In recent years, live concerts at Webster Hall have been a rarity, with only a handful being promoted by media giant Clear Channel, and the venue's focus has been almost exclusively on dance music. Now, The Bowery Presents (TBP), a local concert promotion company that also owns and handles shows for the Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge, is bringing live music back to the 120-year-old venue.
Designer Matt Kasha's newly-installed sound system comprises twin dV-DOSC/dV-SUB line source arrays hung to the left and right of the Grand Ballroom stage. Each array has a single dV-SUB with 12 dV-DOSC cabinets flown below and three additional dV-SUBs hung at show trim. To augment the system's 'thump', six SB218 enclosures - a dozen 18" woofers in all - are positioned under the stage.
"Sound really is The Bowery Presents' number one concern," says Kasha. "But trying to achieve quality audio fidelity in a historic venue where aesthetics dictate that we can't do much acoustic treatment can be tricky. However, the highly predictable directivity of the dV-DOSC system effectively enabled us to direct audio away from problem areas and deliver exceptional sound both to the main floor and balcony areas."
Since putting in its new system, Webster Hall has hosted a diverse array of acts, including Sonic Youth, Supergrass, The Faint, Nickel Creek, Bad Religion, Steve Earle, and Skinny Puppy.
(Jim Evans)
