout and the d cor - much of it restored in Academy Music Group's original renovations in 2003 - is fantastic, as is the sense of proportion, and shows always have an amazing vibe!
Roger also notes that while 2,550 is a good medium' sized venue, somehow the gigs always feel intimate and personal, which is why audiences love it so much and feel involved.
The new system itself comprises left and right flown arrays of 10 K2 speakers a side - hung from new points - and 12 x L-Acoustics SB28 subs distributed on and beneath the stage.
Four ARCSII a side provide near field stalls fills, joined by two X8 passive coaxial speakers on the centre of the stage apron to fill the area just above and behind the barrier line.
All of these are driven by LA8 amplifiers located in a new climate-controlled amp room that was created in the most recent refurbishment plans.
The FOH and monitor consoles are both DiGiCo SD12s with individual D2 rack stage racks.
In addition to these being popular current touring consoles with which most engineers will be familiar, the choice was influenced by the exceptional training and tech support available from DiGiCo confirmed Roger.
Being a heritage building with Listed status, the ornate decoration, original Art Deco features and plasterwork meant there were plenty of considerations, especially when it came to the roof loading capacity, all of which had to be overcome with Academy Music Group's expertise.
Adlib supplied the two LP1000 D8 hoists - sourced from Merseyside based LTM - to hang the two K2 arrays, and the new steelwork and points necessary to fly these were designed and installed by Manchester-based structural experts, MJ Consulting Engineers.
The venue's power supply has been upgraded to accommodate the new rigging infrastructure and to accommodate all the kit in the amp room.
For monitors, Adlib specified and supplied a sensible general-purpose system to service a wide array of artists, based around 10 of their famous MP4 wedges driven by Linear Research 44M20 amps - a combination that is tried-and-tested, very flexible, sounds brilliant and is constantly out working via Adlib's busy hire division.
A new line system is part of the install together with an input multicore and bespoke patch panels for each of the console breakouts. This new connectivity is part of ensuring that the system is as reliable and rock solid as possible with an amount of future-proofing.
The first artists to have used and benefited from the new audio installation have included Jorja Smith, Richie Hawtin, Glenn Hughes, Daughtry and Rudimental and it's been exceptionally well received by engineers.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
06/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/02/2026
How invisible vaccine scaffolding boosts HIV immune response Scripps Research scientists designed a DNA scaffold that carries HIV vaccine proteins into the bo...
05/02/2026
Three examples of how wireless microphones are deployed to bring fans in deep an...
05/02/2026
Broadcast coverage will include 25 cameras distributed around the venues, including to some athletes; Galaxy AI Interpreter will also be deployed
The Opening C...
05/02/2026
Kiswe has partnered with the Mountain West Conference to power the next iteratio...
05/02/2026
NBCUniversal and Roku announce the launch of the 2026 NBC Winter Olympics Experience, a destination delivering NBCUniversal's comprehensive CTV coverage of ...
05/02/2026
Vizrt, which specializes in live production technology as well as transforming v...
05/02/2026
Canon USA has launched the RF7-14mm F2.8-3.5 L fisheye STM zoom lens and the RF14mm F1.4 L VCM prime lens. Building on Canon's legacy of innovative optics, ...
05/02/2026
The Paul E. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Massachusetts has chosen Ikegami cameras for incorporation into its broadcast-quality television production facili...
05/02/2026
Once again, service members and Veterans worldwide will enjoy free access to NBC...
05/02/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media ...
05/02/2026
Broadcast Management Group (BMG) is strengthening its leadership team to support...
05/02/2026
NBC Sports selects Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) to provide multiscreen vid...
05/02/2026
AIM Sports Group, a sports enterprise dedicated to elevating youth athletics thr...
05/02/2026
Designed for efficient use of shared services and resources, the home of OBS pro...
05/02/2026
The Yankees fan from Connecticut is executive producer of BTN StudentU for the Wolverines
In the live-sports-video industry, the future is bright. Our series S...
05/02/2026
In an Olympic first, the ceremony will be held in four locations simultaneously...
05/02/2026
Members of the broadcast and tech communities share four decades of memories of the technology leader
The 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics are upon us, and every O...
05/02/2026
Key vendors include Appear, Audio-Technica, Canon, Chyron, Cisco, Comcast Techno...
05/02/2026
Since bringing audiobooks to Spotify in 2022, we've helped listeners discove...
05/02/2026
Today, Spotify announced two new updates to give book lovers a more personalized...
05/02/2026
A U.S. Coast Guard HC-130J aircraft during a test flight at L3Harris' facility in Waco, Texas....
05/02/2026
Al Seer Marine and L3Harris have announced a strategic partnership combining UAE...
05/02/2026
AI should balance automation (replacing tasks) and augmentation (empowering humans). Automate the mundane and augment the creative by applying the right AI type...
05/02/2026
During this period, streaming comprised the majority of ad supported TV (45.6%),...
05/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/02/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media creatives and content owners, announced the appointment of Derek Pezzotti as Sen...
05/02/2026
Taurus Technologies, a Dallas-area professional AV systems integrator, has upgraded its in-house podcast studio with Brightline Lighting's AV/720 low-voltag...
05/02/2026
NBC Universal to Present XXV Olympic Winter Games Feb. 6-22 and Milan Cortina Paralympics March 6-15
NBC Sports to Utilize Grass Valley's Frame Rate Conver...
05/02/2026
Atomos today announced Shogun AV-19, a rack-mountable, 19-inch 4K HDR monitor-recorder-switcher designed for professional live production, broadcast, and video ...
05/02/2026
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology, revolutionizing viewer experience and engagement, today introduces two brand new solutions in partnership with ...
05/02/2026
Appear, a global leader in live production technology, today announced the appointment of Simon Frost in a newly created role as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). ...
05/02/2026
New York gaffer Noah Chamis, ICLS ( You Deserve Each Other , The Half of It , Project Runway ) practices a mix of technical precision and creative play in his...
05/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/02/2026
BBC Studios and UKTV have appointed Karin Marelle to lead their Global Acquisitions team, overseeing the sourcing of content across BBC Studios' global chan...
05/02/2026
Thursday 5 February 2026
The Miniature Wife, A Sky Exclusive comedy drama starr...
05/02/2026
Thursday 5 February 2026
Trailer Revealed for Sky Original Film FUZE starring A...
05/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz at MWC Barcelona 2026: Enabling connections, empowering innovati...