Club Fabric in Tralee opened at the end of June, hailed as one of the most technologically advanced clubs in Ireland it is located in the centre of Tralee. Club Fabric contains two clubs, each separately styled and themed. With five bars, it is also one of Irelands biggest clubs, costing owners Seamus and Bobby O'Halloran an impressive 7 million. AVL's Kevin McCarthy specified for Fabric 1 a system based around the AS690e full range installation cabinets supplemented by a chest-thumping eight Avalon DCS2 high output sub-bass on the dancefloor, and a distributed system comprising six FR129z for outfloor bar areas with a further two FR129zs acting as DJ monitors.
Fabric 2 required a slightly different approach. "We wanted to create a slightly more mellow, less full-on, hi-energy dance experience than in Fabric 1, so I went for a system based on more traditional EAW components," explained McCarthy. "The club itself is slightly smaller and more intimate, so we wanted to reflect that in our choice of sound system." Four MK2194 compact, full range cabinets plus two compact dual 15" SB250 subs and a further two compact single 15" SB150 subs form the dancefloor system, while two ultra-compact, wide angle UD22i loudspeakers handle outfloor audio. An FR129z acts as DJ monitor.
AVL has installed similar systems based on a mix of Avalon and components from other EAW installation ranges in a number of other prestigious clubs in Ireland, including Time in Naas, Co. Kildare which is also an important live venue with some of the biggest live acts in Ireland gracing its stage - it is EAW throughout.
Other AVL installations worthy of note are the recently opened Ten in Waterford, described as an upmarket, exclusive danceclub which boasts a similar system to Fabric 1; Passion in the Landmark hotel in Carrick on Shannon which is another huge club with two dancefloors, the main one of which has an even more powerful EAW JF Series/Avalon system than Ten and Club Fabric; and also Amber in Dundork which was recently honoured with a BEDA award for best design.
According to EAW's Martin Warr: "AVL and Kevin McCarthy have been real ambassadors for EAW in Ireland - the proof is that almost all of the big-name clubs there are equipped throughout with EAW systems and are gaining recognition for being the best-sounding clubs around. Furthermore, through a strategic network of partners, he is now making inroads into the UK market, where we wish him every success. He certainly deserves it!"
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
