The Engine Shed, now the largest music venue is the East Midlands, has been built on the site of old railway buildings by Brayford Pool and retains much of the old brick architecture. The interior walls are decorated with posters illustrating the site's historic background as a major railway junction.
A comprehensive lighting and sound system was installed throughout the venue which consists of four main areas, the main room with a capacity of 1500, the Mezzanine Bar, the Tower Bar and the Sports Bar.
The main EAW loudspeaker front of house system is a powerful KF850 rig comprising two KF850zF cabinets and two SB850zR subs per side with an LA215 stage monitoring system. The secondary system, which may act as a stand-alone rig if the room is being used separately or as a delay to the main system if the whole space is required, comprises two EAW AX344 three-way full range loudspeakers with an additional SB850zR sub per side.
ETC dimmers were used with three Sensor racks providing 96 dimming channels. Stage Electrics utilised highly versatile Prolyte HD30 square truss to create two rigs from which 30 moving heads including MAC 600s, MAC 550s and MAC 250s plus 36 PARcans and 30 generic lanterns are suspended. Additional effects include 24 Martin MX10's, six Martin Atomic Strobes, four 500mm mirror balls and four Jem smoke machines.
The latest Yamaha M7CL digital sound desk with 48 motorised faders offers technicians a professional digital console and provides the solution of flipping between 1-8 and 9-16 or 1-24 and 25-48. And there is a full Technics DJ Kit with twin CD players & twin turntables for visiting DJs.
Martin Woodage, project manager for Stage Electrics, says: "At the outset of this project it was clear the University needed a versatile system which would be highly dependable whilst delivering a great impact to users and visitors alike. We are proud to have been able to design & install such a system for the University and working alongside some of our key suppliers such as EAW, ETC, Prolyte and Martin amongst others who have helped ensure the system has delivered all that is required of it."
Nigel Stevenson, Principle Architect - University of Lincoln Architects, says: "Stage Electrics worked very closely with the design team to ensure the specialist AV systems were seamless with the design of the building. The result, a state of the art performance venue in an historic landmark, is unique to the East Midlands."
(Chris Henry)
