Alcons Audio equipment has been deployed extensively across Milkshake Festival, an LGBTQ+-inclusive electronic dance festival held annually in Amsterdam’s Westerpark since 2012, celebrating diversity and inclusivity across multiple stages and genres. The system was installed by technical supplier JUR to deliver a powerful music experience while minimising disturbance to the surrounding neighbourhood, as the 15th edition of the festival spread across nine individually designed areas, including eight outdoor stages and one indoor space, in a densely populated part of the city.
JUR has supported Milkshake Festival throughout its history, supplying lighting and video for 15 years and taking responsibility for audio production for approximately the past decade. Niels Koomen, head of audio at JUR, said the team’s goal was to deliver the energy expected from a major dance festival while maintaining precise control over where the sound was directed, given the residential areas surrounding the site and the Haarlemmerweg running directly alongside the grounds.
Low-frequency control was a major priority, with JUR deploying 44 Alcons BC543 cardioid bass systems in purpose-designed directional subwoofer arrays at selected areas. These configurations focused low-frequency energy towards audiences while reducing unwanted rearward radiation towards the site perimeter and nearby residential areas. The approach appeared effective, with only four unique noise complaints registered with the municipality across the Saturday and Sunday of the festival.
The main systems incorporated Alcons’ LR15, LR18, LR24 and LR28 pro-ribbon line-array systems, supported by RR12 point-source arrays and VR-series loudspeakers, with low-frequency reinforcement provided by LR18B, BF181, BF362, BC543 and BQ211 systems. The complete deployment comprised six LR15/90, 54 LR18/90, 32 LR24/80, 44 LR28/80 and four LR28/110 line-array modules, alongside 22 LR18B, ten RR12, four VR8, eight VR12 and four WR20 systems, with bass reinforcement including two BF181, six BF362, 44 BC543 and six BQ211 systems, all driven by 344 channels of Alcons ALC amplified loudspeaker controllers.
Additional inventory was sourced through The Ribbon Network, Alcons’ dry-hire support network, from members Almaro Sound + Vision and TTM Event Facilities.
For the second consecutive year, JUR also deployed Alcons WR20 pro-ribbon stage monitors with LR18B compact line-array bass systems for DJs in two areas.
Koomen said: “The WR20 and LR18B combination is extremely powerful, but at the same time it can genuinely be described as hi-fi. It gives the DJs the impact they need without losing definition or musical detail, even at very high levels.”
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