Florence (Italy), 14th August 2015 - One of Italy’s most durable festivals, Pistoia Blues, has aspired to new levels of efficiency - 35 years after legendary names like BB King, Muddy Waters, Fats Domino and John Lee Hooker headlined the inaugural event.　　Situated in the ‘back yard’ of Italy’s premier and amplification and DSP developers, Florence-based Powersoft, it was fitting that four of the company’s next generation X8 amplifiers should be purchased by technical production company Electra Service and promptly pressed into service.
　　The company’s MD, Roberto Buttarelli, who provided the full technical infrastructure, assigned them to drive key parts of the Martin Audio PA system for the 36th edition of Pistoia Blues, which again took place in the beautiful city’s Piazza Duomo over the course of nine evenings (between July 1-24).
　　Organised by the Associazione Blues in conjunction with the Comune di Pistoia, (City of Pistoia), the event has diversified far from its authentic blues roots, and headliners this year included Mumford & Sons, Counting Crows, Hozier, Passenger, The Darkness, The Dream Theater, Santana, Sting and an Italian Blues Night.
　　The eight-channel amplifiers were able to power a combination of four Martin Audio W8LM Mini line array infills, two further hangs of six W8LM outfills, and with so much power under the bonnet, they also drove the 12 Martin Audio bi-amped LE2100S monitors. These enclosures supported the main Martin Audio MLA array (which was provided by the consortium All Access, of which Electra Service are members).
　　PA manager Paolo ‘Red’ Talami explained that the addition of the new W8LM outfills for this year was due to the installation of new grandstands on the sides of the historic Piazza Duomo.　　“The total number of W8LM Minis used rose to 20, including the infill system and all were amplified by the new Powersoft X-series amplifiers,” he confirmed. “These are extremely versatile and incredibly effective, enabling us to also drive the entire monitoring system.
　　This versatility was central to Roberto Buttarelli’s thinking when purchasing the amplifiers, which were first demo’d to him by Powersoft’s Italian distributors, Audiosales. It took him no time to realise that the X8 represented the most innovative and complete solution in amplifiers.
　　“We had been looking for the best and most innovative technology in the market. Thanks to a complete DSP, a universal power supply and the possibility to set up a lot of different universal configuration to drive the rig such as we had at Pistoia Blues, the Powersoft proved itself to be the perfect amplifier and exactly what we were looking for. They are also light and compact, taking up a minimal amount of space.”
　　Electra Service has now replaced its previous front-line amplifiers in the company’s inventory. “It seems that Powersoft is becoming the new standard in amplifiers, and the Pistoia Blues festival confirmed that we’ve made the right choice … there is no question.”
　　As for Pistoia Blues, Red Talami confirmed that all artists’ production teams were entirely at ease with the FOH set-up. “The system techs and FOH engineers were entirely happy.”
　　The production team itself comprised the same personnel that had made 2014 such a big success - and included Vittorio Magro, Tonio Gargano, Beppe Acito, Andrea Frassy, Jean Claude Edifizii