CARLOS VIVES, DOMINICAN REP.

Carlos Vives celebrates 30 years of music in a legendary amphitheatre

On December 7, 2024, legendary Colombian artist Carlos Vives performed at the renowned Altos de Chavón Amphitheater, located in La Romana, Dominican Republic, as part of his international tour “El Rock De Mi Pueblo Vive”. This commemorative tour celebrates the artist’s 30-year career and his contributions to Latin music, particularly with his innovative style known as “Colombian Pop”.

The tour has visited key cities across the Americas and Europe, including Monterrey, Mexico City, Seville, Calvià (Mallorca), Madrid, Marbella, Valencia, and London, solidifying Vives’ status as a major figure in live music on the international stage. His show at Altos de Chavón was part of this series of unique events, designed not just as concerts but as cultural celebrations.

The Altos de Chavón Amphitheater, with a capacity of over 5,000 spectators, is a Greco-Roman style structure inaugurated in 1982 with the historic Concert for the Americas, which brought together artists such as Frank Sinatra and Carlos Santana. Since then, it has hosted major international music acts and has become a cultural and tourist icon in the region. The technical production of the concert was handled by ENLAB, a Dominican company specializing in event production and rentals. ENLAB was responsible for designing and implementing a comprehensive sound system using DAS Audio systems to ensure flawless audio performance in this unique venue.

An open-air venue with acoustic demands and a band rich in sound

Although the concert was held in an amphitheater specifically designed for live performances, the event’s technical production presented several significant challenges that required a precise and controlled sound solution.

On one hand, Carlos Vives’ band — La Provincia — is composed of numerous musicians and performers who combine traditional Colombian instruments like the accordion, gaita, guacharaca, and caja vallenata with modern instrumentation such as electric guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards. Adding to this instrumental complexity are several vocalists who interact continuously throughout the show. All these elements needed to sound clear, balanced, and powerful without losing definition in an open-air setting.

In addition, the Altos de Chavón Amphitheater, with its semicircular shape and ascending rows, demands meticulous sound design to ensure even coverage across the entire venue, from the front rows to the farthest seating areas. Avoiding areas with excessive sound pressure or dead spots is critical to maintaining the audience experience.

Lastly, the amphitheater is located on a hill within the Casa de Campo residential and tourist complex — an area that, while not densely urban, includes high-end homes and natural surroundings that must be protected from sound pollution. It was essential to ensure that the system minimized sound spill beyond the amphitheater, respecting the environment and avoiding disturbances to neighboring areas.

Cardioid LARA and SARA systems; punch and total sound control

To meet the technical demands of the Carlos Vives concert at Altos de Chavón, the ENLAB team deployed various DAS Audio ARA series systems, aiming to provide uniform coverage, maximum intelligibility, and precise sound control in this acoustically unique outdoor environment.

The main system consisted of 24 LARA systems in a left/right configuration as the main PA, delivering power and clarity throughout the amphitheater. To complement lateral coverage in the semicircular space, 24 SARA systems were deployed, also in an L/R configuration, as out fills, ensuring that even the farthest side seats received clear and well-distributed sound.

Eighteen LARA-SUB systems were used: twelve flown (six per side) and six ground-stacked at the center of the stage. Thanks to their cardioid design, these subwoofers provided excellent directional control, minimizing rear sound propagation and avoiding disturbances in the residential areas near the amphitheater.

To reinforce the front rows, 16 AERO-20 systems were deployed as front fills, ensuring that every attendee — regardless of their location — experienced clear, precise, and immersive sound.

The DAS systems not only successfully addressed the challenge of covering an open-air semicircular venue but also delivered the precision needed to amplify a band like La Provincia, with multiple live vocalists and both acoustic and electric instruments. The system’s response was consistent throughout the show, from the most powerful moments to the softer ones, always maintaining a balanced and detailed sound.

DAS Audio’s technology turned the challenge into an exceptional experience

Carlos Vives’ concert at the Altos de Chavón Amphitheater was more than just another stop on his international tour — it was a celebration of 30 years of career, cultural identity, and live music at the highest level. In a venue as iconic as it is challenging, the collaboration between ENLAB and DAS Audio, with the deployment of ARA series systems, successfully met the expectations of the audience, production team, and the artist himself.