Dragonfly Stage at Arcadia Spectacular

Arcadia Spectacular’s Dragonfly Stage at Glastonbury 2024 represented a feat of creative and technical ambition. Central to the audio experience was a custom sound system designed and deployed in collaboration with AF Live, supported by Sennheiser’s wireless technology. The arena demanded clear, powerful audio coverage across a sprawling, open-air space accommodating up to 70,000 festivalgoers.

Audio system designer Bryan Mclean, formerly of the Royal Air Force, led the charge. His mission was to deliver consistent, enveloping sound across the entire Arcadia field while minimising spill into nearby areas. Using L-Acoustics Soundvision 3D Sound Design and Mapping software, the team modelled months in advance to simulate and refine acoustic behaviour. The sound design had to balance power with precision—delivering maximum impact near the Dragonfly’s head, where MCs performed, without overwhelming quieter areas of the installation or neighbouring festival zones.

Sennheiser’s Evolution Wireless Digital EW-DX system formed the backbone of the wireless setup, providing crystal-clear vocal capture and flawless transmission in one of the festival’s most demanding technical environments. The team deployed four channels of EW-DX handhelds, equipped with MM 445 capsules known for their feedback rejection and high sound pressure handling—critical for a stage where the microphones were situated within the epicentre of the PA system. To support the performers, six channels of Sennheiser’s 2000 Series IEMs were used for monitoring and foldback, ensuring that each artist could clearly hear themselves over the intense audio output and crowd energy.

Given the installation’s vast scale and the Dragonfly’s unique structural layout, RF coordination and antenna positioning were crucial. Sennheiser’s technical application engineer Marcus Blight worked with AF Live to specify, configure, and test all equipment prior to deployment.

Arcadia’s commitment to sustainability extended to its audio systems, with all equipment powered by battery banks charged via offsite wind and solar. This eco-conscious approach aligned with their ethos of transformation and renewal.

The success of the audio experience was made possible by a tightly integrated team of engineers, artists, and partners working together – a fitting soundtrack to one of the most visually and sonically imaginative stages Glastonbury has ever seen.

While the vision for the Dragonfly Stage was spectacular, translating it into an operational audio system posed several unique challenges that went far beyond traditional live setups. One of the most complex tasks was managing RF performance within a radically unconventional architecture—a helicopter cockpit elevated above ground level and enclosed in a semi-transparent LED shell. Microphones and monitoring systems had to function flawlessly inside this metallic, signal-reflective enclosure, surrounded 360-degrees by a powerful PA system.

To solve this, the Arcadia team worked closely with Sennheiser and AF Live to implement a customised wireless infrastructure, prioritising antenna placement and system gain staging. The EW-DX system’s wide dynamic range and robust RF performance ensured that even high-output vocals from MCs performing directly in front of sub arrays were captured cleanly without distortion or feedback.

Another major hurdle was the coordination and calibration of multiple wireless systems in a congested frequency environment. Glastonbury’s vast technical footprint created an incredibly dense RF landscape, with hundreds of channels in operation across the festival. Sennheiser’s Marcus Blight provided hands-on support, pre-programming and field-testing all transmitters, receivers, and IEM systems in advance. Real-time spectrum scanning and backup frequency groups ensured system resilience throughout the weekend.

Then there was the logistical complexity of powering a full-scale RF and audio system using only battery banks charged offsite by solar and wind power. Runtime, weight, and charging cycles had to be carefully calculated and scheduled. The energy efficiency of the EW-DX system helped maintain uninterrupted performance, even during extended programming windows.

Environmental resilience was another critical consideration. With heavy rain, dust, and high winds a constant possibility, every component needed to be IP-rated or housed in weatherproof enclosures. Antennas and cabling were deployed with extreme care, often hidden within scenic elements or elevated for optimal line-of-sight performance.

In the end, it was the close collaboration between Sennheiser, AF Live, and the Arcadia team that made this technically ambitious project possible. Each challenge was met with a solution rooted in creativity, experience, and shared commitment to pushing boundaries — not just sonically, but sustainably and artistically as well.

The Arcadia Dragonfly Stage is far more than a festival production – it is a radical reimagining of what live performance technology can be. In blending mythic storytelling with state-of-the-art audio, lighting, and visual design, the Dragonfly emerged not simply as a stage, but as a living installation that breathed fire, pulsed with energy, and delivered unforgettable experiences to tens of thousands of people each night.

From an audio perspective, the project showcased a level of engineering rarely attempted in an outdoor setting. The integration of Sennheiser’s Evolution Wireless Digital EW-DX system into an active, complex metal structure—once a military aircraft and now repurposed as a DJ booth—was a feat of technical ingenuity. The system’s ability to perform under such extreme RF, SPL, and environmental conditions exemplifies excellence in both product design and application expertise.

Yet what truly sets this project apart is the holistic, collaborative spirit in which it was created. Arcadia brought together a diverse team of technologists, artists, and sustainability experts to work in harmony, ensuring every element—audio, lighting, video, flame, and narrative—worked as one. From Sennheiser’s technical engineers to AF Live’s deployment crew, and from the Whadjuk Noongar nation’s ritual creators to the lighting and VJ artists at the control desk, the project became a symphony of shared innovation.

It also breaks ground in terms of environmental responsibility. The audio system, like the rest of the show, ran entirely on battery power drawn from wind and solar sources. This commitment to sustainable touring practices, combined with repurposed staging elements and fuel-efficient flame effects, points toward a future where spectacular doesn’t have to mean wasteful.

Crucially, the Dragonfly Stage didn’t just meet expectations – it ignited imaginations. It inspired artists like Fatboy Slim and Eric Prydz to engage in new ways, captivated audiences with its immersive energy, and demonstrated how live sound can be delivered at scale with clarity, sustainability, and artistic impact.