Zhang Jie (张杰), also known as Jason Zhang, is a musical phenomenon in China. His Future Live show is a theatrical masterpiece, and as well winning praise for the human elements of music and dance, it has been termed a ‘comprehensive showcase of new technology’, with the incorporation of a large L-Acoustics K Series PA system as well as a huge ‘ice’ LED screen, advanced mechanical staging and lighting effects.

Sold out in 2 1/2 minutes

Zhang Jie started out on the My Show TV talent contest in 2004 and has since released 12 studio albums. His latest Future Live tour has filled stadiums across the nation, including a show at the Beijing National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) for 80,000 fans, which sold out in just over two and a half minutes and set new records for a live streamed event via Tencent with over 100 million viewers.

Mr. Zhang Jing was the Monitor Engineer for Future Live and describes the evening at the Bird’s Nest Stadium as an ‘undreamed-of success’. “It was mind blowing,” he says.
“With spectacular lighting, and an amazing sound system. Zhang Jie delivered the best performance on stage, while the L-Acoustics system delivered the ultimate sound. The coverage was excellent, which is never easy for such a large-scale production, with audiences in the tens of thousands.”

Nicknamed the Bird’s Nest Stadium due to its highly recognizable and unique architecture, China’s Beijing National Stadium includes a huge concrete inner bowl and a 45,000 tonne steel mesh roof. The design was awarded in 2003 to a submission from the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron.

It originated from the study of Chinese ceramics, implemented steel beams in order to hide supports for the retractable roof, thus giving the stadium the appearance of a bird’s nest. Leading Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was the artistic consultant on the project. Measuring 330m x 220m, even with the inner acoustic membrane, the sheer size of the venue meant that coverage and control were always prime concerns for the crew.

The solution was a substantial L-Acoustics K Series deployment comprising over 200 loudspeakers. The main PA system consisted of stereo hangs of 12 K1 cabinets with three Kara modular cabinets, stereo hangs of 12 K1-SB subs, LR stacks of eight SB28 subs, and eight stacks of three Kara cabinets as distributed front fills. Two hangs of eight K1 and three K2 were used for outfills, and additional distributed systems consisted of five stacks of four K2 elements on chariots, plus two flown arrays of six K1 and three K2, and six flown arrays of eight K2 elements.

“We definitely got the most out of the system,” says Zhang Jing. “We achieved the full fidelity the loudspeakers are capable of, which allowed us to maximise the listening experience for the audience. “With a well-designed solution and accurate installation, L-Acoustics gives excellent quality sound and creates a perfect atmosphere for the audiences – even in such a large venue.”

More info on L-Acoustics’ K1 and K2 systems.