When Collectif La Bringue and Minuits took over Nantes’ 9,000-capacity Zenith Arena for Calling For Rave, they made history. This was the first time the venue, a cornerstone of France’s touring circuit, had hosted an all-night techno event. To achieve the sonic engagement they aspired to, the team turned to long-time collaborator Combeuil Audio and its sizeable inventory of Funktion-One sound systems.

“Zenith Nantes is a major institution for entertainment production,” said Esteban Haie of Collectif La Bringue and 99dB. “Our goal was to deconstruct the venue’s image and create a true rave experience in a concert hall environment. Funktion-One has been with us since the beginning, so it was the obvious choice.”

Working with La Bringue’s production team, Combeuil Audio designed a system to deliver powerful, coherent coverage across the vast arena. Suspended Evo 7T arrays with F124 subwoofers formed the main system, while Evo 6SH, Res 2 and F121 cabinets handled front fill. Evo 7TH, Evo 7TL, Evo 2, and Evo 2L delays extended coverage to the seating tiers, maintaining consistent coverage across the audience areas.

The system’s visual form also played a key role in the design, with delay stacks and lighting integrated for a striking, architectural look. On stage, the DJ booth featured the iconic Dance Stack setup, while the backstage area was powered by Evolution XSH and F215 Mk2.

Combeuil Audio’s Guillaume Combeuil explained: “We deployed a large Evo 7 system with delays and fills to perfectly cover the arena-shaped room. La Bringue requested the mighty Dance Stack as booth monitors for their striking look and the DJs were thrilled with how powerful it was. It was our first time rolling out a system of this scale and everything went flawlessly thanks to the easy rigging.”

Haie added: “The power and clarity of the system allowed us to achieve precise coverage across every point in the venue. The diversity of Funktion-One loudspeakers perfectly matched our configuration, both acoustically and visually.”

Combeuil Audio and La Bringue’s partnership began in 2022 with a series of warehouse takeovers. “They were the first company to trust us,” Haie recalled. “Now, we’re tackling the largest concert halls together.”

The result was a defining moment for both teams. “We’ve never received so much praise for an event,” said Haie. “The speaker presence and lighting design cemented our concept. People loved the sound and they’re already waiting for the next one.”

Photos by Julien Moreno