The venue is a classic ballroom type, originally designed with Big Bands in mind. Very little thought was given to sound reinforcement and the Palladium is not the easiest room to create quality. The fact is that the entire venue is very wide and to make matters worse, it has a balcony: not impossible, but it would normally require a lot of boxes for coverage rather than just SPL concerns.
The physical dimensions make things difficult. The distance between the rigging points is about 65ft (aprox. 20m) with the FOH position over 125ft back (almost 40m) and the main dance floor being greater than 11,200sq.ft (1,200sq.m). There is an additional 7,000+sq.ft (700sq.m) in the balconies. The ceiling is over 24ft high (7m) yet the fly points because of motors and flybar/grid are lower than 20ft (6m) - making this just the type of venue that is ideal for the wide coverage that the Aero 28As have to offer, according to D.A.S Audio.
Recently at the Palladium, with a new Aero 28A system, was Astro Audio Video Lighting Inc, headed by Craig Merrick. The Glendale, California-based company offers full-service, sales, rental and production support. Established in 1974, Astro has a wide range of technical and creative capabilities in the fields of professional audio, scenic design, stage and effects lighting, promotional presentations, and video production. Amongst their clients are celebrities such as Tia Carerra, George Clooney, Will Smith Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Ice-T, Dr. Dre, Coolio, and Madonna to name a few.
Astro's Aero 28A system was used at the Palladium, with two CA-28As on the balcony while the remaining lower six CA-28A were focused on the dance floor. The result was SPL levels at the FOH in excess of 105db to 108db average with 110dB "pretty easily within reach throughout the venue" say D.A.S. This was done with done with only 8 CA-28A per side.
(Lee Baldock)
