The 1,100-seat venue, purchased by Soda Jerk Presents in 2010, needed the sonic adrenaline provided by the Outline GTO C-12 system to bring it to the next level. While this system could easily handle a larger outdoor audience of several thousand attendees, the GTO C-12 fits the bill for this venue, providing the clarity and power necessary for the performances without exceeding the flying-rig weight limits of the building's ceiling.
"We had been shopping for a line array since we first acquired the building," says Michael Barsch, owner of Soda Jerk Presents. "We looked at a lot of different brands, focusing on systems that could deliver the high-energy sound quality we needed yet stay within the amount of weight we could hang from our roof. The specs of the C-12 rivalled, if not exceeded, those of the other brands, and having heard the full-sized GTO rig in the past and implicitly trusting the recommendations of [DSI Event Group founder and audio engineer] Bret Dowlen, I had a good feeling about the C-12 system. We were not disappointed. This rig crushes! It delivers crystal-clear sound and tons of headroom."
Barsch and company own and operate two other venues in the Denver area, The Black Sheep in Colorado Springs and the Marquis Theater in Denver proper, with each offering a seating capacity of approximately 500. The move into Summit Music Hall gave Soda Jerk Presents a next-step-up seating capacity for groups that have outgrown the smaller venues. Having the right sound system to support this strategy was imperative.
"While we are primarily a rock club, we programme everything from punk and metal to hip hop, DJs and 1980s new-wave icons," adds Barsch. "Our presentations are mainly national acts from all over the world. For the sound system to accommodate this range of musical styles and fill the main seating area and balcony, we went with seven GTO C-12s and one GTO DF down-fill per side. When we did the initial testing of the entire system, we ran the C-12 system first, without the subwoofers, and we were all amazed by how full and rich the sound was. It was so good you could probably run a show without the subwoofers. This system is very clear, very precise, really punchy and very loud. The engineers who come in with the different groups love the sound."
The installation, handled by DSI Event Group, took two days to complete and marks the first Outline C-12 system in the rocky mountain region. All the amplifier racks and looms were done off site to reduce the install time. In addition to the new system, and some fabrication that was needed on the roof from the engineering team for additional safety measures, the existing PA system was reused as side fills.
"We looked into several options for Summit Music Hall and had to take in various considerations, such as the ceiling capacity and even the altitude in this area," says Dowlen. "The Outline C-12s not only met the physical requirements for this space but also packs some serious punch, as they have the same sonic signature of the Outline GTOs but in a smaller form factor. This system is tremendous; it is far superior to anything I have ever heard except GTO senior, of course."
(Jim Evans)
