On the evening of November 19, 2023, the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam transformed into a mesmerizing blend of sound and light, hosting the awe-inspiring concert “David August presents VĪS”.
As part of the crew, my role was to manage the DJ set in the entrance hall, an integral part of setting the evening’s tone. The prelude to the main event featured the captivating mixes of Karim Semin, enveloping arriving guests in a cocoon of rhythmic beats and setting the stage for the night’s journey.
The Main Event
The heart of the evening was in the Grote Zaal, where David August took the stage, fusing his electronic mastery with an array of sounds from orchestras, choirs, and jazz drums. This was no ordinary concert; it was a synthesis of art forms, showcasing August’s talent in marrying diverse musical elements. As a sound engineer, I was captivated by the seamless integration of these components, creating a soundscape that was both innovative and deeply emotive. The visual accompaniment by MFO added another layer to this tapestry, making it an audiovisual feast.
Sidenote: the laser-powered projector had to be hauled on and off stage by four of us.
One piece of technology that would just refuse to work, was one of the fog machines that was supposed to spew out low fog. Instead of that, it wouldn’t work at all or it would give lots of high fog. No matter how often we replaced the liquid, or did a factory reset, or hooked up a spare DMX line, or used the frickin’ app, no low fog came out. Alas. We tried manually for fifteen minutes, but at the end just gave up. You can’t have it all, sometimes.