Outdoor concert of the Oktoberfest bands, Munich

In a long established tradition, thousands of Munich Oktoberfest visitors gather in front of the steps of the Bavaria statue on the second Sunday of the festival to listen to Bavarian folk music. Starting at 11am in the morning, the bands from all of the festival tents join together - 300 musicians then play the best-known classics and marches, conducted by the Lord Mayor of Munich and other celebrities. The concert ends with thousands of colourful balloons being released around Bavaria into the blue and white sky above Munich.

For over ten years now, the hosts of the beer tents have entrusted us to realise the sound for their outdoor concerts, which are broadcast live by Bavaria's state TV and radio organisation. We begin setting up at 5.30 in the morning so that rehearsals can begin on time at 10am. We make sure that both spoken announcements and music are transmitted perfectly over a distance of 500 metres so that the sound can be enjoyed by all. When the ringing of the midday bells announces the end of the concert, we start dismantling our equipment straight away. The two PA towers at the site have to be dismantled while surrounded by a crowd of visitors streaming to the tents, which places particularly exacting demands on our high safety standards.