W-DMX™ @ COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

The three-day Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, California near Palm Springs was the first of the two festivals to use the W-DMX™ system, which performed double-duty at the back-to-back events. Coachella is credited as being the first major independent festival of rock, alternative and techno music and is considered a top showcase for indie bands

The three-day Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, California near Palm Springs, was the first of the two festivals to use the W-DMXTM system, which performed double-duty at the back-to-back events. Coachella is credited as being the first major independent festival of rock, alternative and techno music and is considered a top showcase for indie bands. Prince, Roger Waters, and Jack Johnson headlined the festival that included over 130 bands on five stages. The W-DMX system was also used the following weekend for the Stagecoach Country Music Festival, which was held in the same location. Stagecoach is California’s Country Music Festival that featured headliners The Eagles, Rascall Flats, and Tim McGraw. The system consisted of a single S-1 transmitter and 10 R-512 receivers controlling 20 7kW Falcon moving lights from A&0. The lights were mounted on 30ft towers, surrounding the festival area. An 8dBi omni antenna was at the transmitter, and each receiver had a 24dBi grid antenna. The longest distance was 2033 feet (620 meters). A repeater link was also set up from the main stage to a secondary stage so the lights could be incorporated into the headliner acts of Prince and Roger Waters. This was a distance of 700 feet (213 meters) using the standard 2dBi antennas. The production company for the site lighting at Coachella was Visions Lighting of Placentia California run by Todd Roberts. Joe Dupré of Wireless Solution America, who provided on-site support, explained, «The W-DMXTM system worked flawlessly, even with occasional outbursts from a pair of 100kVA Tesla coils designed by Syd Klinge. It was truly outstanding and a great showcase for the wireless technology.»