European Tour Production (ETP), a Danish provider of live event production services and equipment, has chosen Riedel Communications’ Bolero as its go-to wireless intercom solution. With Bolero in its rental inventory, ETP is able to offer its clients a native IP wireless comms solution that delivers maximum coverage and reliability, outstanding voice quality, and the flexibility to handle any size and type of production.
Founded in 1994, ETP is a full-service provider of production services and staging, lighting, video, and sound equipment for a broad range of events, including music concert tours, sports events, and outside broadcast productions. During a recent expansion of its wireless department, ETP became the first production rental company in Denmark to stock Bolero. Jakob Refer of audio integrator Jakx consulted on the project, working with ETP to tailor Bolero to its requirements and providing all commissioning and support. The company’s Bolero inventory now includes multiple antennas and more than 20 beltpacks.
“A key element in our wireless inventory is large-scale distributed antenna systems that can provide seamless RF communications over fiber without taking up UHF spectrum. Flexibility is critical because we need to be able to scale the system for any type of job. Another important requirement is the ability to leverage IP technologies that require minimal fiber connections and switches,” said Victor Lang, Wireless/Audio System Engineer, ETP. “Not only does Bolero tick all of these boxes, but the Riedel name is well-known in Denmark as the gold standard in broadcast and live event signal transport. Bolero fits right in with our commitment to provide only top-shelf brands for our clients.”
With Bolero, ETP has the flexibility to deploy a fully working intercom system in many different configurations depending on the needs of the production. For instance, the rental team can send out a very small configuration, such as a single antenna and four beltpacks, or use the same products to fit into a large-scale job. In other words, one intercom system can fit all applications. As a DECT-based intercom system in the license-free 1.9 GHZ frequency range, Bolero enables production teams to reserve limited UHF spectrum for other uses, such as microphones and IEM systems.
ETP first deployed Bolero for a theater production, which was only one day from its premiere and had encountered problems with its previous wireless intercom. Seamless crew communication was a critical safety requirement for the show, which featured numerous performers flying through the air using cables.
“I had no hesitation recommending Bolero for this production because I knew it would provide the failsafe communications needed to ensure a safe and flawless performance,” said Lang. “The client was so satisfied with Bolero’s performance for the premiere that they took the system on tour with them and had great success. That experience made expanding our Bolero inventory an easy decision.”
Tobias Kronenwett, General Manager, Switzerland and Northern Europe at Riedel, commented, “Given the great variety and volume of its productions, ETP is an ideal customer to demonstrate the outstanding versatility of our Bolero system. ETP is always pushing the boundaries and doing exciting new things with audio technologies, and Victor has become an expert in configuring Bolero to meet clients’ needs.”
