The original enquiry to David Graham's company for the project dates back to the 2003 Bar Show when the operators embarked on their mission to convert the former Stocks, which was something of an institution on the King's Road. "You have to get on with a person and David Graham and his team at Sound Division have been absolutely brilliant," she said. "He got what this was about straight away and knew what I wanted intuitively."
The original building was gutted and the DJ booth repositioned, enabling Sound Division to install an 'industry reference' set-up, based around a pair of Pioneer CDJ-1000s, two Technics SL1210 Mk5 turntables and Allen & Heath Xone:62 mixer. In addition an HHB CD burner has been included to enable DJ sets to be recorded; the main audio rack (containing all the amplification and processing devices) is on show to the public from the DJ booth.
It is the RGB mix of the LED lighting that is largely responsible for the club's atmosphere, with the walls and bar forever changing colour. This is under the command of the Abstract Sunlight software package which enables Geeta (who wanted colour-changing LED's from the very beginning) to direct the lighting, using the psychology of colour carefully. Early on the lighting is a subdued violet, turning to pink and by midnight it's deep red. "That's when it starts to get sexy on the dancefloor," she says.
The interior design follows a traditional North Indian theme across a two-floor dancing and dining restaurant/cocktail lounge area, linked by a marble staircase, while the long glass entrance corridor is a maze of colour-changing LED floor panels.
Being in a residential area, one of Sound Division's biggest challenges was to control the sound system. Using Soundweb SW9088iiLL DSP (with local 'Jellyfish' and 'Shrimp' remote controls) to set sound thresholds and store gain settings, Sound Division specified four compact Turbosound TQ308's mid high cabinets for the floor (and two on the periphery), reinforced by two TQ115 sub bass cabinets positioned underneath the DJ booth directly onto the dance floor - all powered by Crown Pulse XS series amplifiers. A further Turbosound TXD308 is provided for DJ referencing (all Turbo loudspeakers were painted white to match the interior).
Multiples of JBL Control 26C and 24C recessed ceiling speakers meanwhile, deliver the sound to the corridor, toilets, bedroom areas and upstairs to the restaurant (where they are interspersed with JBL Control 23's). Pioneer CD multiplays are used to deliver background music.
David Graham comments: "Due to the importance and complexity of the lighting we asked Abstract's Steve Watts to offer design advice; as for the sound we sought the experience of Turbosound's Dom Harter, who also arranged an onsite demo." The electrical installation was carried out by JLC Electrical under the leadership of Jon Carey.
(Jim Evans)
