Every year, the Dutch group De Toppers takes over the 68,000-capacity Amsterdam Arena for a string of sold-out shows billed as “the sing-along party of the year.” As usual, the 2018 “Pretty in Pink – The Circus Edition” concerts were among Holland’s hottest tickets so far this year, and it was Adamson E-Series loudspeakers from Ampco Flashlight Rental that brought the hits to the capacity crowd on May 25, 26, and 27, 2018.
The high-profile foursome – consisting of singers Rene Froger, Gerard Joling, Jeroen van der Boom, and Jan Smit – combined a circus-inspired stage design with a set list combining crowd-favorite covers and originals. Presented in-the-round, the shows were supported by over a dozen flown E-Series arrays to ensure complete coverage for every single seat.
“I loved mixing on this system,” says longtime Toppers front of house engineer John Kriek. “This is a unique application considering the size of the venue, the in-the-round set-up, and the fact that people love to sing along. We needed great coverage, plenty of punch, and impeccable clarity to be heard over an arena full of fans, and Adamson’s E-Series was totally up to the job. Also, many thanks to the Ampco Flashlight Rental crew, techs, and engineers. Reservations are already made for next year.”
The system deployed at Amsterdam Arena included 12 main arrays, each comprised of 14 E15 three-way, true line source enclosures atop five E12 three-way, full range cabinets. An additional eight arrays of six Adamson E119 subs in cardioid configurations handled the low end. Ampco deployed other cabinets from its inventory for the delay rings, fills, ground subs, and VIP sections.
“We’ve been supporting De Toppers at Amsterdam Arena since they began this special series of shows back in 2005,” says Ampco Flashlight CCO and COO Dennis van der Haagen. “Every year, we’re looking to one-up the experience for fans to create a really special night, and the Adamson system was integral to those efforts this year. We had crystal clear sound throughout the entire arena with headroom to spare, making for an unforgettable show.”
Considering the elaborate set-up and unique configuration, Ampco technicians relied heavily on Adamson’s Blueprint AV predictive simulation modeling suite to ensure every patron was engulfed in pristine, powerful sound.
Since forming in 2005, De Toppers have performed at a sold-out Amsterdam Arena every summer in what has become the longest-running concert series in the Benelux Union of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Each year, the pop supergroup puts together an elaborate stage design loaded with special effects and invites a series of special guests for a truly remarkable night of music.
