Knockout Concert Sound At Knockdown Center
The Knockdown Center is located in Queens, New York, in a 120-year-old former glass factory that later became a manufacturer of demountable door frames, hence the name. Now, L-Acoustics has become a venue for concerts and art galleries, helping to modernize contemporary venues in Queens.
Much of New York's industrial history lies in the Maspeth borough of Queens, where 19th-century factories and warehouses still stand, though the neighborhood is changing rapidly. It's no surprise that this multiracial neighborhood has become a growing host to exciting downtown events like rave parties and techno parties in recent years, as more neighborhoods like Williamsburg and Greenpoint move away from their industrial-age roots and embrace gentrification.
The focus of most of these is the knockout center. It hosts concerts by the likes of LCD Soundsystem, Louie Vega and Hot Chip, as well as art exhibitions and events like comedian Eric Andre's 40th birthday party. And with an integrated L-Acoustics party sound system, redesigned and installed by Boulevard Carroll Entertainment Group, the Knockdown Center now looks as modern as its old brick walls.
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"We've been waiting a long time for something more significant," said Daniel Martin McCormick, director of marketing for Knockdown Center, for L-Acoustics' new system. "Especially with a busy schedule spanning so many different genres, including a lot of electronic music that needs a really strong sound, and world-class pop and metal acts that also need other impressive music." As well as a very diverse group. Events The Knockdown Center also hosts events of various sizes. "Then 3,200 people, then 1,800, and even less than 1,000," he said. "So the new regulation has to cover the entire spectrum. It can't disrupt the big shows or beat the small ones."
And that's exactly what the new L-Acoustics system does. The platform consists of 14 K2 aircraft arranged in a left-to-right arrangement, with two A15 aircraft on each side as fillers. In addition, seven K3s on each side and two A15s on each side were placed as delay amplifiers along the main hall. And with four A15 chargers and four Kara II front-facing chargers, it becomes the main sound system when only a small portion of the room is used for an event. This realignment required only the transfer of the KS21 submarine and the muzzle of the Kara II system. Subsequent resets are performed using the LA Network Manager software and P1 processor presets. The combination of the LA12X and LA4X powers the entire system, including a wide array of X12 loudspeakers used as screen wedge on stage.
"It's a challenging space because there are so many projection options, including brick walls, floors, lots of wood and metal beams, and so on," said Daryl Moore, director of audio entertainment at Boulevard Carroll Entertainment Group. “There is also a lot of empty space in the ceiling where sound can get lost. Combining this with the need to adapt to events and performances of different sizes is a challenge. Fortunately, the L-Acoustics system is more than sufficient to meet all of these requirements.
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Anthony Vecchito, CFO of Boulevard Carroll Entertainment Group, said L-Acoustics made sense as a business offering for the Knockdown Center because the venue needed to be as flexible as possible to accommodate the widest variety of large-scale events. "The competition is increasing and you want to book as many different types of events as possible, so the sound system has to cater to everyone," he says. "The way we designed and implemented this system means it can handle everything from large concerts to small art events, and every event gets the sound it needs." He adds that the P1's handling helps preserve sound. Separate audience and reflective surfaces, providing high quality coverage.
The L-Acoustics system premiered on July 29, when the venue hosted the OUTLIER with DJs Bonobo and performances by Jacques Greene, Ramor, O'Flynn and Juan McLean. "The premiere of the Knockdown Center with the new setup has covered a wide range of styles and sound more than made up for," says Moore. "The band and the artist really like that sound."
Knockdown's Martin McCormick agreed. "The K2 delivers crisp, clean, beautiful sound," he says. “I think our new plugin can accommodate everything we do here, given the variety of programs and genres and the variety of event sizes, which is both a challenge and an advantage. This allows us to give our artists and audience the best possible experience.
