When organizing music and film festivals, the magic isn’t just on stage or screen. It’s behind the scenes where technology makes every moment unforgettable.
From handling intricate audio setups to ensuring seamless visuals for large audiences, proper AV strategies make all the difference.
Whether you’re managing artist comfort or audience satisfaction, knowing what tools and practices work best ensures everything runs smoothly. Each detail impacts experience—often in ways most people never notice unless something goes wrong.
Here are eight essential AV considerations to keep things perfect.
1. RF Coordination
Wireless microphones, in-ear monitors (IEMs), and communication devices are vital at festivals. However, with so many frequencies at play, interference can derail performances or disrupt communication between crews.
Proper RF coordination prevents this chaos by ensuring every device has a clear frequency to operate on without overlap. Skilled technicians, like a Las Vegas audio visual crew for events, use spectrum analyzers and planning software to manage the crowded airwaves, especially in dense urban settings.
2. Redundant Power
While RF coordination ensures smooth wireless communication, power failures can bring everything to a standstill. Festivals rely on redundant power systems to avoid interruptions during performances or screenings.
Backup generators, UPS (uninterruptible power supply) units, and distribution monitoring ensure equipment stays powered even if the main source fails. Technicians strategically place these systems to cover critical components, such as LED walls, audio consoles, and cameras.
3. Broadcast Mixes for Streams
With live streaming becoming a staple of festivals, creating a broadcast mix tailored for online viewers is essential. The audio needs to translate perfectly across headphones, home speakers, and mobile devices.
Broadcast engineers balance audience noise with on-stage sound, ensuring an immersive experience that matches the in-person experience. They use isolated mixes separate from venue outputs to avoid over-amplified crowd noise or unbalanced instrument levels.
4. Audio-Over-IP
Modern festivals demand complex audio setups, often across large venues or multiple stages. Audio-over-IP (AoIP) technology simplifies this by transmitting high-quality sound over standard network cables.
This approach replaces bulky analog wiring with lightweight Ethernet connections, enabling faster setup and greater adaptability. AoIP systems also enable centralized control of audio routing, allowing engineers to make real-time changes without physical rewiring.
5. LED Wall Specs
LED walls are central to delivering stunning visuals, especially at outdoor concerts and festivals. However, not all LED panels are created equal. Pixel pitch, brightness levels, and refresh rates directly impact how well audiences can see the display.
For large-scale events, lower pixel pitches ensure sharp images even at close range. High brightness is crucial to combat sunlight in open-air settings. Meanwhile, higher refresh rates prevent flickering during video playback or live streaming.
6. Show Calling and Comms
Festivals rely on precise timing and coordination to keep schedules on track, especially during tightly packed lineups. Show calling, supported by robust communication systems, ensures every cue occurs exactly when it should, without disruption or delay.
Show callers use detailed run sheets to guide lighting changes, video playback, and stage transitions down to the second. Clear comms systems with wireless headsets allow technical crews spread across large venues or multiple stages to receive real-time updates effortlessly.
7. Timecode Sync
For music and film festivals featuring intricate visuals, lighting effects, or pyrotechnics, timecode synchronization is a must. This technology ensures every element aligns perfectly with the performance.
Timecode acts like a universal clock, keeping video playback, lighting cues, and special effects in sync with live audio or pre-recorded tracks. Technicians program each cue to trigger at precise moments down to milliseconds.
8. Sustainability-Friendly Gear
Finally, the industry’s push toward sustainability makes eco-friendly AV gear essential in 2025. Festivals are adopting energy-efficient equipment and renewable power solutions to reduce their environmental impact.
LED lighting with lower power consumption, battery-operated wireless systems, and recyclable staging materials contribute to greener operations. Some crews even use solar-powered generators for certain operations or partner with green-certified suppliers to further enhance sustainability while efficiently meeting modern production demands.
Conclusion
As music and film festivals evolve, so do the tools and strategies that make them successful. Behind every stunning performance or cinematic moment lies a world of technical precision, shaping the experience for audiences and artists alike.
Whether it’s ensuring seamless sound, perfect visuals, or eco-conscious production methods, these AV essentials define how events thrive in 2025. The details may be invisible to most, but their impact is undeniable.
