World Premiere: dBTechnologies Unveils W12T Monitors on the Main Stage at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion 2025

The twin cities of Bristol lit up for the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion with a celebration of Americana, bluegrass, country, folk, and rock.

Miami Beach, FL – Miami, FL – September 23, 2025 — From September 19–21, the twin cities of Bristol, Tennessee–Virginia once again lit up for the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, transforming historic Main Street into a three-day celebration of Americana, bluegrass, country, folk, and rock. Born from the legendary 1927 Bristol Sessions, the festival is recognized as the Birthplace of Country Music, and this year’s edition carried that heritage forward with performances that drew thousands to the streets where two states meet.

Sound was a defining part of the experience, and 2025 marked a special milestone for dBTechnologies. While the brand’s systems have supported multiple stages at the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion in past years, this edition brought something entirely new: the worldwide debut of the VIO W12T stage monitors. On the main State Street Stage, the festival’s sound provider Express AV deployed a complete VIO rig — six VIO L212 per side, twelve VIO S218 subwoofers, and four VIO L208/210 front fills — anchored by ten of the brand-new W12T wedges, giving artists the kind of detail and presence they need to hear and feel every note.

For Brandon Hart, Monitor Engineer for the State Street Stage and Production Manager for the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Festival with Express AV, putting the W12Ts to work for the first time was both exciting and reassuring. “I was really excited about the opportunity to use the new W12T’s on the main stage,” he said. “The W12 has a very smooth but powerful upper range that allows the vocals, guitars, and keys to cut through the mix. I was cautious about having the 12 in place of our usual W15T’s and was pleasantly surprised to find the voicing identical in the upper range and still have plenty of low end to cover a bass guitar. The coverage pattern was excellent as we had some artists standing directly above the monitors and others four to six feet behind them. I was able to start the mixes with minimal EQ on the monitor itself and only had to notch a few frequencies for feedback on specific instruments. One unique feature of this festival is the diversity of artists on each stage — Southern Rock, traditional bluegrass, Americana, and modern country. The W12T’s have plenty of power to put the punch of a kick drum into the mix and still let a banjo or fiddle stand out when needed.”

That versatility proved important throughout the weekend. Several performers remarked on the stage sound. The first band to take the stage, Hippies & Cowboys, noted how well their vocals pushed through the mix and how natural everything felt on stage. Cruz Contreras of The Black Lillies praised how clearly his keys and vocals came through the monitors - feedback that reinforced Hart’s confidence in the new design.

The main stage itself stood at one end of Bristol’s central avenue, just steps from the small brass marker denoting the Tennessee–Virginia state line. “It’s really great to be able to stand on the State Street stage with an artist coming through for the first time and explain that the state line is in the middle of the street,” Hart said. “When they learn they are performing with one foot in Tennessee and the other in Virginia, it adds a little something extra to their set. When that is coupled with being in The Birthplace of Country Music, it brings out even more energy and adrenaline in every performance.”

Supporting the deployment on site were Andy Tindall (Applications Engineer) and Matthew Whitman (National Sales Manager) from dBTechnologies USA, who worked closely with the Express AV crew to ensure every system — from front fills to the full PA, and especially the new W12Ts — was fully optimized. Beyond the Main Stage, Express AV also deployed Ingenia IG5T-R column loudspeakers with IG subs at another festival venue, along with additional dBTechnologies systems on another 10 stages across Bristol. Together, these setups highlighted the versatility of the brand’s portfolio in a range of performance environments. Performances from headliners including The Teskey Brothers, Shane Smith & the Saints, The Band Perry, Lukas Nelson, and Ricky Skaggs underscored just how powerful, clear, and musical the full VIO rig could be.

Against the state line backdrop - with the audience literally standing in two states at once - the VIO system bridged tradition and innovation. While dBTechnologies has long supported this iconic festival, the first-ever live outing of the W12T monitors on the Main Stage marked a pivotal moment for the brand’s global story and its growing presence in the U.S. live-sound market.