Tipper & Friends arrived in The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (near Jacksonville, Florida) for its annual gathering on 5-7 May for a weekend of sensory tickling audio-visual experimentation. The event is renowned for its innovative programming and performances, with musical arrangements and visuals joining together in avant-garde displays of digital art. Precise, high-definition audio is the bedrock of these shows and One Source Productions was once again entrusted to provide it in the form of a Funktion-One Evo sound system.

Held in the park’s natural ampitheatre, 7,500 fans were treated to a transfixing mix of electronic chemistry, fizzing withbreakbeat, glitch hop, trip hop and ambient sounds from the likes of Not Yes, Allejo, SuperSillyus, Somatoast and LTJ Bukem. The host captivated the audience with headline slots on both Friday and Saturday before the event came in for landing in the light of Sunday evening. 

This was one of the largest Evo systems that One Source has deployed, comprising six Evo7T, six Evo 7TH, six Evo 7TL, and two Evo 6E for front fill, with 12 F124 in a large (2x6) block stage-right, and six F221s in a column stage-left. As ever, Joe Adkins led the One Source team, working alongside Ron Lorman at FOH.

Joe writes: 
Tipper & Friends is well known for curating line-ups of exceptionally talented artists, and this year was no different. Each producer was paired with a visual artist of a similar aesthetic, culminating in a weekend full of truly unique audio-visual experiences. One highlight was a surprise collaboration, in which Tipper scratched over LTJ Bukem’s set, a very rare occurrence.

The amphitheatre is a unique environment for audio deployment. The Evo system provides the power, coverage, and clarity necessary to match the fidelity of Tipper’s music, as well as providing a visual aesthetic that has become a staple of the event itself. Our front-fill upgrade from Res4 to Evo6E helped match that power in the front of the audience, and the asymmetrical sub towers are still our favourite way of deploying bass! This venue is in a more amphitheatre style, with a broad LR audience and raked elevation. 

The system performed exceptionally well. We made subtle adjustments to the deployment compared to previous years, and the improvements were quite notable. This system provides extreme dynamics, required for the performance of the various artists. The low-end foundation provided by the 24” subs provide well timed pulse and definition. Both horizontal and vertical coverage were smooth and consistent. In summation, the system provides an extreme presentation which is uniquely both powerful and smooth, with well-defined lower mids and non-fatiguing midrange. A very unique listening experience.

Ron writes:
One of the event's highlights was a progressive live act, Minjorbiznass, featuring members of SnarkyPuppy. Powerful dual drumming from Mike Mitchell, (Blaque Dynamite) and Sput drove this innovative group into a high energy performance. It was yet another Funktion-One treat for me, mixing this dynamic group of extraordinary musicians on this solid, high-resolution rig.