NEW YORK – Keith McKeon, a native of Dublin, Ireland, has been drawing both sports and music lovers to his new venue on Manhattan’s Lower East Side with an assist from FBT audio gear provided by KPODJ and Italian Speaker Imports. The space, dubbed The Grayson, operates as a sports bar by day and makes use of its “old school” DJ booth and FBT ProMaxX 12, J8 and SUBline 15SA components for music four to five nights a week.
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What do you do when you can’t decide whether to open a sports bar or a night club? Do what Keith McKeon did and open a bar that’s both. The Grayson, located on the lower east side of Manhattan, isn’t the first of the Dublin-born entrepreneur’s venues, but it’s definitely something special. Primarily a sports bar by day, McKeon says the space “turns into a bit of a disco club at night.” Whatever time of day, it’s the kind of place where people love to meet. Thanks to a crystal clear sound system, multiple big screens to watch the big game, and an “old-school” DJ booth that appeals to veteran DJs and newbies alike, the venue is sure to attract both music lovers and sports fans – thanks to a winning combination of tradition and technology.
According to McKeon, everybody faces a challenge when they open a new bar if they want to get everything just right. The Grayson had its own issues. In addition to concerns about creating great sound in a long, narrow space, for example, he was also worried about the upstairs neighbors. “My whole thing was,” he said, “with the residents upstairs, we wanted to have speakers that would give a crisp, high end sound and still have great bass, but that wouldn’t penetrate through the walls too much… We wanted a sound that would bring people back to the bar.”
McKeon knew he needed a high end product to strategically accomplish all of this. In addition to wanting what he called “crystal sound,” he also wanted speakers that would enable him to aim sound where he wanted it, and keep it from places where he didn’t. To find the right brand, he approached Tom Capo, manager of KPODJ in Hopatcong, New Jersey. Capo, who had worked with him on his other bars, explained, “I demoed and recommended FBT speakers to Keith because, in our 13 years of business, this speaker line has impressed me more than any other – by far. They make the most powerful and cleanest sounding speakers in their class.” Interestingly, he also noted that the speakers don’t always sell themselves online, adding, “They don’t jump off the screen when browsing our online store, but they completely set themselves apart from the competition when demoed. We’ve only carried the FBT line for about 9 months now but, to date, every single customer that’s come into our store and A/B’ed FBT and another similar speaker has agreed that the FBT was better.”
McKeon counts himself among Capo’s impressed customers, and was sold on the brand the first time he heard it. Purchasing three ProMaxX 12’s for the dance floor, eight FBT J8’s for the bar, and a SUBline 15SA to cover the whole room, he had everything installed to the delight of his customers and the DJs who will be working there 4-5 nights per week.
Jamie Villarie, Owner of Italian Speaker Imports and a DJ himself, explained the appeal. “These speakers are a great choice for all DJ’s,” he said, “as they supply high quality sound and clarity. They’re also very lightweight and portable, making them a great choice for mobile DJs who purchase and carry their own systems for individual gigs.”
And the DJ booth at The Grayson may just be one of the most interesting parts of the venue. While the booth around the DJ area is modern, the equipment is far more “old school.” When asked why he chose to furnish the booth with two Pioneer turntables and a Rane mixer, McKeon replied in an Irish brogue, “ We toyed with the idea of going with a CDJ, but a lot of the DJs that have come up over the years, they like the turntables. They feel more of a connection when they use them vs. the computerized CDJ.”
Villarie agrees. “All DJs want to be comfortable with the tools they use,” he said. “And they owe a bit of a debt to old-school DJs, so having old-school turntables brings nostalgia, sure, but also a sound that can’t be replicated by anything else. Having this type of system and having the ability to welcome an old or new-school DJ will only benefit the club and allow for versatility. The world’s best DJs like to have great sound and like to be comfortable in the booth; having traditional equipment backed by a great sound system like FBT just gives DJs the best of both worlds.”
The Grayson is located at 16 First Avenue, New York, New York, 10009.
