The £1.2 million project sees the conversion of a utilitarian 1960's office block in Quay Street, central Manchester, into an 1600-capacity sports-themed environment on two levels. Facilities include bar/dining areas with a large dancefloor, a mezzanine chill-out/games area with 16 pool tables, a Team Room used for private functions and, behind a laminated glass wall but clearly visible from the street, a basketball practice area - for those wanting a bit of physical exertion mixed with their energy drinks.
The Sports Café's technical infrastructure was designed by Metropolis's Simon Harris, working directly for Sports Café. The client specifically wanted one design and supply company to fulfil the complete technical brief. The five month fit-up was thus project-managed for Metropolis by Stuart Clowes. The interior designers/architects were Sutherland Smith, and shop fitting was by WFS.
Sound was the most galvanizing technical area. There was lot of space to cover and considerable control was needed to minimize sound spillage between audio zones. The issue of equipment control to prevent abuse once the operation was operational was also allowed for at the outset. The venue's main sound system features 10 HK 8.1 full range speakers and two 112 subs. Eight HK 12.1 enclosures are used for the dancefloor, plus two 115 subs. The pool table area and Team Room utilizes Turbosound Impact speakers and Metropolis also piped audio into the toilets.
The Sports Café's system processing is achieved through an Allen & Heath DR128 processor. A Cloud Z4 Zoner is used to divide the venue into four zones and amplification is all QSC - a mix of RMX 2450s, 1450s and 850 devices. Metropolis kitted the DJ booth out with Technics 1210 decks and a Denon DN-2600 twin CD player, compete with Formula Sound mixer, plus various DVD inputs. For daytime background music, a Rolec LHD 3 programmable hard disk system was specified. For live events, presentations and PAs there's a small Soundcraft Spirit console and a selection of microphones.
Metropolis also specified 50 Thompson 25" wide TV screens, installed throughout the venue, plus 24 28" screens, and six 42" plasmas behind the bars. A total of 18 15" TFT screens were specified, eight of which are in the Mens toilets, two in the Women's, six in the restaurant booths and two on the drink stands in the Pool area. There are two Sanyo (PLCXP 40) projectors installed - one at either end of the dancefloor, plus a Sanyo SU33 in the Team Room on the ground floor. All the AV and satellite outputs can be patched to any screen destination via a Kramer V162 video matrix.
For effects lighting, the brief was to make the dancefloor area lighting colourful and stimulating. Simon Harris chose 12 of the versatile new Robe Colour Spot 160 fixtures, used for all the projection and beam effects including rotating gobos, etc. In addition to these are two internally-wired-bars, each containing 18 1K PAR cans for concentrated bursts of colour and light. The general environmental lighting in the dancefloor area is enhanced with 12 Martin Alien wall colour changing fixtures, used to wash the long curved wall running the length of the dancefloor. All lighting is controlled via a Pulsar Masterpiece desk.
(Ruth Rossington)
