The venue is the atrium space of a large purpose built leisure centre. "Mr Perkovi?'s concept was for the four cafe-bars that surround the atrium to double as clubs in the evening, and for them all to share a larger performance space in the middle," explained Martinez. The bars naturally enough, have their own themes, hence the flower pots. For Martinez this all seemed perfectly natural.
"Branko engaged me as a partner for my club experience; I organised the main stage and brought in Tomislav Koran, or Kuki as I know him, from Sunflower to design and specify a PA system. I needed someone of Kuki's expertise; the atrium space is like all such buildings, a tall reverberant space. The audio specification would need to be tight."
"Toni called me in July 2011 when the building was already in construction," explained Koran. "Top bands and leading European DJs were their target artists so I immediately thought to use d&b audiotechnik; Toni and Branko would need something internationally recognised with a good reputation."
The PA system installed by Sunflower is based on d&b T10 loudspeakers with T-SUBs and six of the new 18S-SUBs from the d&b White installation range. "I made an EASE simulation of course, and determined that the T-SeriesT10 loudspeaker in line array orientation would be perfect. At 105 degrees horizontal it gave ideal coverage and power for an audience at short range; coupled with exact vertical control so I could keep the main energy off the reverberant surfaces. The additional 18S-SUBs gave me the ability tolocalise and reinforce the low end in the surrounding bar/clubs, again without exciting the walls."
Green Gold opened at Christmas 2011 and in the seven months since has, as Mr. Perkovi? said, played host to just about every famous artist and DJ in Croatia, "and international acts," added Martinez. "In May Edward Maya DJ'd here, Inna played here in June, and Barbara Tucker just last month. You know, when I saw the place for the first time and Mr Perkovi? and I were talking about sound I was not worried at all. I said to myself, Kuki will solve everything. And he has."
(Jim Evans)
