Challenged to roll out the “big guns” for the staging of reggae artiste Protoje’s signature festival, Lost In Time, Main Event Entertainment Group earned the singer’s critical nod during soundcheck at Hope Gardens Friday night on the eve of the two-day festival.

Skipping through a few of his hits in a near 30-minute routine, Protoje left the main LIT stage satisfied, giving Main Event’s sound engineers the all-clear.

“What is most important at a show is the sound quality,” said the Rasta Love singer. “People not only want to see but also hear the best.”

In a unique twin-stage set-up, Lost In Time features the LIT stage as well as a foundation stage, operating separately but in tandem, on both nights.

Pulling out all the stops to meet the expectations of discerning production manager, Martin Lewis, and stars such as Protoje, Tanya Stephens, Chronixx, Grammy-nominee Lila Ike and Jesse Royal, Main Event’s project manager, Rayon Stephenson, said the festival features many “firsts and onlys” in audio equipment.

Pointing to the Martin Audio loudspeakers positioned at the front of the LIT stage, Stephenson noted that Main Event is the only known production company in the Caribbean with the internationally revered system.

Founded in 1971, Martin Audio is among the leading pioneers of the professional and touring sound industry, specialising in the “audience experience”, enabling bands to play to larger audiences and be properly heard.

“Martin Audio is the peak of audio systems. Nothing in Jamaica can compare, or rival,” Stephenson added before waxing on the mixing board, a Quantum 338, which he spoke about with unabated admiration.

“At the risk of being repetitive, Main Event is the only company in Jamaica with Digico consoles, a Quantum 338, an SD 12 and SD 21. The engineers are in love with these consoles, which allow much creativity,” he explained.

“These are top-notch consoles, which top international artistes request as conditions to appear on shows,” said Stephenson.

Protoje was clearly impressed, suggesting off-stage that he was particularly surprised with a mix, requesting its inclusion in one of his hits.

“Yea, fi real,” he exclaimed after an engineer sought his feedback after soundcheck.

Lila Iké during her set at Saturday’s staging of the Lost In Time festival. (Photo: Brian Pitter)