POLYGON PRODUCTIONS
A NEW ERA FOR LIVE AUDIO ?
A pioneer of 360-degree spatial audio , Polygon Productions demonstrated its immersive live audio set up at the Amsterdam Dance Event . We caught up with Polygon ’ s CEO Nico Elliot to hear why he believes the technology is the future for live music , and his plan to showcase it at major outdoor events next summer
CHRISTOPHER BARRETT
Nico Elliot describes Polygon as providing the world ' s most immersive live sound experience . Having witnessed the 14.1.5 L-ISA sound installation at Amsterdam ’ s The Other Side nightclub , in collaboration with L-Acoustics , it ’ s hard to argue with that assertion – it ’ s certainly the most immersive audio experience we have experienced .
The technology is not new , Polygon has enjoyed success with its 360-degree sound system at the 25,000-capacity Wonderfruit festival in Thailand since 2017 , but the company is now preparing to bring it to the UK . In May , Polygon will stage a three-day , 5,000-capacity , outdoor concert series in Crystal Palace , London , featuring an array of live music genres delivered in 360-degree spatial audio .
Not content to focus on creating an immersive audio experience , Polygon has also been working on the integration of scent and haptic technologies to further enhance the sensory experience . While challenges to its wider rollout remain , including cost and logistics , recent developments have made the technology more affordable and accessible for festivals . In an increasingly competitive market , Elliot is convinced the use of the technology will help festivals differentiate themselves and attract more attendees .
Why have you chosen The Other Side club at ADE to showcase this technology ? We ' ve been working with L-Acoustics since 2017 with L-ISA Studio 3D audio processing software . This is one of the very few nightclubs on the planet that deploys L-ISA in a 360-degree configuration , which is how we use it . They also have it at a size that allows us to do what we want to with the music , which is put a high concentration of elements of a track all the way around you . It is different to how a lot of immersive music is deployed . Usually , it ’ s heavily weighted at the front with just some peripheral noises moving around to the side and behind . accessaa . co . uk 39