HAGERSTOWN, MD. – In early 2025, the city of Hagerstown came together for an unforgettable evening of live music and community impact at the Ladders to Leaders Recovery Benefit Concert. Organized by Ladders to Leaders, a local non-profit that supports individuals in achieving lasting recovery, and powered by All Sound Pro LLC, the benefit celebrated those transitioning from addiction to recovery and raised vital support for three local recovery homes operated by Ladders to Leaders.
“This concert was important to our community as it provided an evening to celebrate those who have faced the challenges of substance misuse and have succeeded in overcoming the issue,” said Alicia Divens, Event Organizer and Board President of Ladders to Leaders. “Music is an amazing art form that has the ability to bring people together. The benefit concert was a huge success, spotlighting the work of Ladders to Leaders and accomplishments of our residents.”
Bob Ranalli of All Sound Pro and his team deployed a JBL VTX A Series system for the event, choosing it for its clarity, rider friendliness, and effortless deployment. “We chose the A8s and B28s for their scalability, clarity, unbelievable power for the size, and ease of deployment,” he said. “It is by far the easiest rigging system, and setting the array angles with the locking system as well as truck transport are incredibly easy. Ground stacking is extremely easy as well. Literally taking half the time of other brands, it seems they thought of everything in the design.”
The venue presented several acoustic challenges, including a large parabolic dome in the ceiling and a mix position located slightly house right and under a balcony. Using JBL Performance Manager, Ranalli and team fine-tuned the deployment to handle these challenges. The main JBL VTX A8 arrays were supported by VTX B28 subwoofers in cardioid configuration to keep the low end focused out in the audience, while JBL SRX906 speakers were used for front fill coverage of the VIP seating area. The house’s existing under-balcony loudspeakers were integrated into the system using Crown VRack amplifiers and tuned by ear to match the tonal character of the VTX system.
The performance featured a lineup of musicians with national credentials and deep local roots, including Brad Divens (Wrathchild America, Souls At Zero and KIX) as lead vocalist and bass guitarist, Shannon Larkin of Godsmack and Wrathchild America on drums, Bob Paré from KIX and Ever Rise on guitar and vocals, Brian Forsythe of KIX and Rhino Bucket on guitar, and Brad’s son Zach as a guest vocalist.
“Having mixed on VTX for several tours, I knew the JBL A8 would rock the Maryland Theatre,” said Brad Divens. “It was a no-brainer to have Bob and his company involved. I’ve worked with him on other projects and knew he was the guy to deliver the show to the audience.”
“The tones coming off the stage were already exceptional,” said Ranalli. “I feel my job is always to get out of the way and let the band shine. I don’t like over-processing everything. I like things to breathe and have momentum. That’s the whole reason why we could listen to those old albums over and over and not get tired. The JBL VTXs delivered consistent SPL throughout the venue. You can make it sound big without it hurting.”
Audience reaction was overwhelmingly positive. “The crowd response was incredible,” Ranalli said. “There were several manufacturer reps and large production company reps in attendance, and they were blown away by the band and the overall sound. People are still talking about the show on social media, local radio and in the press.”
“The A8s flawlessly delivered all the detail from the guitars and vocals to the punch from the B28s that got everyone’s attention,” he added. “The musicality of the subs and how they interacted with the A8s helped deliver Brad’s signature bass tone that the crowd definitely came to hear.”
For Ladders to Leaders, the benefit marked a significant milestone, not just for fundraising, but for the powerful message of hope and community it represented. “It was an honor to accept the role of president,” said Alicia Divens. “And this event was a reflection of what’s possible when recovery, music and community come together.”
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All Sound Pro LLC provides pro sound systems, lighting, A/V services, and installations to the mid-Atlantic region since 2014. https://www.allsoundpro.com/
For info on Ladders to Leaders, visit https://www.ladderstoleaders.org/
For info on JBL Professional, visit www.jblpro.com
