The Royal Albert Hall Installs Riedel's Bolero Wireless Intercom

Riedel Communications has announced that the Royal Albert Hall has installed a new Bolero wireless intercom system as part of its continued expansion and upgrade of in-house audio equipment and services.

Bolero is a scalable, flexible, and industry-standard communication solution for Royal Albert Hall clients, the visiting productions that use the intercom system for behind-the-scenes communications during live shows.

"After renting communications systems from a different manufacturer, we chose Bolero for our permanent in-house wireless intercom," said Ben Evans, Audio Operations Manager at the Royal Albert Hall. "It's a user-friendly system that gives our clients clear, reliable audio, and it integrates seamlessly with the gear most of them use. The fact that there’s no complex license management was also a significant factor in our decision, and the system's network-based flexibility was a key advantage over competitors’ point-to-point solutions."

A 153-year-old London venue, the Royal Albert Hall is a highly flexible space with various stage configurations and performance locations. It hosts diverse events, such as rock/pop concerts, orchestral performances, spoken word performances, sports, ballets, ballroom dancing, book launches, and poetry. Events rotate in and out quickly, so the venue requires a reliable, scalable communication system that can accommodate the high turnover.

The Royal Albert Hall’s in-house technical services — lighting, rigging, audio, communications — are a selling point for production companies and attract high-profile productions. In 2018, the venue formed an in-house audio team to improve the audience experience. The venue partnered with manufacturer d&b audiotechnik for a permanent PA system, with additional investments in sound desks, microphones, and monitors. Then came the communications system.

Bolero provides more channels, better infrastructure, and better range, compatibility, and connectivity than the hall’s previous system. It also offers efficient configuration for a range of different events. Interoperability with other equipment means that it is ready to go if issues arise. For example, when a visiting production’s own wireless communications system failed midshow, the crew maintained continuity by switching to the Bolero system employed by the Royal Albert Hall.

The Bolero sees daily use as a production communications and talkback system. Communication extends beyond traditional stage teams and show callers. A "shout system" allows front-of-house and monitor engineers to communicate. Separate communication rings simplify interaction for lighting/show callers, audio teams, and production. The venue can increase the size of the system for complex productions by adding extra rings.

Likewise, when a large-scale event requires more than the 10 wireless packs already in permanent inventory, the venue can easily scale up by renting additional packs or antennas. For example, the 2024 Olivier Awards needed 30 packs, plus additional Riedel Artist mainframes and panels. In that scenario, the in-house system interfaced with a large Artist setup serving 30-plus users across various site locations.

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