"Linz Sound Cloud", Linz/Austria

The "Linzer Klangwolke" (Linz Sound Cloud) is an event which has taken place for 30 years now. At the beginning of September, spectators flood into the Danube Park in the Upper Austrian capital to experience how the banks of the river burst into life with lighting effects and music. In 2014 ten ships – led by an over-dimensional gramophone – set off in a cleverly choreographed parade; on board each one was a band playing its own interpretation of "The Blue Danube" in a whole range of styles from rock 'n' roll to folk music. The sound came directly from the ships themselves with just the bass speakers lined up along 400 metres of the river bank; here we also used moving lights and architectural floodlights which – together with 100 LED lights on the opposite side – conjured up lighting effects on the Danube and illuminated the ships. The music was accompanied by a narrator, which meant that a complete second sound system was installed behind the audience. For the finale, the ships lined up along the bank and all of the artists played together. One single sound cloud was transformed into a mighty wall of sound.

Photos: Jörg Küster