Through its Funktion-One Vero deployments at Red Rocks, Elements Festival, Snowta and other events and concerts in the US, One Source Productions has earned a reputation for the highest standards of audio delivery. Recently, the Funktion-One rental specialists enhanced this standing with its work at Texas Eclipse Festival and The Rendezvous.
Held at Reveille Peak Ranch in the heart of Texas Hill Country, the event welcomed huge artists including Tipper, Zeds Dead, Of The Trees, and Subtronics to its stages. Under the guidance of founder Joe Adkins and trusted engineer Dan Getz, the One Source crew deployed a Funktion-One Vero system comprising 10 enclosures per side on the Eclipse Stage.

“Our team had previously managed audio at Tipper’s 4321, another eclipse event, but this festival was on a much grander scale,” says Dan. “After months of transforming the red desert into a functional festival ground, the organisers expected 40,000 attendees to arrive.”

The challenging environment, particularly the dust, was further exacerbated by the threat of severe storms, which ultimately led to the event being halted on the final day, hours before the solar eclipse.

“Still, Funktion-One Vero performed exceptionally well, and all the performers were thrilled with the Funktion-One PSM318s as monitors,” Dan states. “Overall, the festival was an exciting and unique experience and, despite the challenges, our team overcame them admirably.”

It was obvious as soon as One Source arrived on site for load-in that the dust and the harmful impact it can have on audio equipment would be a serious concern. Visqueen and tarp sheets offered just enough protection, but the clean up job post-event told its own story. “It took several days of scrubbing and power washing to restore the PA to its original colour upon returning to the warehouse,” says Dan.

There were also some real positives to take: “For the first time, we deployed Starlink on our stage, thanks to BEW Productions LLC, enabling us to stay connected with the outside world from both the stage and our lodging site. Despite long and hot build days, we remained ahead of schedule and ready for four days of programming. System technician Andrew Davidson time-aligned the system before FOH engineer Ron Lorman made his final adjustments, and we were show-ready.”

The Eclipse Stage’s biggest crowd, estimated at 15,000 to 20,000 people, was drawn by Tipper. The boundary pushing composer, producer and DJ announced his retirement from playing live shows “sometime in 2025” making his Sunday evening twilight performance among his last.

“It was hard to see the back of the crowd from the stage,” says Dan. “Fortunately, the Funktion-One Vero excels at projecting sound over long distances, allowing us to cover the crowd without the need for delay towers. The energy of Tipper’s set crescendoed, perfectly complementing the transition from day to night. What started as an audience in sunglasses and colourful attire transformed into a dark landscape, illuminated by LED flow toys.”

As the festival rose for the fourth day it was met with an unexpected darkness. Rather than watching Clozee, Opiuo, and the total solar eclipse, attendees were instead forced to evacuate due to the threat of lightning and torrential downpours. The One Source team remained onsite for breakdown and were among the few, alongside the other production crews, to witness the solar spectacle as planned.

“The eclipse lasted approximately four minutes, during which day turned to night and celebratory howls filled the air,” says Dan. “As the eclipse ended, night turned back into day, and we resumed our work. Hours later, just as we were about to begin loading the truck, lightning struck, and we were instructed to shelter in our RVs. The storm persisted for several hours, but we finally resumed our work that night, tirelessly packing up in the dark and mud.”

Reflecting, he adds: “We received numerous compliments about the PA's fidelity from both the crowd and the artists. With the next eclipse not occurring for another 20 years, we were honoured to be part of this remarkable celebration.”

Around a month after Texas Eclipse, One Source Productions deployed a Funktion-One Evo Touring system at The Rendezvous; a three-day festival, (formerly known as Tipper and Friends) held at The Spirit of Suwannee Park in Florida. The re-brand came in response to Tipper’s announcement, re-gearing it for the future, but as the final night headliner this was still very much the enigmatic producer’s show.

On the audio production side, this is very much a One Source show, having deployed its Funktion-One systems here for the last six years.

This year, the main PA comprised six Evo 7T, six Evo 7TH, and six Evo 7TL, together with 12 F124 and eight F221 subs. Two Res 4T were used for in-fills, with monitoring handled by PSM318, F1201, and BR118s.

“Despite the amphitheatre’s wide and bowl-shaped design, the setup was tried and tested from previous years and ensured excellent coverage and sound quality,” says Dan.

As with the Texas Eclipse Festival, the line-up showcased experimental electronic music, with nightly headliners including Detox Unit, Jade Cicada, and Tipper.

Dan says: “The Rendezvous was another successful weekend at The Spirit of Suwannee Park. Our team showcased the unrivalled fidelity and power of Funktion-One systems, ensuring the artists’ performances resonated with over seven thousand attendees. We eagerly anticipate returning next year.”