Soundworks of Virginia Deploys Martin Audio for Iron Blossom Festival

Soundworks of Virginia provided the audio systems for the fourth annual Iron Blossom Music Festival held at Midtown Green in late September, according to a report from Mixonline.

The festival featured performances from headliners LCD Soundsystem and Jack White. The production company has managed the sound duties for the event since its inception four years ago.

To ensure high-fidelity audio for the crowds, Soundworks utilized its Martin Audio Wavefront Precision (WP) sound systems. The company has a long history with this specific hardware, having been the first worldwide adopter of the flagship WPL line array back in 2019.

#Soundworks# Covers #RichmondJazzFestival With #MartinAudio WPL One of the first two companies worldwide to acquire Martin Audio’s WPL (#WavefrontPrecisionLongbow) #linearray…@rjmfest @missjillscott @MrStanleyClarke @ledisi @BlackViolin @MartinAudioLtd https://t.co/fiI0ga2AUn pic.twitter.com/FnA7u0Vaj3

— Post by @Heapet_official on X

The technical deployment across the two stages involved much specialized equipment. The Main Stage utilized WPL elements, while the second stage relied on WPC technology.

On the Main Stage, 12 XE500 wedges provided foldback for the performers. The entire setup was driven by 28 Martin Audio iKON iK42 amplifiers.

Bryan Hargrave, the Head Engineer for Soundworks, managed the system design and calculations using Martin Audio’s Display 3 software. He noted that the venue’s physical characteristics have remained consistent over the years.

Soundworks of Virginia Deploys Martin Audio for Iron Blossom Festival

“We took good measurements the first year, and luckily it hasn’t changed substantially,” Hargrave said. “Display reliably provides accurate predictions, so we’re really only tuning on site for changes in temperature or humidity.”

Hargrave explained that while the company increased the PA throw during the second year after resolving certain delays, the fundamental shape of the venue stayed the same.

The scale of Soundworks’ current inventory reflects a heavy investment in the Wavefront Precision platform. The company now holds over 120 Wavefront Precision elements across the WPL, WPC, and WPS ranges, supplemented by 52 SX-Series subwoofers.

The festival concluded with positive feedback regarding the audio quality. “I think everybody walked away happy,” Hargrave told Mixonline, adding that the comments he heard frequently centered on the sound being great.

Organizers have already indicated that the next Iron Blossom festival is in development.