How L-Acoustics and George Ezra rocked UK and Europe

After completing his third album, Gold Rush Kid, BRIT award-winning artist George Ezra embarked on a sell-out tour that took him across the UK and Europe, culminating with a spectacular April show at The O2 in London.

The sound system charged with delighting fans every leg of the way came from L-Acoustics.

The sound system was designed and supplied by Adlib, one of Europe's leading event technology partners. They chose the L-Acoustics K Series, which included the K1 and the K2, known as the "lightweight heavyweight" of the Pro Audio industry.

Since 1984, Adlib has supported the live events industry, theatres, education, performance spaces, and venues to entertain audiences all over the world. Over four decades it has established itself as a single-source supplier respected throughout the Pro AV industry, with the in-house expertise to deliver audio, lighting, video and mechanical engineering.

James Coghlan, Adlib's Systems Engineer, worked closely with George Ezra's FOH Engineer, Mike Timm, on the system's design from the beginning of the tour until the end. They played a crucial role in ensuring that the system delivered a flawless audio experience for Ezra's fans.

“I’ve been a big fan of L-Acoustics since first mixing on ARCS in the late 1990s. Their systems translate what I want my mixes to sound like better than any other system on the market,” saysTimm.



According to Coghlan, L-Acoustics has always been the go-to touring solution for the artist, and Mike Timm specified L-Acoustics for the current tour because of his previous experiences with their sound systems.

The tour primarily played in arena-style venues, which influenced their design choices. Using Soundvision, L-Acoustics 3D modelling software, they positioned the arrays at the beginning of the UK run.

They used a combination of K1 and K2 for the main and side arrays, and A and X Series enclosures for front-fill to draw the image of Ezra's vocal down from the main arrays for the first rows closest to the barrier line.

The setup included main arrays of 12 K1 over six K2 down, with eight K1-SB flown behind them. For side hangs, 12 K2 were deployed both left and right, along with 12 KS28 positioned on the floor in a broadside configuration. The fill system comprised four centrally placed A10 three ARCS II per side as in-fills, two X15 for out-fill, and four lip-fill X8 evenly spaced across the front of the stage, powered by 46 LA12X amplified controllers.



Four L-Acoustics P1 processors on the front-end, utilising an AVB based returns system, provide better sound quality and greater flexibility of routing, and the system is easy to set up and proven to be rock solid. Custom cable bridges with a centre hinge were used to allow navigation of the PA cabling around the various lighting and design elements on the stage, and the team collaborated closely with production and designers to ensure the bridges were the perfect fit for each venue.

George Ezra's unique sound and style were perfectly complemented by the audio experience, ensuring fans were treated to unforgettable shows and consistent audio, regardless of where they were in the venue.

The tour received received rave reviews, with some audience members approaching FOH to say it's the best live show they have ever heard. Mike Timm, the FOH Engineer, stated that he's been a big fan of L-Acoustics since the late 1990s, and Adlib's gear is always well-maintained and up-to-date, contributing to the quality of the final result.



Long story short: the sound system used on George Ezra's recent concert tour delivered an exceptional audio experience that left audiences blown away. The L-Acoustics K Series, combined with Adlib's expert design and technical skills, produced a sound that was deemed flawless and consistent throughout the tour. Music to everyone's ears!

All images credited to Adlib – Steve Sroka