Miss Q is a 420-capacity pool bar, diner and live music club/saloon in Earl's Court, west London, which adds a contemporary twist to retro 'Beat' Americana and is defined by its rock 'n' roll interior and heady mix of live music, pool, classic American diner-style food and hard liquor.
The venue is the latest venture from Nick Valentine and the first venture for Eddie Bloom, son of Jamie Bloom, former owner of the legendary Rainbow Theatre. The concept, interior and branding of Miss Q's has been created by Paul Daly Design Studio, the firm behind high-profile projects such as The Elbow Rooms. And the venue is managed by Martin Gilbert, most recently the man in charge of Koko at Camden.
The Miss Q team's credentials and experience were matched by AV installers Viba Sound, whose track record includes Stringfellows, Raffles, Vendome and many other private clubs. Peter Kellet describes how he brought the 'speakeasy' concept to life in a vast open-plan basement spanning 7000sq.ft.
"We've zoned the AV systems by input as well as output, so that the three discrete areas of the club can feature any combination of recorded music, live band or DJ set; music video, sporting broadcast or movies. The playback system is super-flexible, and throughout the club, there are 14 Nexo PS8 super-compact full-range loudspeakers. Wherever you go in Miss Q's you're not that far from a speaker, so we can keep SPLs low and satisfy both the guests and the neighbours. Even the live stage measures at 98dBA, although bookings tend to be well-behaved acoustic acts rather than rock bands."
On the illuminated dance floor, several Nexo LS400 subs up the ante, but here the use of digital processors keeps impulsive DJs under control.
"The flats are directly above the venue so we have to deploy limiters to keep a lid on sound levels," explains Kellet, who, together with GM Martin Gilbert and acoustic consultant Richard Vivian, made a point of visiting the residents and checking out the soundproofing between floors.
Although Viba Sound installs plasma screens, lighting, sound mixing control facilities and CCTV, the company is primarily known as an audio systems specialist. "There are literally hundreds of loudspeaker models I could put into a club like this and get by," says Kellett. "However, when the budget is there, I always choose Nexo. It's even more important when the system is contract-hired by the venue: not only does Nexo have highly resilient resale values, but there are absolutely no maintenance costs for the life of a typical contract."
(Jim Evans)
