RCF Shines at the Night of Music in the Storied Balve Cave – A Fusion of Unique Venue and Exceptional Concert Experience

This year's event, a highlight in the cave's event calendar, was themed "Classical Meets Pop". The music association "AMICITIA 1796" Garbeck e.V. and TuS Langenholthausen e.V. presented a diverse three-hour program spanning pop to rock, covering various genres. Sophisticated sound technology was essential to ensure the cave's acoustics were fully showcased. This was provided by pb-showtechnik, featuring an extensive audio equipment park and speakers from RCF.

Due to the cave's special topography, the concert's unique demands necessitated a comprehensive audio plan. The performance featured a classic wind orchestra, choir, and soloists, requiring over 80 microphones, 100 input channels, 60 output routes, and more than 1,850 meters of XLR cabling. The placement of RCF units was particularly crucial due to the cave's unique layout.

Peter Birkholz of pb-showtechnik expertly installed 3x RCF HDL 30-A units as the main hang in the stage truss, directly to the right and left of the stage. Additional sets of HDL 30-A units provided sound for the grandstand, while other HDL 30-A line array modules served the two hall arms filled with audience members. At the stage edge, 4x units of the SUB 9007-A subwoofers were deployed, with another positioned beneath the grandstand. The setup was complemented by 8x TT 08-A, 4x TT 515-A, 2x TT 22-A for nearfill and sound coverage of the grandstand and side arms. For stage monitoring, 4x NX 12-SMA active stage monitors were utilised.

"The Balve Cave is a highlight for any audio professional. It offers extraordinary acoustics but demands considerable preparation and acoustic knowledge," comments Peter Birkholz on the venue's characteristics.

"The concert itself is also special due to the people and technology involved. We have been using RCF equipment since 2011 and are well-versed in the products and their control capabilities. We took the necessary time for sound checks and used RCF's proprietary control tool RDNet during production. We also directly controlled the 22 output routes from our dLive S7000 console with RDNet for the Night of Music. The orchestra and choir are among the best in the region, which was reflected in the standing ovations received at the concert's conclusion. We are proud to contribute to the success of this concert series."