News

WASHINGTON DC – CTSI (Corbett Technology Solutions, Inc.), which had been brought in to upgrade the lighting systems for the beaux arts-style W Hotel near the White House here for a refurbishment in 2009, was then tasked with an upgrade to the luxury hotel’s audio system. CTSI specified a range of new equipment including Martin Audio OmniLine arrays and AQ Series speakers.

NEW YORK, NY — When William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet returned to the Broadway stage for the first time in 36 years, sound designer (and composer/percussionist) David Van Tieghem and associate sound designer David Sanderson turned to Masque Sound for a custom audio equipment package. The setup included Shure, AKG and Sennheiser cabled and wireless mics, a Digico SD8 console, XTA processing and Meyer Sound UPM-1Ps, UPM-2Ps, UPQ-1Ps and 600-HP subwoofer. The crew also makes use of D&B and EAW speakers and Sennheiser and Clear-Com headsets for the show’s intercom.  Masque Sound also provided all cabling and associated equipment.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – For a TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference, TEDxABQ 2013: Be Extraordinary, which was staged at the University of New Mexico’s Popejoy Hall here Sept. 7, On Cue Stage and Event Services’ Nicholas Taylor, pictured here, relied on Digital Hybrid Wireless microphone technology from Rio Rancho, NM-based Lectrosonics.

HOLLYWOOD, GA – The Hollywood Baptist Church recently installed a new sound reinforcement system featuring Tannoy VLS 15 loudspeakers. Doug Ward Integration, located in nearby Demorest, designed and installed the system for the long, rectangular 400-seat sanctuary. The new gear replaced a center-mounted cluster system that had been previously used within the space, which includes stained glass surfaces and wooden pew seating.

FAIRLEA, WV — SES (Special Event Services) of Winston-Salem, NC and Nashville, TN recently provided a Large Format Outline GTO system for the Greenbrier Classic Concert Series (GCCS). Produced by Gary Bowman of Nashville Live!, in conjunction with the Greenbrier and the PGA, the GCCS featured Kenny Chesney, Aerosmith on the State Fair Grounds here on July 4 and July 6, respectively.

NASHVILLE, TN – For Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake’s “Legends of The Summer Stadium Tour,” monitor engineer Dan Horton, pictured here, used a variety of Miktek mics for Tony Royster Jr.’s drum kit. The setup included a PM9 on snare, PM10s on toms and the PM11 on kick and floor tom.

AUSTIN, TX — As with Coachella, the 12th annual Austin City Limits (ACL) Music Festival adopted a double-three-day weekend format, effectively doubling attendance at the annual event held at Zilker Park here in early October. Featuring identical lineups on the consecutive weekends, Houston-based LD Systems supported the audio needs at the stage known as AMD on the first weekend and Lady Bird on the second with an L-Acoustics K1 loudspeaker system.

CONCORD, NH – Gibson’s Bookstore, which first opened here in 1898, relocated during the revitalization of the city’s historic downtown to the first floor of a new five-story office building. Owner Michael Herrmann used the opportunity to design the store to his exact specifications and installed a single, two-rack space Ashly ne8250.70pem eight channel 250w network amplifier with an on-board Protea DSP processor to accommodate events of varying sizes and styles.

PHOENIX – A crew from Clearwing Productions worked last year to transform Phoenix Zoo’s annual seasonal spectacular, ZooLights, from a linear roadside display into an immersive, 360-degree audio and lighting experience that encircled the zoo’s central water lagoon. The upgrade convinced zoo officials to deploy the system year round, delivering multi-zone background and event music to visitors across the lagoon area. Clearwing provided Technomad loudspeakers for the project.

HOBBS, NM — The Lea County Event Center, located here in the southeastern corner of the state, has upgraded its installed sound system to QSC WideLine-8 line arrays powered by CX Series amplifiers. The multi-use venue, which can seat more than 10,000, is home to a diverse range of commercial, industrial, community, social, sports and entertainment events throughout the year.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The Exploratorium science museum here recently opened its new multidisciplinary theatre, the Kanbar Forum, with a Meyer Sound Constellation acoustic system. The theatre also features other advanced acoustic technologies including SpaceMap multichannel panning, a technology that allows sound designers to fly sounds through space.

The 135th AES International Convention at New York City’s Javits Convention Center (pictured here) is right around the corner, and registration for a free Exhibits-Plus badge ends this Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 5 p.m. EDT. The convention begins Oct. 17, with the exhibit floor open Oct. 18-20. This year, the AES crew has assembled an impressive track of events, seminars, workshops, technical sessions and papers targeting sound reinforcement professionals. And of course the exhibit floor is a major highlight of the show.