Set along the northern edge of the Pyrenees, Pau is a picturesque city in southwestern France, just 85km from the Spanish border. With a population of under 80,000, Pau boasts a vibrant cultural scene, including an array of theatres and concert venues.

Among them is the Foirail, a former livestock market that transformed into a thriving cultural space in 2022 and quickly established itself as a vibrant cultural space, hosting a varied program of cinema, jazz and classical music concerts, theatre and dance.

Adapting to Growing Demand

“The NEXO GEO M6 system originally installed at the Foirail was perfect for the venue at the time,” explains Technical Director Eric Vilchez. “However, the popularity of the theatre grew quickly, and we found ourselves hiring additional sound equipment for larger shows, particularly live music.”

Recognising the evolving needs, members of NEXO’s Engineering Support team revisited their designs for the Foirail. They proposed a new NEXO GEOM12 system, designed to deliver higher SPL and greater dynamic range, and arranged a demonstration during a Manu Katché concert at the venue.

Suitably impressed, the Foirail team initiated a tender process, with the supply of the new system awarded to local technical services company Axilon.

The full system at the Foirail comprises left and right hangs of 7 x NEXO GEOM12 with 3 x MSUB18s on the floor, a centre cluster of 3 x GEO M10, 3 of the original GEO M6s per side for side fills and 4 x NEXO P8s for front fills. Additional P+ Series cabinets are used for stage monitoring.

Repurposing Original System

What about the original GEO M6 system, which was only two years old?

“We redeployed a large part of the original GEO M6 system at the Théâtre Saint-Louis, the city’s charming 19th-century Italian theatre, just 2 km from the Foirail,” shares Jean Phillipe Bordenave, General Sound Manager at Foirail. “The original NXAMPMk2 amplifiers were also reused, thanks to the integrated NEXO speaker processing presets.”

At the Théâtre Saint-Louis, the configuration includes:

• Main system: 1 x GEO M12 + L18 Sub per side for the stalls
• First balcony: 3 x GEO M6 per side
• Second balcony: 2 x GEO M6 per side

“From now on, spectators at Foirail and Théâtre Saint-Louis can benefit from a world-class NEXO system, perfectly adapted to the locations and types of shows they host,” concludes Eric. “Best of all, the city is getting great value for its investment in NEXO sound.”

Find out more here:

nexo-sa.com