Pierre Vijgen, who owns Vizion, has invested more than 10 million in the venue, which sits tucked beneath the stands of Kerkrade’s Parkstad Limburg stadium. And get this for luxury - visitors arriving by car can choose from one of 1,500 parking spaces, with entry to the club costing only 10 euros.
Despite the scale of the venue, its split-level layout ensures that even when the building is not entirely full, its feel remains intimate and busy. Numerous internal galleries, like stork’s nests, offer a bird’s eye view of what’s going on below.
The club is only open at weekends, but pulls out all the stops to attract a large audience, employing several DJs to cater to the wide variety of musical tastes. Rather than get tied down to one particular musical trend, Vizion has set its sights on a broad target audience, by offering a blend of club and trance. As Rob Cuypers of Vizion explains: "With a club this size, specialization would make no sense. For this reason, we’ve positioned ourselves in the mainstream. The programme of music is complemented by a variety of shows and events - including joint promotions - designed to advertise particular products."
Servicing this wide-reaching ambition is an artillery of sound, lighting, video and rigging equipment, all supplied by ID-Q Media Concept of Maastricht. Highly sophisticated stage equipment from ChainMaster of Eilenburg in Saxony provides the framework for the lighting system. It includes 18 VarioLifts and six BGV C1 chain hoists (8 m/min with safety controllers) each with a capacity of 250kilos. This equipment is also used, inter alia, for positioning the various truss rings.
The club is also equipped with a 24-channel computer-controlled network, a single 32-channel slave server with Interbus control, a 32-channel Interbus hub for the VarioLifts, an 8-channel sub-distribution panel for the hoists with a safety controller and a 3 x 38-channel ChainMaster current distributor for the VarioLifts. The installation of a positionable stage capable of being manoeuvred around the room by VarioTrolleys (an electrically powered chassis with an integrated frequency converter and positioning unit) and VarioLifts is also planned.
For the lighting, ID-Q raided the catalogues of several key manufacturers, and the rig features Martin MAC 500s, Clay Paky Stage Zooms, Robe Spot 250XTs and 150XTs, Martin Atomic Strobes and a variety of Par lanterns, all controlled by Martin’s new Maxxyz desk, with dimming provided by Zero88’s Chilli high-density dimming system. The main audio system is based around the NEOcraft system from Audience Delight. This was developed for touring applications and sound reinforcement in large venues, and is built around the C30 mid-high speaker and the B30 bass. Six B30s, six C30s and four large bass units have been installed per side in the main dance area. Also within ID-Q’s remit was the provision of a what is becoming something of a club-standard - a large-screen video system.
