Italy - This summer, Italy’s festival circuit became the stage for some of the world’s leading artists, many of whom performed multiple stops on dBTechnologies VIO sound systems. From historic piazzas to coastal stages, from forested parks to sun-drenched southern landscapes, the country’s premier festivals delivered a series of international performances powered by the VIO Series.
One of the first major stops was in Bari, where the Locus Festival 2025 featured an international line-up including Nile Rodgers & Chic, Mogwai, Morrissey, Robert Plant, and Nick Cave. Bass Culture provided the sound production, continuing a collaboration that has grown alongside the festival’s rising prestige, deploying a VIO system built around L212 line arrays with S218 subwoofers in flyable configuration and L1610 front-fills. The system delivered consistent coverage and controlled low-frequency response while maintaining visual balance in Bari’s historic setting.
In Lucca, the Lucca Summer Festival 2025 welcomed a line-up including Nile Rodgers & Chic, Morrissey, Robert Plant, Alanis Morissette, Bryan Adams, and Nick Cave. Tema Show Service was responsible for building the PA system for the festival. This marked the second edition supported by dBTechnologies, with new solutions implemented to fully harness the system’s potential in a city square that is uniquely challenging and atmospheric.
Tema Show Service deployed a complex VIO system: 24 L212 arrays per side, dual S218F subwoofer systems both flown and ground-stacked, and a network of L1610 and X310 fills. The standout element of this year’s edition was flying nine VIO S218Fs per side in cardioid configuration, which ensured optimal coverage for a truly diverse line-up of artists.
“What sets this stage apart – and meets the highest demands of international productions – is that each element of the system, as well as the entire rig, is controlled through AuroraNet,” explained Matteo Diego Stanzini, systems engineer, Tema Show Service. “This allows us to control and monitor all inputs and output levels in real-time, so any visiting sound engineer, A1, or PA tech can quickly make adjustments and be completely confident with the system’s performance in the shortest time possible.”
Andrea Brasolin, product specialist at dBTechnologies, added: “The goal this year was to ensure that every artist – from the legendary Italian singer-songwriter Cocciante to the darkly poetic Nick Cave – had the chance for their sound engineer to convey the music to the audience exactly as the artist intended.” The result was immersive coverage across the city’s historic piazza, meeting the demands of one of Italy’s most challenging acoustic environments.
On the Tuscan coast, La Prima Estate Festival 2025 in Lido di Camaiore presented a mix of international talent: Mogwai, Spiritualized, St. Vincent, Air, and TV on the Radio. Once again, Tema Show Service executed the sound system design and deployment featuring 36 x L212 modules, 36 x S218 subs in an end-fired arc, and additional L212 and L1610 out-fills and front-fills. The system balanced transparency and power, translating each performance against the backdrop of sea breezes and pine groves.
In Bologna, Sequoie Music Park at Parco delle Caserme Rosse hosted global acts including Alice Cooper, Skunk Anansie, and Ben Harper. Sound production was provided by the Unipol Arena technical team, with flown VIO L212 clusters, cardioid-stacked S218 subwoofers, and L1610 front-fills managed via Aurora Net software. The result was precision and consistency in one of Italy’s most unique open-air venues.
Together, these festivals highlight a singular narrative: Italy’s premier events delivered a series of international performances on dBTechnologies VIO systems, adapted to each environment to match both the scale of the setting and the character of the music.