Tamarai was one of the most well known venues in Egypt. It was admired for its glamour and exclusivity but as Egypt's political landscape took a seismic shift, the appetite for such attributes naturally subsided. Tamarai's owners, Ayman Baky and Ahmed Beltagy, in keeping with the general mood in the country, plotted new beginnings. The partners teamed up with Ahmed Ganzoury of ByGanz Events and drawing from a formidable pool of knowledge and expertise, the trio created a befitting sequel.
TIU was designed by Ghautier Guillame from GG&Grace. The Belgian designer has crafted a multi-levelled and multi-faceted rooftop space, which takes its inspiration from the journey of diamond discovery.
Local Funktion-One specialists, Center Stage, supplied the sound system. The company was appointed to the project after demonstrating the quality and flexibility of Funktion-One's speakers.
Bassem Fahmy, co-owner of Center Stage, explains, "We made a big impact through our rental jobs. Mr Beltagy approached us after attending an event that used Funktion-One, but we faced tough competition from distributors of other loudspeaker manufacturers. A myth was spread that Funktion-One wasn't good live. We countered that by renting a system to Mr Beltagy for his club on the North Coast. During that time he had some live acts and they sounded perfect on our Funktion-One system."
The main sound system at TIU comprises four Funktion-One Resolution 3 SH skeletal loudspeakers - two left and two right - and a pair of F215 bass enclosures. Two BR221 bass reflex speakers are positioned under the DJ booth for additional low end. Six Resolution 1.5 speakers have been deployed around the back of the main space to form a surround configuration, along with four BR118 bass reflex speakers.
VIP tables behind the DJ booth have been reinforced using F101 speakers, while the DJ booth itself is home to a monitor system made up of two F1201s. Amplification is handled by two FFA F40Qs, four F60Qs and an F100, with control from an XTA XO4 Audio Management System.
Reflecting on the project, Fahmy says, "We've had a lot of positive feedback and the client is very happy with the installation. We're pleased to be working with the owners, who are thought of as the leading lights in Egypt's entertainment scene. They demand the best and with the Funktion-One sound system we were able to provide it."
(Jim Evans)
